Written Answers Nos. 92-101
92. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the concern of the Irish League of Credit Unions in relation to the transposition of the deposit guarantee directive into Irish law (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24178/15]
View answer99. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Finance his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding transposition of the deposit guarantee directive into Irish law; his plans to address the concerns expressed; if he has or is planning to meet with the National Group to discuss this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24221/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 99 together.
The Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS) provides protection of up to €100,000 per saver per credit institution, including credit unions. The scheme gives confidence to depositors that their money is safe in the event that a financial institution gets into financial difficulty.
Directive 2014/49/EU is a new Directive in relation to the DGS which is being transposed into Irish law. Before transposition, the Department of Finance established a public consultation process to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to give their views on how discretions should be applied. This process concluded last Friday 12 June 2015. While this Directive provides less flexibility in transposition to Member States than the previous Directive governing the DGS, Article 13 provides some discretion for Member States on the calculation of contributions to the DGS where a lower level of contribution for low risk sectors which, if justified, could be put in place. In relation to the contribution amount, Question 6 in my Department's consultation paper specifically asks whether or not credit unions should be considered a low risk sector and thus qualify for a lower level of contribution, it also requests justification for the answer provided.
All submissions received by my Department will now be examined and the views therein considered carefully over the coming weeks.
93. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Finance his views on correspondence regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24182/15]
View answerI am advised by Revenue that interest charges are levied on taxpayers who do not meet their tax payment obligations in a timely fashion or who seek to pay their liabilities through phased payment arrangements. The charges are imposed to compensate the Exchequer for the late payment of funds and to ensure equity for the vast majority of taxpayers who pay on time.
Revenue has also assured me that where possible, it always seeks to work with taxpayers that are experiencing temporary cash-flow difficulties in preference to deploying debt collection/ enforcement measures to secure outstanding taxes. However, such discussions require open and committed engagement to identify and agree mutually acceptable solutions. Where there is no such engagement Revenue has no alternative but to use its debt collection/enforcement options.
In regard to the specific case to which the Deputy refers, the person in question has already been facilitated with two separate phased payment arrangements to help him manage his tax liabilities. One of the arrangements included a full deferral of payment for a twelve month period, which is beyond the normal level of concession afforded by Revenue but was considered appropriate given the particular circumstances of the case.
Unfortunately the person failed to adhere to the various payment arrangements provided to him and, as mentioned in his letter to the Deputy, also failed to keep Revenue informed of his situation. This lack of engagement left Revenue with no alternative but to refer the outstanding amount, including interest, to the Sheriff for collection.
However, notwithstanding the previous failed arrangements Revenue is still willing to work with the person to agree a mutually satisfactory arrangement providing he makes every effort to adhere to the terms of any agreement and to keep the Collector-General informed of any subsequent difficulties that might arise.
Revenue will now ask the Sheriff to put a hold on any further action for a brief period to allow discussions to take place and will also make direct contact with the person in the coming days in an attempt to agree a mutually acceptable solution.
94. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the number of seizures of cigarettes and tobacco products by the Revenue Commissioners at Dublin Airport, Dublin Port and Dún Laoghaire Port in County Dublin, in the years 2013 and 2014 and in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24196/15]
View answerI am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that seizure figures are not separately maintained for Dún Laoghaire. That data is incorporated in the data maintained for Dublin Port as the Revenue operations at Dún Laoghaire are directed and managed from Dublin Port.
