Results 18,461-18,480 of 32,610 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Data (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In general consideration of Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) thresholds and rates are undertaken within the annual Budgetary and Finance Bill process. As is normal, the Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on any possible changes in advance of the 2019 Budget. In addition, it would be impossible for me to comment on any possible changes in respect of future Budgets. The Deputy will...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Receivers (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by NAMA that receivers appointed to NAMA-secured properties are selected from NAMA's insolvency service provider panel which was established following a competitive public procurement process. I am advised that, arising from this process, very competitive fixed-fee rates were achieved relative to prevailing market norms. I am advised that, in general, fees are not paid to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Lending (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Central Bank has advised that the objective of the recent review it undertook was to assess whether or not lenders were advertising mortgages with cashback offers in a clear and unambiguous way. The review therefore assessed lenders’ compliance with certain provisions of Chapter 4 (relating to the provision of information) and Chapter 9 (relating to advertising) of the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tribunals of Inquiry Recommendations (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, the Moriarty Tribunal made a number of recommendations which affected a number of Government Departments. As Minister for Finance I can only respond in relation to the recommendations made in relation to my own Department. The tribunal pointed out problems to be addressed in our system of financial regulation.  Poor supervision, an...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Contracts Data (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The use of polling companies and/or Irish market researchers to conduct research on behalf of my Department since June 2016 is outlined in the following table.  Company Name Associated Costs Year  Detail Indecon International Economic Consultants €96,890.79 (€78,773 plus VAT) 2018 A mini competition was run from December 2017 to January 2018 for research services to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Appeals Commission (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 to 179, inclusive, together. The TAC was established on 21st March 2016 and new procedures for making, processing, adjudicating and determining appeals came into effect. Before this date taxpayers sent their appeals directly to Revenue who then transferred cases to the Appeal Commissioners when they were ready for a hearing. Since that date, taxpayers...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Abolition (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: A review of the appropriate treatment for tax purposes of trade union subscriptions and professional body fees was carried out by my Department in 2016 and included in the 2016 report on tax expenditures published on budget day 2016. The review may be found at the following link: ( The review concluded that: "...analysis of the scheme using the principles laid down by the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Tribunals of Inquiry Recommendations (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, the Moriarty Tribunal made a number of recommendations which affected a number of Government Departments. As Minister for Finance I can only respond in relation to the recommendations made in relation to my own Department. The tribunal pointed out problems to be addressed in our system of financial regulation.  Poor supervision, an overly...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts Data (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Year Name of company Amount Purpose 2016 IPSOS MRBI €27,060 A survey of Civil Service customers 2016 Perceptive Insight €18,425 A survey of Civil Service business customers 2016 RED C €28,290 Preparatory work on Gov.ie Portal 2016 Gartner €127,428 Provision of research and analysis...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Sector High Level Forum (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The difficulty we have with this is the massive costs relating to it that we outlined in response to the Private Members' motion from the Deputy's party. I have shared and indicated in the Dáil before that we estimate the potential cost to the State of this as being between €188 million and €347 million per annum. This is in addition to the call for the Exchequer to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Sector High Level Forum (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I do not know what the difficulty is with the publication of minutes from the previous forum meetings. I will follow up on that. We have not been able to reach agreement on the matter because, while the Deputy is speaking strongly about those who are especially affected by this, if the State were to agree to funding pensions for organisations to which it has contributed but which are not of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Two different elements are at play. I will publish the legislation on Thursday. There will be a Government meeting that morning, to which I will bring legislation in order to deliver what the Deputy mentioned. I hope and anticipate that it will be agreed by the Government and published that day. Depending on whether the Business Committee makes time available, I expect the legislation to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: That is a different matter than how the Deputy's written question was interpreted. The written question refers to the supplementary pension, which I took to refer to the future of auto-enrolment. Clearly, the Deputy-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the matter-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: No, I will answer the question the Deputy has just raised. Her previous question was on the abolition of the retirement age for people who worked in our public services.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes. The Deputy's current question is on the principle of abatement and why it is the case that someone who avails of the interim arrangements returns on the minimum point on the salary scale, which gives the appearance of his or her weekly or monthly income being below what it was. We now have a well-established principle in our public services that, if a retiree is rehired, he or she...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy spoke about retaining experienced staff. Thankfully, people are staying healthy for longer and many want to work for longer. People also find themselves having to support families now in a way that previous generations did not. The Deputy asked for a plan. We have one. It is in the legislation that I will bring to the Government meeting on Thursday. Once passed, it will...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Sector High Level Forum (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: An issue that has been under discussion by the community sector high level forum relates to CE supervisors and assistant supervisors, who have been seeking, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a Labour Court recommendation. The group met in April 2017. My Department outlined its intention to conduct a detailed scoping exercise. A meeting of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The State has no intention to exploit anybody for their services or work. We do not. If the Deputy or any group have concerns in this regard they know all the mechanisms and options that are open to them. I had hoped that Deputy Barry's views on the job market would also acknowledge the latest unemployment figures, which have come from the CSO today, that show the unemployment rate is...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Because of changes we have seen in Dublin and some of the other larger cities I absolutely understand that those people who work in our public services, and especially during the early part of their careers, are facing challenges around affordability for rent or mortgage payments. I can see this in many parts of the country and I can see it happening in Dublin. I shall outline our response...