Written Answers Nos. 42-49
42. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total amount of outsourcing that has been achieved in his Department since the letter sent by Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in March 2012; the names of the outsourcing companies that have been involved; the total savings achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3302/14]
View answerThe core functions of my Department are predominately concerned with policy advice – including areas such as international political and security policy, advancing reconciliation and cooperation on the island of Ireland, EU enlargement and external relations.
The promotion of Ireland’s economic and trading interests overseas is also a strategic priority. My Department, including through the Embassy network, works very closely with other relevant Departments and the State agencies in the promotion of trade, tourism and investment and on initiatives to enhance Ireland’s profile and reputation abroad. These functions must be conducted within my Department.
In addition, my Department manages Ireland’s official development programme, Irish Aid, which already contains significant elements of external delivery as funding is channelled through a range of partners including non-governmental organisations. For policy and governance reasons, my Department retains overall policy direction and management of the programme.
In the support services areas, my Department is actively participating in work on the shared services project in relation to payroll, procurement, financial management and transactional human resources services.
In relation to the passport service, there are important public policy issues of security, integrity and confidentiality to be considered in the production of passports. However, the passport service already has an element of external delivery with over 89% of all applications submitted within the State lodged through the Passport Express service, a joint venture with An Post.
43. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of new agencies and State bodies established since 9 March 2011 under the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3347/14]
View answerThere are no State agencies under the remit of my Department.
44. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of semi-State companies under the remit of his Department that have paid bonuses to its employees in 2011, 2012 and 2013; if he will identify these semi-State companies; the number of employees and the level of bonuses paid; his views on the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3699/14]
View answerThere are no semi State companies operating under the aegis of my Department.
45. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if the Revenue Commissioners are addressing a situation whereby persons who are co-operating fully with the Revenue Commissioners and are seeking a tax clearance certificate may be denied such as certificate because another person they have been in business with, perhaps in partnership, has left the jurisdiction and is no longer co-operating with the Irish authorities; if the Revenue Commissioners are seeking to resolve this on a case-by-case basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3024/14]
View answerThe purpose of the Tax Clearance scheme is to ensure that persons who derive economic benefit from:
- A licence/permit to conduct certain activities in the State, and/or
- Receipt of contracts/grants, subsidies and other payments from the State
are in compliance with their tax obligations.
A Tax Clearance Certificate is a written confirmation from the Revenue Commissioners that a person's tax affairs are in order at the date of issue of the certificate. In some instances a certificate may be issued to a person who has tax arrears provided such arrears are covered by an instalment arrangement that has been agreed with Revenue.
Sections 1094 and 1095 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 set out the conditions that must be satisfied before a Tax Clearance Certificate will be issued by Revenue. In particular, Section 1095 (4) states: A tax clearance certificate shall not be issued to a person unless: (a) that person and, in respect of the period of that person's membership, any partnership of which that person is or was a partner, (b) in a case where that person is a partnership, each partner, and (c) in a case where that person is a company, each person who is either the beneficial owner of, or able directly or indirectly to control, more than 50 per cent of the ordinary share capital of the company, has or have complied with all the obligations imposed on that person or on them by the Acts.
I am advised by Revenue that it will of course, review the particular circumstances of any individual case. Any relevant information in relation to an application for a Tax Clearance Certificate should be forwarded to the person's local Revenue District office for consideration.
46. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide details of the review of the National Asset Management Agency currently under way within his Department; if any outside bodies are assisting with the review; when he expects the review to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3055/14]
View answerI refer the Deputy to PQ 2424/14 which was answered on the 21/01/14. Section 227 of the NAMA Act 2009 requires me to complete a review of NAMA every 5 years. The purpose of the review is to assess the extent to which NAMA has made progress toward achieving its overall objectives, and decide whether continuation of NAMA is necessary having regard to the purposes of the Act. Due to the coincidence regarding the occurrence of the Section 226 and Section 227 Report I have decided to use my officials to conduct the review of NAMA, as these reports will be staggered in the future I may take a different approach for the next review. As part of the review they will examine the findings of the Section 226 C&AG report on NAMA as well as other relevant materials. I expect my Department's review of NAMA to be completed in the coming months.
47. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 120 of 15 January 2014, the total square foot of the land and development to which the €3.5 billion was lent against; the geographical spread of this land and development; the date of acquisition; if any income has been achieved by the National Assets Management Agency from this land either through development of the land itself, disposal of the asset or debt repayments; the total number of borrowers which comprise the €3.5 billion of loans that were acquired for a nominal consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3062/14]
View answerNAMA advises that this information is not currently available in the format sought by the Deputy. Once NAMA has collated the information in the format requested and subject to any commercial sensitivity it will be provided to the Deputy.
48. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a list, including any relevant details, of all legal cases before the courts involving the Irish Banking Resolution Corporation; if he will provide a statement on the current status of each case and the special liquidators' approach in respect of each one; if he will specify any monetary sums involved in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3065/14]
View answerI have been advised that due to commercial confidentiality and sensitivities the Special Liquidators are unable to provide information in relation to the current status and the approach being taken for each of the legal cases involving IBRC (In Special Liquidation). All relevant disclosures in respect of legal cases involving IBRC (In Special Liquidation) are publicly available through the Courts Services website. Additionally, the Special Liquidators are unable to disclose the amounts involved and the financial provisions in place for legal cases.
In continuing to deal with the various issues and challenges faced as a result of the Special Liquidation, the Special Liquidators, as a matter of prudential and commercial control and oversight, require all necessary and appropriate legal and professional advice. However I have been informed that they remain extremely mindful of the imperative to reduce expenditure on legal fees.
49. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a list including any relevant details of all legal cases currently before the Courts involving the National Assets Management Agency; if he will provide a statement on the current status of each case and NAMA's approach in respect of each one; if he will specify any monetary sums involved in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3066/14]
View answerNAMA reports to the Minister for Finance pursuant to Section 55 of the NAMA Act on a quarterly basis on, inter alia, all legal proceedings commenced by it or by one of its group entities. These reports contain information on the title to the proceedings, the parties to the proceedings, and the reliefs sought. As the Deputy may be aware, these reports are available to members of the public and any other interested parties through their publication on the NAMA website, www.nama.ie.
I refer the Deputy also to my response to a Parliamentary Question 130 answered on the 15th of January 2014, which sets out further details in relation to legal proceedings involving NAMA, including the status of all current cases and a breakdown of all legal costs incurred by NAMA in the normal course of business.
