Written Answers Nos. 85-100
85. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance the amount that has been raised through stamp duty on residential property sales in 2012 and to date in 2013; and specifically for each year if he will indicate the number of sales the 2% rate applied and the yield; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36010/13]
View answerI am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that it is not possible to answer the question in the time available. I will contact the Deputy directly with a reply.
86. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance what would be the expected extra yield, in a year, if a 2% stamp duty rate applied to sales of residential property worth over €500,000 and a rate of 4% to the balance over €1 million, the yield in 2012 if these rates had applied and the yield in 2013 to end of June; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36011/13]
View answerI am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that it is not possible to answer the question in the time available. I will contact the Deputy directly with a reply.
87. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, any of his officials, or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland held discussions with the European Central Bank to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds through the securities market programme, similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36012/13]
View answer88. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Greece has been granted a rebate of €2 billion on profits from Greek bonds bought by the European Central Bank under its securities market programme; if he has estimated the amount Ireland would receive if we were granted the same deal; the amount it would be worth to us; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36013/13]
View answer89. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, or any of his officials, or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland, held any discussions with the German Central Bank, Deutsche Bundesbank, to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds, through the securities market programme, similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36014/13]
View answer90. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, or any of his officials, or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland held discussions with the Austrian Central Bank, Österreichische Nationalbank, to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds, through the securities market programme, similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36015/13]
View answer91. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, or any of his officials, or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland held discussions with the Belgian Central Bank, Nationale Bank van België-Banque nationale de Belgique, to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds, through the securities market programme, similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36016/13]
View answer92. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, any of his officials or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland held discussions with the Finnish Central Bank, Suomen Pankki-Finlands Bank, to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds, through the securities market programme, similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36017/13]
View answer93. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, or any of his officials, or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland held any discussions with the French Central Bank, Banque de France, to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds, through the securities market programme, similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36018/13]
View answer94. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, or any of his officials, or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland held any discussions with the Italian Central Bank, Banca d'Italia, to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds, through the securities market programme, similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36019/13]
View answer95. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, or any of his officials, or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland held any discussions with the Banque Centrale du Luxembourg to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds through the securities market programme similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36020/13]
View answer96. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, or any of his officials, or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland held any discussions with the Central Bank of Malta to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds through the securities market programme similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36021/13]
View answer97. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, or any of his officials, or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland held any discussions with the Spanish Central Bank, Banco de España, to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds, through the securities market programme, similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36022/13]
View answer98. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, or any of his officials, or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland held any discussions with the Slovakian Central Bank, the National Bank of Slovakia, to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds, through the securities market programme, similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36023/13]
View answer99. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he, or any of his officials, or the Governor or staff of the Central Bank of Ireland held any discussions with the Slovenian Central bank, the Bank of Slovenia, to secure a rebate of the profits made on the holdings of Irish bonds, through the securities market programme, similar to the exemption granted to Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36024/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 87 to 99, inclusive, together.
On November 26th 2012 a package of measures for Greece was agreed by euro zone finance ministers. This package is designed to help put the Greek economy on a path to sustainable growth and its domestic finances on a sound footing. This package was agreed in the context of the statement by Euro Area Heads of State or Government that the scale of the Greek problem is so large that it requires special attention.
One of the measures agreed in November, the Securities Market Programme (SMP) measure, will see Member States pass on, to Greece's segregated account, an amount equivalent to the income on the SMP portfolio accruing to their national central bank as from budget year 2013. Member States under a full financial assistance programme, such as Ireland, are not required to participate in this scheme for the period in which they receive financial assistance.
It is important to note that the concessions that have been agreed are specific to Greece and are accompanied by significant additional conditionality, and must be seen in the context of the very significant debt restructuring that has taken place in the Greek programme.
Ireland’s needs, as a country close to exiting a programme, are very different to those of Greece.
We have, during 2013, returned to the international debt markets. Taking account of our efforts and delivery on our commitments, our spreads have considerably reduced and the interest cost of our official financing has, through sustained effort by Ireland, been significantly reduced. We continue to work with the Troika and other Member States, but we do not see the SMP measure agreed for Greece as appropriate in our case.
100. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance his plans to sell the State's holding of preference shares in Bank of Ireland; the dividend the State has received to date in 2013 or is due to receive for the rest of 2013 for these shares; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36025/13]
View answerI can confirm for the Deputy that officials in the Department of Finance, as part of their regular interaction with Bank of Ireland management, have discussed options regarding the State’s current holding of €1.8bn of preference shares. Should an opportunity arise to sell the shares or have them redeemed, the transaction will be considered having assessed the best interest of the State. I can also confirm for the Deputy that the State received a cash dividend of €188m on the preference shares on February 20, 2013. No further dividend is expected on the preference shares in 2013.
