Results 19,481-19,500 of 32,924 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The public service is central to economic and social life in Ireland. Significant reforms have been made in recent years and have made the work of the public service more transparent, decision-making more accountable and service delivery more effective and efficient. There has been much progress since the first reform programme was started in 2011, in areas including procurement, shared...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 to 82, inclusive, together. Managing the delivery of public services within allocations and meeting our budgetary targets forms a key part of the responsibilities of every Minister and Department. My own Department is in regular contact with all other Departments and Offices to ensure that expenditure is being managed within the overall fiscal...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching policy responsibility for workforce planning in the Civil Service, including recruitment. The initiation of a recruitment campaign for any particular civil service grade is determined by such factors as identified workforce planning requirements and the need to establish priorities for targeted recruitment into...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Managing the delivery of capital expenditure on issues of infrastructural importance within the allocations agreed in the recently published National Development Plan 2018-2027 is a key responsibility of each Minister and Department. My Department is in regular contact with all other Departments and offices to ensure that capital expenditure is being managed within the overall fiscal...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Issues (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Prudent management of the public finances in order to ensure that Ireland's economy continues to remain competitive in the face of future economic headwinds is the best and most immediate policy under the Government's control to counter the likely negative economic impacts of Brexit. In Budget 2017 the Government took important steps to prepare the economy. Additional resources were...

Other Questions: Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base Proposals (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: 12 o’clock I will not support any change that infringes the tax sovereignty of this country or poses any challenge to our ability to create and attract jobs here. As acknowledged by Deputy Michael McGrath, I am working with many like-minded countries on these matters. At this point, there is considerable concern in regard to both an interim measure and the development of a...

Other Questions: Tracker Mortgage Examination (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Deputy Pearse Doherty said that this matter is still unresolved and unconcluded. I agree with him, it is. Deputies have raised a number of issues with me, as I have dealt with this matter, on where we were with staff loans, where the Central Bank was with staff loans and where we were with the issue on the prevailing rate of interest. I have now updated the House on where that stands. On...

Other Questions: Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base Proposals (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I have not read the book but I did read of the speech. I might ask the Deputy if he read either but I am sure he has. On the different issues he has referred to, President Macron, in his speech, referred to a defined corridor for corporation tax rates and increased convergence and called for a rethink on the taxation of digital companies. EU member states are currently discussing and...

Other Questions: NAMA Operations (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I assume that when the Deputy asks if I have read the report, he is referring to the ruling made by the Data Protection Commissioner. I have not read the ruling, but I do have the summary of the commissioner's views on the matter and an update on NAMA's response. On whether I hold NAMA to account, it has a business or strategic plan and is accountable to me for its implementation. I meet...

Other Questions: NAMA Operations (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Deputy Michael McGrath referred to Project Eagle. As he knows, an inquiry is under way and any decision on accountability will have to be dealt after it has been concluded. I hold the board and the chairman accountable for implementation of their business plan and published strategy. Should matters emerge from inquiries that take place which raise issues for NAMA, of course, I will also...

Other Questions: Tracker Mortgage Examination (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In April the Central Bank provided me with a comprehensive update on the tracker mortgage examination. It subsequently published the update on its website. The report indicated that an additional 3,400 impacted on accounts had been identified since the previous December progress report, bringing the total number of impacted on accounts to 37,100. Progress has been made in the payment of...

Other Questions: Tracker Mortgage Examination (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I will answer the Deputy's question, but I wish to return to two other matters related to staff loans included in the Deputy's original question. The Central Bank has made it clear to lenders that their staff, who have impacted mortgage accounts, are to be included in the examination in the same way as all other impacted customers. The Central Bank has now indicated that it is satisfied that...

Other Questions: Personal Contract Plans (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Personal contract plans, PCPs, are a type of hire-purchase financing agreement used for the purchase of motor vehicles. They normally comprise three parts: an up-front deposit payment, ongoing monthly payments and a final payment at the end of the contract term. While the consumer will have the hire and use of the car, ownership of it remains with the finance provider. Hire-purchase...

Other Questions: Personal Contract Plans (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: There is no pass the parcel at all taking place in regard to these matters. The figures the Deputy has referred to are correct. Let us look at the amount of new lending in this category. In 2017, it was €835 million. This increased from €96 million in 2012. Therefore, it is a really significant increase. It is a matter that I am taking seriously. As I stated, I am...

Other Questions: Personal Contract Plans (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In my response to Deputy Michael McGrath, I referred specifically to consumer protection law as something that needs to be considered in regard to this category of finance. It is a category of finance that has grown in the way I have described. I am aware of who might be gaining access to the finance and how it is used. I have received the reports over a number of weeks and I am now...

Other Questions: NAMA Operations (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I advise the Deputy that, as Minister, I play no role in the day-to-day operations of NAMA, which are set out in the NAMA Act 2009. As such, it is not appropriate for me, as a Minister, to discuss with NAMA how it should deal with an operational matter such as this. I can confirm, however, that my officials have been briefed on this matter. I am informed that, having considered the...

Other Questions: Corporation Tax (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In the Finance Bill 2017, I introduced an 80% cap on the relevant income against which capital allowances for intangible assets may be deducted in a tax year.  This reinstated the cap which had been in place but which was lifted in the Finance Bill 2014 and therefore did not apply to assets onshored between 1 January 2015 and 10 October 2017. On the recommendation of the Review of...

Other Questions: Corporation Tax (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I have supplied information to the Deputy in the context of last year's Finance Bill on the contact between my Department and my predecessor across the period when that decision was made. On the question of the decision I made, I made it on the basis of consultation I had with my own Department. I have outlined to Deputy Doherty the contact I had with bodies and organisations in the run-up...

Other Questions: Corporation Tax (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I re-emphasise that intellectual property was brought to our country in the past and there was an expectation of what taxing regime would apply to that intellectual property when it was moved into our jurisdiction. I believe we should maintain that taxing regime. We gave commitments on what our international tax structure was going to be. Investment took place on that basis. If we were to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Corporation Tax Regime (16 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: When the Deputy looks at the companies who are accessing research and development grants, will he also be cognisant of the fact that they are creating employment in Ireland? Many of the companies the Deputy has referred to are very large employers. Their investment, which many other countries wanted, has been secured in Ireland. The different clauses the Deputy refers to, such as grants...