Written Answers Nos. 61-69
61. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of successful applications for the primary medical certificate in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3126/15]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, a holder of a Primary Medical Certificate may access the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme.
I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the table below indicates the number of claims for VRT and VAT relief and excise duty relief in respect of drivers, passengers and organisations and the cost to the Exchequer of each claim. The figures below are in respect of those holders of a Primary Medical Certificate who have applied to and are members of the Scheme.
The Deputy will appreciate that I do not have information on holders of a Primary Medical Certificate who did not subsequently apply to access the Scheme.
|
VAT/VRT Repaid/Remitted |
Excise duty on fuel used by vehicles on the scheme |
||||
|
Year |
Category |
No. of claims |
Cost to the Exchequer € |
No. of claims |
Cost to the Exchequer € |
|
2012 |
Drivers |
1,668 |
11,749,121 |
5,156 |
3,342,982 |
|
|
Passengers |
2,921 |
24,221,531 |
6,238 |
3,626,523 |
|
|
Organisations |
21 |
220,015 |
864 |
803,134 |
|
Total |
4,610 |
36,190,667 |
12,258 |
7,772,639 |
|
|
2013 |
Drivers |
1,561 |
11,226,800 |
5,377 |
3,250,257 |
|
|
Passengers |
2,789 |
24,467,743 |
6,390 |
3,552,227 |
|
|
Organisations |
7 |
91,494 |
910 |
908,728 |
|
2014 |
Drivers |
1,740 |
12,298,330 |
5,247 |
3,231,003 |
|
(Provisional |
Passengers |
3,187 |
28,571,544 |
6,321 |
3,624,021 |
|
figures) |
Organisations |
9 |
79,442 |
770 |
780,250 |
|
Total |
4,936 |
40,949,316 |
12,338 |
7,635,274 |
62. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the process that will be followed to recruit a new chief executive for AIB; if an external consultant has been appointed; when the process is to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3190/15]
View answerFollowing the announcement of the resignation of Mr. David Duffy on Monday, the attention and focus of AIB must now turn to recruiting a new Chief Executive Officer. With that in mind, I agreed at a meeting with the Bank's Chairman Mr. Pym yesterday, that it is in AIB's best interest that the process to recruit a new Chief Executive would begin without delay with a view to having someone with the calibre, skills and drive to lead AIB in place by end Q2 2015.
The Chairman informed me that this task has already commenced and that AIB will recruit an external consultant to assist with the Board's assessment and selection process. Mr Pym has also agreed to keep me updated as the selection process develops and is confident that the board will be in a position to recommend a new Chief Executive to me within the coming months.
While this process is underway Mr Pym assured me that AIB would continue to drive forward with its plans and highlighted the strengths of the management team that is now in place. My officials and their advisor Goldman Sachs International, will continue to work with the bank's management team on developing our plans to restructure its capital base and lay out a roadmap that will see AIB begin to return cash to the State.
63. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if AIB has requested a review of the salary cap that applies to the State-supported banks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3191/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, this Government's policy with respect to banking remuneration has been in place since mid-2011. In summary, remuneration is capped at €500,000 (excluding normal pension entitlements) and variable rate pay such as bonuses are not permitted. AIB has not requested a review of the salary cap or bonus restrictions.
64. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 98 of 18 December 2014, his views that greater value will be achieved by the National Asset Management Agency for the State by negotiating reductions in the fees paid to rent receivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3192/15]
View answerI am advised that NAMA is extremely proactive in ensuring value for money in the way in which it procures and manages receivership appointments. Receivers have been appointed to NAMA's insolvency service provider panel following a competitive, fixed-fee public procurement process through which extremely competitive fee rates have been achieved relative to market norms. All appointments from this panel are subject to on-going monitoring and evaluation as part of which further fee reductions are negotiated to ensure that fees are appropriate for the amount of work remaining on any given appointment.
65. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his estimate of the number of staff that will be needed post-2016 by the National Asset Management Agency to manage outstanding legal cases in which it is involved; the way this will be managed once the bulk of NAMA’s work is completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3193/15]
View answerStaffing levels at NAMA are determined by the NAMA Board with reference to the existing and projected future business needs of the Agency.
Based on its end-2016 80% senior debt redemption target and its ongoing ancillary funding and co-ordination role in the Dublin Dockland's Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) and in respect of residential development, the NAMA Board estimates that staffing levels will reduce from 370 at end-2014 to 125 at the start of 2017 and 60 at the start of 2018. These figures include projected legal staff requirements to deal with extant litigation at that time.
These projected staffing levels are subject to on-going review by the NAMA Board and to revision in light of changes to the Agency's strategy.
66. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of National Asset Management Agency related cases currently listed before the courts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3194/15]
View answerI am advised by NAMA that it is currently involved in 174 active litigation cases, including 31 cases in which NAMA is the defendant and 143 cases initiated by NAMA. Given that these cases are within the jurisdiction of the Courts, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment.
67. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the options that are open to the liquidator in respect of payment of the remaining subordinated bondholders should the liquidation process generate a surplus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3197/15]
View answer68. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if the special liquidator of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation has provided him with an estimate of the value of the remaining subordinated bondholders in IBRC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3198/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 68 together.
As the Deputy is aware, the Special Liquidators have advertised for creditor claims and are currently adjudicating on creditor claims as they are being received. Irish and UK creditors have up until 31 March 2015 and US creditors have until 31 May 2015 to make a claim.
Once all claims have been submitted, they will be reviewed in detail and adjudicated on by the Special Liquidators. In order to finalise this process, further information may be sought from some creditors in order to validate their claim.
The Special Liquidators are unable to comment at this stage both on the level of proceeds that will ultimately be generated from the liquidation and on the level of valid creditor claims that will ultimately be received in respect of the liquidation. It is the balance between the proceeds generated by the liquidation and level of valid claims received and approved that will ultimately determine the dividend to which each creditor may be entitled.
It will be some time before the Special Liquidators will be in a final position to advise on the likely dividend levels given:
(i) the early stage in the creditor adjudication process,
(ii) the other contingent creditor claims which may crystallise from litigation,
(iii) the level of future receipts from the sale of remaining assets.
Each class of creditor will be paid according to their legal priority as set out in the Companies Acts.
At 31 December 2014, there was €284m of dated subordinated held in IBRC. It is understood that unsecured creditors will rank for dividends in priority to the holders of subordinated debts.
69. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if the prospect of a European debt conference has been discussed on a formal basis at EU level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3199/15]
View answerThe issue of a European Debt Conference has not been formally discussed at an EU level.
My recent comments simply reflect my view that when countries have difficulties, a process of negotiation is always better than one of conflict.
