Written Answers Nos. 47-56
47. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will raise the escalating crisis in the Central African Republic at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52443/13]
View answer48. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the activities carried out by Irish Aid in the Central African Republic; if these activities have been affected by the current hostilities there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52444/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 48 together.
The Government shares the concern about the deteriorating situation in the Central African Republic, in particular the reports of an alarming increase in inter-communal violence and gross violations of human rights. As highlighted by the UN Secretary General in his report to the Security Council on 15 November, this conflict has the potential to escalate, with untold consequences for the people of the Central African Republic and of the wider region.
I am also concerned at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country, where with at least a quarter of the population is currently in need of humanitarian assistance. The worsening security situation is increasingly limiting humanitarian access to vulnerable populations in need of assistance. However, humanitarian organisations with a long-standing presence in the country, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and Médecins sans Frontières, continue to secure negotiated access to affected populations in order to provide urgent relief.
Ireland has a clear commitment to addressing the effects of protracted crises, which often do not receive the attention they deserve. We are long-standing funders of the UN-administered Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) for the Central African Republic. For a number of years, Ireland and Sweden, have been the two EU Member States to support this Fund, with Ireland providing an average annual contribution of over €2 million since 2009. In view of the recent deterioration of the situation in the Central African Republic and the related increase in acute humanitarian need, we welcome the recent decision by the Netherlands also to contribute to this Fund. This year, we have provided €2 million to the Common Humanitarian Fund, allowing the UN and NGOs present in the Central African Republic to undertake life-saving work with the most vulnerable communities.
I welcome the African Union peacekeeping Mission (MISCA), which is in the process of deployment in the Central African Republic. The UN is currently considering how best the international community can support the MISCA Mission.
Ireland is working closely with our European Union partners to monitor and coordinate efforts in response to the unfolding crisis in the Central African Republic, and I look forward to addressing the issues involved with my colleagues in the Foreign Affairs Council.
50. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the one-parent family tax credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52460/13]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the One-Parent Family Tax Credit (OPFTC) is being replaced with a new Single Person Child Carer Tax Credit from 1 January 2014. The Single Person Child Carer Tax Credit will be of the same value, i.e. €1,650, as the existing OPFTC and will also carry the same entitlement to the extended standard rate tax band of €36,800 per annum. The new credit will be targeted such that it is available in the first instance, to the primary carer of the child. A maximum of one credit will be available per single carer/claimant, regardless of whether he or she cares for more than one child. This is the same condition that applies to the current OPFTC. There is no specific tax credit for children in the tax code and married or cohabiting couples are unable to avail of any additional credit to assist them in maintaining their children. This is despite the fact that in certain cases such couples may also have to maintain two households due to the location of employment.
Given the difficult fiscal environment it is essential to review all tax reliefs, credits and incentives in order to ensure that they are properly targeted and if necessary re-focused in order that they can achieve the socio-economic objectives that are set for them. A system that allows multiple claims in respect of the same child, as can happen with the OPFTC, is unsustainable.
In the first instance, it is the responsibility of the parents to look after a child including financially. The new credit is targeted to assist principal child carers to take up, or remain in employment. It should not be considered merely as a supplementary source of income, or an alternative to the financial support of a parent.
Maintenance payments are a matter for parents and if necessary, the courts to decide. It is not possible, and indeed would not be appropriate, for the tax code to take account of every possible variable.
The Commission on Taxation acknowledged that the One-Parent Family Tax Credit plays a role in supporting and incentivising the labour market participation of single and widowed parents. However, in its recommendations it concluded that the credit should be retained but that it should be allocated to the principal carer only. The restructuring of the credit will achieve such an outcome.
Notwithstanding the above, after listening carefully to the views expressed by my colleagues and many Deputies in this matter, I bought forward an amendment to the section at Committee Stage of the Finance (No 2) Bill 2013, which will allow the credit to be used by a non-primary carer in situations, for example, where the primary carer has no tax liability.
51. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Finance the reason householders who choose to pay their local property tax by credit card or debit tax must make their 2014 LPT payments by 27 November 2013, a full 31 days before the due date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52256/13]
View answerI note that similar questions concerning payment of the 2014 Local Property Tax (LPT) liability by credit card or debit card have been raised by a number of Deputies and I provided a detailed response in my reply to Questions Nos. 202 (46491/13), 214 (46815/13), 215 (46879/13), 216 (46881/13), 229 (46999/13), 232 (47059/13), 239 (47101/13), 143 (47110/13) and 252 (47136/13) on 5 November 2013 and to Question 40 (48645/13) on 14 November. In accordance with the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 (as amended), the tax for 2014 is payable on or before 1 January 2014. Consequently, there is no requirement on property owners to pay their 2014 LPT before 1 January 2014. The range of payment options provided by the Revenue Commissioners ensures that nobody needs pay LPT before that date (except in a case where a property is changing hands) and also provide the flexibility for a property owner to select a payment option that best suits their particular circumstances.
