Results 16,781-16,800 of 32,602 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Lending (12 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Central Bank of Ireland has an overall and independent responsibility to promote and protect financial stability and the mortgage lending measures are an important tool available to the Bank for that purpose.  As the Deputy is aware, the Central Bank recently published its 2018 review of the residential mortgage macro prudential rules (available at this ) and the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Licensed Moneylenders (12 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Central Bank is independent in the performance of its functions in relation to the granting of licences for regulated activities and it would not be appropriate for me to contact them in relation to the granting of a licence to a specific applicant. The Register of Moneylenders, which is available to the public on the Central Bank’s website, sets out details such as the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Economic and Monetary Union (12 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I meet regularly with all my European Ministerial colleagues at the Eurogroup and ECOFIN meetings to discuss the deepening of Economic and Monetary Union. I am also aware that German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz gave a speech at Humboldt University in Berlin last month, during which he touched on many of the elements we have been discussing in these meetings. We have been working to an...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (12 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I assume the Deputy is referencing the Fiscal Assessment Report (FAR) as published on 28 November by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, in relation to Budget 2019. This publication is in fulfilment of the Council's legal mandate to assess and endorse the Government's macro-economic and budgetary forecasts.   Although I have no arrangements currently to meet with the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Agreements (12 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Ireland’s corporate tax residence rules were amended in Finance Act 2014 to shut down an aggressive tax planning structure referred to as the ‘Double Irish’.  Subsequently, reports emerged of a new alternative aggressive tax planning structure, known as the ‘Single Malt’ that sought to achieve a similar objective.   I understand that the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Parliamentary Questions Data (12 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The number of Parliamentary Questions received by my Department is set out in the following table: Year PQs Received 2016 1,051 2017 1,424 2018 1,432 My Department is committed to answering Parliamentary Questions in a timely and consistent manner and almost all questions are answered directly.   The following table sets out the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates Process (12 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Due to the scale of Government expenditure and the cash basis of Government accounting, the need for Supplementary Estimates can arise for a number of reasons, including policy decisions, timing issues and overspends. Supplementary Estimates are an important element of our expenditure management toolkit, allowing for the proper alignment of resources with allocations. The attached document...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Forensic Science Ireland Laboratory (12 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Office of Public Works (OPW) is managing the delivery of the new Forensic Science Laboratory at the Backweston campus. The Deputy should be aware that enabling works for Forensic Science Ireland that commenced in October 2017 have now been completed. However, due to recent changes in international forensic laboratory standards, the merging of the Garda Technical...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Projects (12 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Engineering consultant tenders were revived on the 10th September 2018. They are presently being assessed. Planning application is due to be lodged in Quarter 4 2018. The programme for the tender and construction stages of the project will be confirmed when the planning permission process is completed.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Assessments (12 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: A flood study of the Hazelhatch area of Celbridge, County Kildare, carried by consultants on behalf the local authority, highlighted the need for a re-assessment of the local hydrology for the area. The Office of Public Works (OPW) and Kildare County Council have  jointly developed the Project Brief for this further study that will be commissioned by Kildare County Council.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Execution of Wills (11 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Act 2003 allows for the re-distribution of assets that are to be transferred in a will or under the rules of intestacy in limited circumstances. Before receiving an asset to which a person is entitled, the person may disclaim or refuse the asset. However, a disclaiming beneficiary cannot choose who...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Agreements (11 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy is aware that the European Commission proposal for an interim Digital Services Tax, which imposes a 3% levy on the turnover of certain companies’ digital activities, has been debated among Member States at both a technical and political level for some months.   The Digital Services Tax proposal was included as an item for policy agreement at ECOFIN on 4...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (11 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As per my response to the Deputy in Parliamentary Question number 163 of 4 December 2018, I will prepare a formal response to IFAC’s Fiscal Assessment Report which will be published in due course. As is the established practice, this will be published on my Department's website once issued. 

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Economic and Monetary Union (11 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: At the June 2018 Euro Summit, EU Leaders asked Finance Ministers to work on the terms of reference for the operation of the common backstop to the Banking Union’s Single Resolution Fund, which exists to assist in the resolution of systemically important banks that are failing or deemed likely to fail. We were also directed to develop a term sheet for our ongoing work on reform of the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners (11 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy will be aware that Revenue operates independently from Ministerial direction and matters relating to its internal structure are the responsibility of the Commissioners. I have been advised by Revenue that it continually develops its structure to ensure optimum alignment of resources with the management of risk and the delivery of high-quality service to support voluntary and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (11 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that in accordance with section 114 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, where an employee is necessarily obliged to incur and defray out of the emoluments of the employment expenses of travelling in the performance of the duties of the employment, or otherwise to expend money wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the performance of those duties, there may be deducted...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: VAT Exemptions (11 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The VAT rating of goods and services is subject to EU VAT law, with which Irish VAT law must comply. In accordance with Irish VAT legislation, oral medicines (for human consumption), licensed or authorised by the Health Products Regulatory Authority, are liable to VAT at the zero rate. Non-oral medicines (products such as injections and infusions) are liable to VAT at the standard rate,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Waterways Ireland Staff (11 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that their review of the flat rate expenses regime is ongoing and that it is intended to have the review of all flat rate expense categories completed by the end of 2019. Revenue have indicated that the effective date for implementation of any changes to particular flat rate expense categories will be 1 January 2020.   Revenue have also confirmed...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Social Housing Provision (11 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As regards the first part of the Deputy’s question, I am advised that NARPS (National Asset Residential Property Services D.A.C.) was established by NAMA in 2012 in order to expedite the provision of much needed social housing. NARPS operates by purchasing properties from its debtors and receivers, at full market value, and making them available to Local Authorities or Approved Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (11 Dec 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139, 140 and 147 together. The Deputies will be aware that the administration of the tax code is a matter for Revenue. The Deputies will also be aware that, in accordance with the provisions of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 as regards the confidentiality of a taxpayer’s affairs, Revenue does not comment on the tax affairs of individual taxpayers....