Results 17,461-17,480 of 32,864 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Broadband Plan (20 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: It would not be appropriate to comment or speculate on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) at this juncture in advance of the Government having considered the matter. The  Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment is currently evaluating the final tender received under the existing procurement process. Separately, the Taoiseach has asked Mr Peter...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (20 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme was the largest ever flood risk study carried out in the State and covered 300 areas believed to be at significant flood risk. The CFRAM programme culminated with the launch on 3rdMay, 2018 of 29 flood risk management plans which proposed 118 new outline flood relief projects on top of the 42 major projects already completed...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Carbon Budget (20 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Facing challenging and legally binding greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, it is imperative that the assessment of public investment projects include an appropriate valuation of the cost that society will bear in dealing with the increased greenhouse gas emissions a project might give rise to. Under the National Mitigation Plan, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Carbon Budget (20 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The appraisal requirements for public expenditure projects and programmes are set out in the Public Spending Code. The Public Spending Code is the set of rules, procedures, and guidance to ensure Value for Money in public expenditure across the Irish Public Service. All relevant guidance material and requirements are presented together, through a unified web-portal at/Exchequer funded capital...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Carbon Budget (20 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department’s role is to deliver well-managed and well-targeted public spending. When it comes to climate change that means ensuring that Ireland’s climate transition is achieved at the lowest possible cost and that it is done so in a manner which is equitable. A Carbon Budget places a legal restriction on the amount of greenhouse gas a country or sector can produce in a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Retirements (20 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 191 together. The Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018 was published on Monday 9 July. It passed all stages in the Seanad on Tuesday 17 July and completed Second Stage in the Dáil on 7 November.  The Bill is provisionally scheduled for Committee Stage in the Dail on 11 December.  Ultimately...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Betting Regulations (15 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As announced in the Budget I have increased the rate of betting duty from 1 per cent to 2 per cent for all bookmakers and the rate of betting intermediary duty from 15% to 25% on the commission earned for betting intermediaries. These measures will take effect from 1 January 2019. The rate of betting duty at 1% on the amount of bets wagered in Ireland is at an all-time low, and betting...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Eligibility (15 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that capital gains tax relief may arise under Section 538 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 in respect of a loss incurred by the owner of a milk quota as a result of the abolition of such quotas in 2015. A claim for relief under Section 538 should be made by an individual in a tax return. The amount of the loss can be offset against gains made by an individual on the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Operations (15 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In the area of financial services legislation, section 33 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, as amended (“the Act”), sets out obligations in relation to the identification and verification of customers and beneficial owners. Section 33(2) sets out the following measures that shall be applied by designated persons (which include banks and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (15 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Section 9 of the Finance Bill 2018, as published, provides for an extension of the benefit-in-kind relief for electric vehicles until end 2021. In consideration of value for money and tax equity reasons, a cap of €50,000 on the original market value of electric vehicles availing of the relief is introduced. While the 0% rate is available on the value up to €50,000, the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Energy Efficiency (15 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department is actively participating in the Public Sector Energy Reporting Programme, reporting all of its energy consumption through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's (SEAI) Monitoring and Reporting online system. Since 2009, Energy Efficiency has improved by 11.3% up to 2016 in the Department towards the 2020 target of 33%. Overall, taking account of the Energy Group...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Personal Injury Claims (15 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 62 together. The Deputy should note that the Cost of Insurance Working Group considered the issue of capping the level of damages which could be awarded in personal injury cases as part of its second phase examining employer and public liability insurance. During its consideration, representatives from the Working Group engaged with the Office of the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Lending (15 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I note the comments made by ECB President Draghi to the Oireachtas Finance, Public and Expenditure and Reform and Taoiseach Committee. As the Deputy is aware, the financial crash and its immediate aftermath had a significant impact on the Irish mortgage market, with a steep increase in mortgage arrears, a sharp slowdown in the rate of new mortgage lending and the withdrawal of some...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Licence Applications (15 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The entity in question is not currently authorised or regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. I am informed by the Central Bank that it is not in a position to comment on whether any application has been received from this entity, as under section 33AK(1A) of the Central Bank Act 1942, as amended, the Bank is prohibited from disclosing confidential information relating to the business of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Energy Efficiency (15 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) is actively participating in the Public Sector Energy Reporting Programme and reports all of its energy consumption through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's (SEAI) Monitoring and Reporting online system. The 2017 Annual Report on Public Sector Energy Efficiency Performance, prepared by the SEAI, sets out details of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (15 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Public Service Pay Commission has adopted a modular approach to its work programme for its present exercise focused on recruitment and retention issues in the public service. As the Deputy will be aware, the first module was published by the Commission in August 2018 and deals with issues relating to Nursing and Midwifery, Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors and Hospital Consultants. ...

Dublin (North Inner City) Development Authority Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (14 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Organisations, like Dublin City Council and the new infrastructure body, which have responsibility for the management of lands, would have these powers peeled away from them and put into this new body. The reason I am so concerned about this approach is that we have had it before with the docklands in this constituency. We have had new bodies put in place whose main role over time has...

Dublin (North Inner City) Development Authority Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (14 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I will make three points regarding where the debate on this issue stands in order to articulate my deep and continuing support for the communities of the north-east inner city and also to emphasise the reason I believe this Bill represents the wrong approach. For too long, the communities in the north-east inner city did not receive the supports that were needed. In that context, the view...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners (14 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that the role of its Large Cases High Wealth Individuals (HWI) Division and Medium Enterprises Division (MED) is to encourage and ensure compliance with tax legislation for the case base within their area of responsibility. These Divisions have been established as part of Revenue’s decision, in the overall context of risk, to realign its resources to give a...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: VAT Rate Increases (14 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I would point out that no legislative change has been made to the VAT rating of food supplements. Furthermore, the interpretation by the Revenue Commissioners as to which food supplements apply at the zero rate of VAT and the standard rate of VAT has been fixed since 2011. Revenue has only ever allowed basic vitamins, minerals and fish oils to apply at the zero rate and this has not changed.