Results 19,121-19,140 of 32,864 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The answer to the Chairman's question is that the Commission has expressed an interest in looking at our report. When it gets to review how this directive might be implemented, it will do so on the basis not only of our Bill but on a review of it. It is my intention to publish the review of that Bill in order that it is in the public domain and people who have different views on it can comment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: No. I would not be aware of the status of individual disclosures.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I guess there are a few different aspects. The Chairman used an interesting phrase, "satisfaction in terms of the system". The satisfaction with the so-called system and the satisfaction of the person making the protected disclosure are two different aspects. That is the reason we will publish whatever review we do in order that people are aware of how we think it is going. In terms of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In many cases our legislation refers to the Minister for Public Expenditure and the need for the Minister for Finance to consult him. The consultations over the past year have been rocky and difficult with frequent disagreement but I have managed to reach agreement in the end.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Secretaries General tend to stay well away from me when that kind of consultation is under way.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Our competitiveness will require renewed focus across the coming period. While the league tables published recently still show our competitiveness is in a good place, they also show that in a number of particular areas our competitiveness had declined. We have moved down in some of the leagues tables. That is a concern. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, updated the Cabinet on this. As to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: That is a big question as to how I think it will evolve. There are events taking place in the House of Commons this afternoon of which the Deputy will be more aware than I am. In terms of my best judgement as to what will happen-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes. It continues to be my judgment that it is more likely than not that a transitionary agreement will be reached that will begin next year. There is a need for the British economy to achieve that. There will also be the effects European-wide if such an agreement is not reached. At this time, I still believe it is far more likely than not that a transitionary agreement will be reached....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: It is laid down. I have double-checked when exactly it is due to come to an end. The text currently agreed between the British Government and the EU indicates that it will come to an end at the end of 2020. It is in play but I believe it is more likely than not that this will happen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: That would be a political decision but the participant who will have to call for that first is the United Kingdom. It is more likely than not that there will be an agreement on a transitionary period for all the reasons we outlined, but it is up to the United Kingdom and its Government to decide if a longer one could be merited.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: European Union-Related Matters: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chairman.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Primary Medical Certificates (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As you may be aware, the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme provides relief from VAT and VRT on the purchase of an adapted car for transport of a person with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities, payment of a fuel grant, and an exemption from Motor Tax. To qualify for the Scheme an applicant must be in possession of a Primary Medical Certificate....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As you may be aware, the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme provides relief from VAT and VRT on the purchase of an adapted car for transport of a person with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities, payment of a fuel grant, and an exemption from Motor Tax. To qualify for the Scheme an applicant must be in possession of a Primary Medical Certificate....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware assisting those in mortgage arrears is a priority for this Government and there are a number of policies and supports in place for those in mortgage difficulties. The Deputy will be aware that the Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears (CCMA) sets out statutory requirements for mortgage lenders and credit servicing firms dealing with borrowers in or facing arrears on the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Sale of State Assets (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Connectivity Fund was established as a sub-fund of the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) in 2015 to invest the €335 million proceeds from the sale of the State's shareholding in Aer Lingus with the aim of enabling and enhancing Ireland's physical, virtual and energy connectivity. The NTMA have advised me that in 2017, the ISIF entered into two new investment commitments from...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Operations (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together. I wish to inform the Deputy that NAMA does not own property. Instead NAMA acquired loans and its role is as a secured lender. In this instance, I am advised that NAMA has never had any involvement in this particular property.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Capital Expenditure Programme (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In order to assess the impact of capital smoothing of the proposed voted capital expenditure model the actual capital expenditure in 2016 and 2017 along with that planned for 2018 have to be included in the calculation, as these impact on 2019, 2020 and 2021. The following table takes this into consideration and, combining it with the plan as submitted, results in the following amounts of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy will be aware that the Government established the Cost of Insurance Working Group in July 2016. Since then, the Working Group, now chaired by Minister of State for Financial Services and Insurance, Mr. Michael D’Arcy T.D., has published two reports examining the factors contributing to the increasing cost of insurance for motorists and the cost of employer and public...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Stamp Duty (12 Jun 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 and 225 together. As I have outlined in a number of PQ replies recently, the measure legislated for in section 68 of Finance Act 2017 (which was not a Budget measure) will allow a farmer to claim relief from stamp duty where he or she sells and purchases land for the purposes of consolidating an existing farm holding has been introduced, subject to a...