I understand that the Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners dealt with this issue comprehensively when she attended a meeting of the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform on 7 November 2013. The Chairman informed the Committee that in order to provide for a delayed payment of LPT by way of credit/debit card, Revenue would be required to retain taxpayer’s credit/debit card data. The Commissioners would be very concerned about retaining such data from a data protection perspective, as it is not best practice, and other issues, including costs, also arise. Recent well-publicised data breaches arising from the retention of such data underline those concerns. The Chairman agreed that the Commissioners would review the payment patterns for 2014 to establish the proportion of owners who choose to pay the tax by credit/debit card and that they would also carefully review the issues around retaining debit/credit card data and its potential impact on systems, costs, security and data protection.
The Deputy should also be aware that for those with a debit card, payment by way of single debit authority is a simple, safe, secure alternative, which also provides property owners with an extended payment date of 21 March 2014.
52. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 194 of 26 November 2013, if the figures he provided included payments to the named firms by companies to which the National Asset Management Agency has had receivers appointed; and if not, if he will provide a separate table of such payments for 2010, 2011, and 2012. [52259/13]
View answerThe figures provided do not include payments to firms by companies to which NAMA has appointed receivers. Such fees are accounted for by the individual receivers as they are discharged out of asset realisations as part of the overall costs of a receivership and are not paid directly by NAMA.
53. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of contracts to manage mortgage and other loan books that have been awarded to a company (details supplied) by State-owned banks since 2009. [52260/13]
View answerI have received the following information from the State owned banks.
AIB
I have been informed that due to the substantial increase in the number of customers in financial difficulty, AIB works with the company who predominantly provide customer case management and assessment services to AIB’s Mortgage Arrears Support Unit. The company operates within AIB’s Mortgage Arrears Resolution Strategy framework and Standards for customer engagement. For commercial reasons AIB does not disclose details in relation to external service providers.
PTSB
I understand that the PTSB Group has one ‘outsourcing’ contract in place with the company, which covers the third party servicing of our non-core Commercial Mortgage portfolio, under supervision by management at PTSB.
54. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the private firms that have provided advice-consultancy services gratis for his Department in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013, or any years where practicable; and if any such firms received payment in the aftermath of the advice given. [52261/13]
View answerIn line with the Department's revised Statement of Strategy, my Department is committed to engaging in open dialogue with all its stakeholders. This would include private professional firms. In the course of these meetings, advice, views and counsel may be proffered. Such advise is not paid for. The following table sets out the information sought by the Deputy.
|
Firm/Company |
Year of gratis work |
Subsequent contracts awarded* |
|
William Fry solicitors |
2013 |
Nil |
|
IFIA (Irish Funds Industry Association) |
2013 |
Nil |
|
ISE (Irish Stock Exchange) |
2013 |
Nil |
|
AIB (Allied Irish Bank) |
2013 |
Nil |
|
Technical Guidance Ltd |
2013 |
Nil |
|
Mazars |
2013 |
Nil |
|
KPMG |
2012 |
Nil |
|
Deloitte |
2012 |
Yes** |
|
RBS(Royal Bank of Scotland) |
2012 |
Nil |
|
PWC |
2012 |
Yes*** |
|
McCann Fitzgerald |
2011 |
Nil |
|
Arthur Cox |
2011 |
Nil |
*For clarity, we refer to new contracts awarded during or after the provision of the advice or consultancy. We have not included details of payments made in respect of contracts entered into prior to the provision of the advice or consultancy.
**Deloitte co-sponsored the development of an EU Presidency Mobile Application during Ireland's hosting of the EU Presidency in 2013.
***Represents a secondment arrangement which was independent of the ex-gratis arrangement.
55. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has received a questionnaire from the European Parliament's economic and monetary affairs committee regarding the role of the troika in Ireland; when he will reply; if he will make his reply public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52284/13]
View answer56. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he intends passing on a questionnaire from the European Parliament's economic and monetary affairs committee regarding the role of the troika in Ireland to representatives of the previous Government who may be better placed to answer it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52285/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 56 together.
The European Parliament's (EP) Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs has decided to draft an own initiative report evaluating the structure, the role and operation of the Troika actions in euro area programme countries. Ireland's experience as a programme country will be included in this report along with the other programme countries. In this context, the Chair of the Committee has written to me seeking the Government’s views on the matter by way of a questionnaire. I intend replying to the questionnaire in the coming weeks and my intention would be to make it public at the appropriate time. The letter, and the accompanying questionnaire were addressed to me as Minister for Finance, and I propose to reply on that basis. I do not propose to refer the questionnaire to any other party.
