Written Answers Nos. 207-259
207. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 17 January 2013, if he will provide an update on the National Asset Management Agency plans for Qualified Investor Funds, tenders for the administration of which were issued more than a year ago, with NAMA predicting it would launch at least two QIFs in 2012. [24112/13]
View answerI am advised that the Board of NAMA is currently reviewing its approach to Qualifying Investor Funds in light of the recently introduced REITs legislation.
209. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to the announcement by the National Asset Management Agency in May 2012 of €2bn of so-called vendor financing or staple financing, if he will confirm the total of such financing provided by NAMA to date; the number of transactions to which such financing has applied; and the total amount repaid to NAMA from such arrangements. [24114/13]
View answerI am advised by NAMA that the details sought by the Deputy relate to the NAMA’s commercial activities and that publication of this information is a matter for NAMA in the context of its commercial objectives and of how it can best meet those objectives. NAMA has published a document on its website which sets out its approach to Vendor Finance.
I am further advised that the first vendor finance transaction was completed in 2012 and a number of others are currently in the pipeline and nearing completion.
Additional information regarding NAMA’s vendor finance programme are included in NAMA’s 2012 Annual Report and Financial Accounts which will be published in the coming weeks.
210. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance in respect of the €6,758,000 of so-called trading properties held in the balance sheet of the National Asset Management Agency at 31 December 2012, if he will provide an analysis of this property by property type including totals for each residential real estate, commercial real estate, jewellery and art, and if he will outline the way NAMA disposes of this property. [24115/13]
View answerI have been informed by NAMA that trading properties include development land and commercial property with an estimated value of €6.4 million and works of art with an estimated value of €0.4 million. In line with its general policy in relation to disposals, it is NAMA’s intention that these assets be openly marketed prior to disposal.
211. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a schedule of reports that he will lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas on the special liquidation of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, an outline of the content of the reports and the dates on which they will be published. [24116/13]
View answerThere is no plan to lay a schedule of reports on the special liquidation of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation before the Houses of the Oireachtas. However as the liquidation continues I will disclose information on the progress of the liquidation to the Oireachtas as the necessity arises.
212. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm the number of acres of agricultural land in the State under the control of the National Asset Management Agency. [24117/13]
View answerI am advised by NAMA that a detailed breakdown of the property portfolio securing NAMA loans is set out on pages 20-22 of the Agency’s Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2011, which is available on the NAMA website, www.nama.ie. NAMA advises that updated details on its property portfolio will be included in the Agency’s Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2012 which have been submitted to me and which will be published in the coming weeks.
213. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm the amounts paid by the National Asset Management Agency to educational institutions for research in each of 2010, 2011,2012 and to date in 2013. [24118/13]
View answerThe details sought by the Deputy are set out below.
Year: 2012
Institution: University of Ulster
Amount: £20,000
Purpose: Contribution towards the “Northern Ireland Residential Development Landbank Study”
214. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the amount of revenue that would be generated from imposing an extra 2 cent on a pint of alcohol or a packet of 20 cigarettes into the Exchequer. [24148/13]
View answerI am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the yield from an extra 2 cents on a pint of beer would be €13.8 million in a full year and the yield from an extra 2 cents on a packet of twenty cigarettes would be €3.1 million in a full year.
215. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for agricultural advisors employed by Teagasc; the numbers who availed of the relief; and if he will set out the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24157/13]
View answer216. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for archaeologists; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24158/13]
View answer217. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for airline cabin crews; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24159/13]
View answer218. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for bar trade employees; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24160/13]
View answer219. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for trades people and professionals working in the building industry; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24161/13]
View answer220. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for bus, rail and road operatives; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24162/13]
View answer221. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for cardiac technicians; the numbers who availed of the relief and the rationale for this flat rate expense; and the reason it is paid differently for men and women. [24163/13]
View answer222. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for carpentry and joinery tradespeople; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24164/13]
View answer223. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for architectural technologists and assistants, clerks of work, engineering technicians for archaeologists, parks rangers and constables employed for the Office of Public Works, engineers and surveyors; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24165/13]
View answer224. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for clergymen in the Church of Ireland; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24166/13]
View answer225. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for hospital consultants; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24167/13]
View answer226. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for cosmetologists; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24168/13]
View answer227. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for dentists in employment; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24169/13]
View answer228. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for dockers; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24170/13]
View answer229. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for hospital doctors; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24171/13]
View answer230. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for draughtsmen; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24172/13]
View answer231. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for driving instructors; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24173/13]
View answer232. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for engineers employed by semi-State bodies; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24174/13]
View answer233. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for engineering industry and electrical industry from 1997-1998; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24175/13]
View answer234. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for foresters employed by Coillte; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24176/13]
View answer235. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for freelance actors; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24177/13]
View answer236. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for grooms in racehorse training; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24178/13]
View answer237. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for domestic staff in hospitals whose uniforms are supplied and laundered for free; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24179/13]
View answer238. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for hotel industry employees; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24180/13]
View answer239. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for journalists; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24181/13]
View answer240. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for the individual local authorities employees, parks superintendents, town planners and so on; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24182/13]
View answer241. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for workers in the mining industry; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24183/13]
View answer242. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for workers in the motor repair and motor assembly trades; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24184/13]
View answer243. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for hospital nurses where their uniforms and supplied and laundered for free; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24185/13]
View answer244. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for optometrists/dispensing opticians in employment; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24186/13]
View answer245. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for dispensing opticians; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24187/13]
View answer246. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for panel beaters and sheet metal workers; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24188/13]
View answer247. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for pharmacists; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24189/13]
View answer248. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for physiotherapists; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24190/13]
View answer249. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for pilots; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24191/13]
View answer250. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for plumbing trades; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24192/13]
View answer251. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for printing, bookbinding and allied trades; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24193/13]
View answer252. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for professional valuers in the Valuation Office; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24194/13]
View answer253. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for radiographers; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24195/13]
View answer254. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for respiratory and pulmonary function technicians; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24196/13]
View answer255. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for members of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24197/13]
View answer256. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for shipping employees, excluding the relief for members of the British merchant navy and British home or coasting trade; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24198/13]
View answer257. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for members of the British merchant navy and the British home or coasting trade; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24199/13]
View answer258. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for teachers; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24200/13]
View answer259. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer in the latest tax year for which full data is available of flat rate expenses for veterinary surgeons in employment; the numbers who availed of the relief; and the rationale for this flat rate expense. [24201/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 215 to 259, inclusive, together.
In my reply to Question No. 76 of 9 May, I informed the Deputy that the cost to the Exchequer of the tax deduction in respect of expenses (other than expenses of travel and subsistence) incurred by employees for the income tax year 2010, the most recent year for which final information is available, is estimated at €66.5 million. Some 695,000 claimants availed of this relief.
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that a breakdown of that estimate by reference to individual categories under the flat rate expenses regime is not readily available and a basis for compiling this information could not be developed without conducting an extensive investigation of Revenue records on a nationwide basis at a cost which would be prohibitive in terms of the resources required.
As regards the basis for granting each flat rate expense mentioned, it was not possible to collate the information required in the time allowed. I will provide the Deputy with the answer in writing shortly.