The data requested by the deputy is as set out in the following tables:
2013
|
Product category |
Location |
Number of Seizures |
Volume |
Value |
Value (incl. Taxes) |
|
Cigarettes (number) |
Dublin Airport |
3,146 |
9,224,685 |
€670,416 |
€4,272,845 |
|
Dublin Port |
266 |
22,073,208 |
€1,569,455 |
€10,028,661 |
|
|
Total |
3,412 |
31,297,893 |
€2,239,871 |
€14,301,506 |
|
|
Tobacco (Kgs) |
Dublin Airport |
458 |
2,331 |
€156,180 |
€998,185 |
|
Dublin Port |
71 |
419 |
€28,085 |
€177,068 |
|
|
Total |
529 |
2,750 |
€184,265 |
€1,175,253 |
2014
|
Product category |
Location |
Number of Seizures |
Volume |
Value |
Value (incl. Taxes) |
|
Cigarettes (number) |
Dublin Airport |
3,850 |
8,486,796 |
€615,509 |
€3,979,912 |
|
Dublin Port |
437 |
2,856,828 |
€204,032 |
€1,370,327 |
|
|
Total |
4,287 |
11,343,624 |
€819,541 |
€5,350,239 |
|
|
Tobacco (Kgs) |
Dublin Airport |
417 |
822 |
€55,077 |
€349,874 |
|
Dublin Port |
118 |
461 |
€30,904 |
€193,137 |
|
|
Total |
535 |
1,283 |
€85,981 |
€543,011 |
2015 (01/01/2015 - 31/05/2015)
|
Product category |
Location |
Number of Seizures |
Volume |
Value |
Value (incl. Taxes) |
|
Cigarettes (number) |
Dublin Airport |
1,552 |
3,337,772 |
€243,232 |
€1,646,276 |
|
Dublin Port |
120 |
28,076,728 |
€1,996,254 |
€13,303,945 |
|
|
Total |
1,672 |
31,414,450 |
€2,239,486 |
€14,950,221 |
|
|
Tobacco (Kgs) |
Dublin Airport |
232 |
477 |
€32,001 |
€211,318 |
|
Dublin Port |
34 |
43 |
€2,880 |
€19,616 |
|
|
Total |
266 |
520 |
€34,881 |
€230,934 |
95. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance his plans for the transposition of the European Union deposit guarantee directive into law; the changes that will be made to current deposit guarantee schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24197/15]
View answerThe DGS Directive which applies to all credit institutions, whether banks or credit unions, entered into force on 4 July 2014 and is required to be transposed into Irish law by 3 July 2015 in order to be applied from 4 July 2015.
The main objective of the Directive is to introduce greater harmonisation in areas such as the funding mechanism of DGSs, the introduction of risk-based contributions, level of coverage and the harmonisation of the scope of products and depositors covered. It does not change the basic coverage level of €100,000.
The major changes that the Directive introduces are as follows:
(i) it introduces an added protection for what are known as temporary high balances for a period of between 3 and 12 months. These balances are over and above the standard coverage level of €100,000 and are designed to provide short-term protection, in circumstances where a person deposits money from for instance a real estate transaction.
(ii) it will require that we change the nature of the funding arrangements for the DGS. Currently, these are asset based in the form of ring-fenced deposits in the deposit protection account in the Central Bank which can be called upon to fund a compensation event for depositors. However, once the new arrangements are in place, banks and credit unions will have to pay contributions to the DGS which will be reflected as a cost in their financial accounts.
(iii) it will not be possible to provide DGS coverage of up to €100,000 for deposits held by credit unions with banks as is currently permitted. The rationale for this is that credit unions are classified as credit institutions and Article 5(1) of the Directive excludes from any repayment by a DGS, deposits made by other credit institutions on their own behalf and for their own account.
(iv) a reduction in the number of days that a DGS must pay out within, from 20 working days to 7 working days. However, this is phased in over an 8 year period.
In relation to the calculation of contributions to the DGS (Article 13), the Directive provides that Member States may provide for lower contributions for low-risk sectors which are regulated under national law. As part of the transposition, I will give consideration as to whether credit unions can be so categorised. It should be noted that the Directive allows Member States up until 31 May 2016 to implement this Article and it is likely that we will avail of at least some of this extra time.
