Written Answers Nos. 113-23
113. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure that Revenue change its local property tax registration form to include the option for full payment in cash in order to avoid confusion amongst members of the public who wish to avail of this option rather than a weekly or monthly payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15623/13]
View answerI am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that a wide range of payment options have been made available to liable persons, which will allow them to pay their Local Property Tax (LPT) liability in full or by way of phased payments. One payment option allows persons to pay the LPT by cash through one of the three approved payment service providers, which are An Post TaxPay, Payzone and Omnivend. I am further advised by the Commissioners that, although the LPT Return only provides the option to pay LPT by cash in weekly or monthly instalments through the payment service providers, customers are free to choose whether to make their cash payments in one lump sum or spread their payments in equal instalments between July and December 2013. Accordingly, liable persons wishing to pay their LPT liability in cash, should choose the weekly or monthly option on the LPT Return, even where they intend to make one lump sum payment in cash.
I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that in cases where a liable person wishes to pay their LPT in full using cash, all payment service providers have been informed to accept the lump sum payment. I am also advised that the LPT booklet accompanying the letters and LPT Returns that are currently being sent to liable persons by the Revenue Commissioners explains at page 7 that cash payments can be made in full. Indeed I understand that some property owners have already paid in full using cash.
As the general issue of LPT Returns has already commenced, it is not possible to amend the return form at this stage but I am satisfied that this should not impede a property owner who wishes to pay their LPT charge in full using cash.
114. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Finance the timeframe for the publication and the enactment of the legislation promised to establish the investment arm of the National Treasury Management Agency on a statutory basis, including the shareholder executive and reorienting the National Pensions Reserve Fund into a strategic investment fund; if he will outline the progress he has made with the proposed legislation; the areas which will be targeted for investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15652/13]
View answerThe establishment of the Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) was announced by the Government in September 2011. Resources from the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) will be channelled through the SIF towards productive investment on commercial terms in the Irish economy. The SIF will seek matching commercial investment from the private sector in order to maximise the resources of the NPRF. The immediate priority for the Government is to put NewERA on a statutory footing and reorient the NPRF into a Strategic Investment Fund which will make strategic investments to support economic activity and employment in Ireland. Officials of my Department are liaising with the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), in preparing the necessary Heads of Bill to achieve this objective. I expect to bring these proposals to Government shortly.
The NPRF continues to work on assembling and developing a pipeline of additional commercial opportunities for the Strategic Investment Fund, which is taking place in parallel with the legislative amendment process. An investment strategy is being developed which will address the sectors and range of assets to be considered for investment.
Within its existing statutory investment policy and in line with the SIF announcement, the NPRF has undertaken a number of investments and initiatives under which NPRF capital will be invested on a commercial basis in Ireland. The NPRF has committed to invest in infrastructure (€250 million), PPP projects (€118 million) and finance for the SME sector (€500 million) and has entered into a collaborative relationship with Silicon Valley Bank. In addition, the Fund has been working closely with NewERA in respect of investment opportunities relating to the commercial semi-state sector.
115. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Finance the exemptions that are in place under the local property tax for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15664/13]
View answerThe Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 (as amended) includes provisions that provide exemption or relief from Local Property Tax (LPT) for certain properties which have been adapted by disabled persons, depending on the circumstances involved. Section 10B of the 2012 Act (as inserted by the Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Act 2013) provides an exemption from LPT for a residential property purchased, built or adapted to make it suitable for occupation by a permanently and totally incapacitated individual as their sole or main residence, where an award has been made by the Personal Injuries Assessment Board or a court, or where a trust has been established, specifically for the benefit of such individuals. In the case of adaptations to a property, the exemption will only apply where the cost of the adaptations exceeds 25% of the market value of the property before it is adapted. The exemption ends if the property is sold and the incapacitated individual no longer occupies it as his or her sole or main residence.
Section 15A of the 2012 Act (as amended) provides for a reduction in the market value of a residential property that has been adapted for occupation by a disabled person where the adaptation has been grant-aided by a local authority. The person with the disability must occupy the property as his or her sole or main residence after the adaptation is completed. The reduction in value is limited to the lesser of the chargeable value attributable to the adaptation work carried out on the property and the maximum grant payable under the relevant local authority scheme.
The relief is dependent on local authority grant aid being paid under S.I. 607 of 2001 or S.I. 670 of 2007. The 2001 regulations cover adaptation work carried out on or after 1 March 1993 and on foot of applications received by a local authority up to 1 November 2007 at which stage S.I. 670 of 2007 came into effect. This relief ends on the sale or transfer of a property that has been adapted, unless the person with the disability continues to reside in the property.
116. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Finance the full cost of ministerial transport and the breakdown of this cost between salaries, mileage allowance and other travel costs for Ministers and Ministers of State in his Department for 2012. [15673/13]
View answerIn relation to the use of my car for Ministerial travel, the total cost has been €123,955 for the period January 2012-December 2012. This cost included mileage (which is to cover car related expenses) of €19,507, the salaries paid to two civilian drivers inclusive of Employer PRSI contributions which amounted to €77,774 and travel and subsistence paid to the drivers of €25,674. This amount is significantly below the €280,000 average annual cost under the previous domestic Ministerial transport regime for each Minister.
117. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce a duty tax on national lottery sales. [15713/13]
View answerI have no plans to introduce a duty tax on lottery sales.
118. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the income implications of Croke Park 2 for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15465/13]
View answerIn parallel with the proposals put forward by the Labour Relations Commission on an extension to the Croke Park Agreement, the Government has decided to legislate for a reduction in all public service pensions greater than €32,500. Pensions below that level will not be affected. For public servants who retired before the end of February 2012, the reduction will be implemented by way of an increase in the existing Public Service Pension Reduction with effect from 1 July 2013. The precise level of reduction has yet to be decided by my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, but will be in the range from 2% to 5%.
119. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding college fees in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin. [15394/13]
View answerThe position is that higher education institutions, including universities, are autonomous bodies and the criteria governing the level of tuition fees to be charged in the case of postgraduate study is a matter for the institutions to determine. Therefore it is a matter for the institution concerned to determine the fee rate applicable to the student referred to by the Deputy, based on the criteria laid down by the institution, and accordingly I have no role in this matter. However I would like to advise that Section 473A, Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, as amended by Section 11 of the Finance Act 2012, provides for tax relief, at the standard rate of tax, for tuition fees paid in respect of approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved postgraduate courses.
120. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total cost to the taxpayer of paying the aggregate fees, salaries and any other remuneration to directors of all State bodies, to include majority State owned banks, all public interest directors, all semi-State bodies, all State agencies and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15407/13]
View answerDetails of remuneration paid to Chairpersons and board members of the state agencies under the remit of my Department can be downloaded from the Departments website http://www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Agencies/Details-of-Membership-of-State-Boards/.
121. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria in order for a pupil to qualify for a special needs assistant in secondary school, who has an SNA in national school and will be starting in secondary school in September 2013 and will need an SNA; if there have been any changes to the criteria since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15464/13]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. SNAs are allocated to schools in order to provide for the care needs of children with special educational needs attending such schools. The policy of my Department in relation to the SNA scheme is set out in Circular 07/02, which also provides details regarding the role and duties of an SNA.
The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. I wish to advise the Deputy that SNAs are not allocated to individual pupils. The NCSE allocates a quantum of SNA support for each school annually taking into account the care needs of all of the qualifying children enrolled in the school, and on the basis of the assessed care needs of the children. It is a matter for schools to then allocate and manage these resources to assist children as their needs arise.
It is expected that, for many pupils, as they mature and develop, their care needs will also correspondingly diminish. Therefore not all pupils who have had access to SNA support in primary school will continue to need support in post primary school. However, students who have continuing care needs in secondary school may qualify for access for SNA support. Any such applications for support will be considered by the NCSE. The NCSE has asked all schools to forward applications for SNA for the 2013/14 school year to the NCSE by 15th March, 2013 and schools will be advised of their new allocations in advance of the coming school year.
122. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the need to review and clarify the legal background and advice given regarding the State Examinations Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15490/13]
View answerI have been advised by the State Examinations Commission that the recruitment of superintendents for the 2013 certificate examinations is in line with both the requirements and provisions of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 and I see no need to carry out an investigation as suggested by the Deputy.
123. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the efforts being undertaken to reduce the weight of school bags for Irish children which is having an adverse effect on the ability of children to walk or cycle to and from school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15493/13]
View answerMy Department issued Circular M35/05 in 2005 to highlight the potential health hazard of overweight schoolbags and to outline a range of local measures that could be put in place to help alleviate the problem. The circular referred to the recommendations of the previously published report of the Working Group on the Weight of School Bags. This report acknowledged that many of the solutions belong at local school level and made various recommendations in this regard, such as optimum use of storage facilities, developing pupil organisation skills and timetabling. It is a matter for each individual school to determine which particular measures are most suited to its individual circumstances and to how the school concerned organises teaching and learning. The circular and the report of the Working Group on the Weight of School Bags are available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