Finally, you should be aware that I am giving consideration to legislating for maintaining the availability of the existing deposit protection account resources in the early years of the build-up of the new fund. The purpose of such an arrangement would be to maintain the level of overall funds available for DGS purposes at an amount close to the existing arrangements. This matter is still the subject of legal advice and it is almost certain that if it is permissible, primary legislation will be required in order to achieve this objective.
96. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the income tax liabilities of the key sectors of the Irish economy during each of the years 2012 to 2014, inclusive, and on the actual gross amounts of income tax contributed by each sector during that period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24198/15]
View answerI am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the net liability for income tax for the major sectors for the years 2012 and 2013 was as shown in the following table, as at the end of March 2015. These figures include net income tax liability and also liability for USC and PRSI. I am also informed that approximately €141 million of this amount was still under active collection at the end of March 2015. Analysis of the 2014 tax year is not yet available. These figures relate to income tax liabilities under Schedule D only, i.e. self-employed income tax payers, and do not include income tax liabilities of employees which are collected via the PAYE system.
Distribution of Income (Schedule D) Net Liabilities by Trade Sector for the 2012 and 2013 Years of Assessment
|
Sector |
2012 |
2013 |
|
A Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing |
€217,443,235 |
€219,792,155 |
|
B Mining and Quarrying |
€203,298 |
€370,822 |
|
C Manufacturing |
€14,919,233 |
€15,631,597 |
|
D Electricity, Gas, Steam and Air Conditioning supply |
€24,518 |
€109,244 |
|
E Water Supply; Sewerage, Waste Management and remediation activities |
€1,078,916 |
€1,034,635 |
|
F Construction |
€97,373,024 |
€109,502,646 |
|
G Wholesale and retail trade; Repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles |
€117,180,852 |
€107,308,502 |
|
H Transportation and Storage |
€42,676,736 |
€46,217,182 |
|
I Accommodation and food service activities |
€58,505,607 |
€53,461,224 |
|
J Information and Communication |
€21,576,834 |
€23,343,643 |
|
K Financial and Insurance Activities |
€29,100,060 |
€38,721,245 |
|
L Real estate activities |
€272,987,187 |
€296,807,016 |
|
M Professional, scientific and technical activities |
€483,148,612 |
€517,846,572 |
|
N Administrative and support service activities |
€21,922,737 |
€22,674,278 |
|
O Public administration and defence; compulsory social security |
€6,656,831 |
€12,942,121 |
|
P Education |
€12,703,323 |
€13,853,648 |
|
Q Human health and Social Work activities |
€226,623,158 |
€216,477,967 |
|
R Arts, entertainment and recreation |
€31,509,378 |
€29,999,641 |
|
S Other services activities |
€33,345,293 |
€33,904,220 |
|
T Activities of households as employers of domestic personnel; Undifferentiated goods-and-service-producing activities of private households for own use |
€3,495,291 |
€3,735,537 |
|
U Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies |
€673,937 |
€583,610 |
|
All other Sectors/Unknown |
€73,070,773 |
€115,713,812 |
|
Total |
€1,766,310,843 |
€1,880,033,330 |
100. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding works to prevent storm damage in an area (details supplied) in County Kerry; if the funding will be provided to do these works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24071/15]
View answerThe Government Decision of 11 February, 2014 in relation to repair of public infrastructure damaged in the Winter 2013/2014 storms allocated funding of up to €1,226,920 to Kerry County Council (KCC) for repair of coastal protection and flood defences based on a submission made by the Council to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. KCC's submission included for both repair and strengthening works of a coastal embankment at Cromane Lower – Glosha was not mentioned specifically. The Council was advised by the Office of Public Works (OPW) that strengthening works were outside of the scope of the Government Decision and that only the repair element of projects were covered under the allocation. The OPW approved KCC's programme of repair works, which included €30,000 for Cromane Lower. Of the total approved allocation of €1,226,920, KCC has drawn down €1,206,275 to date including the funding approved for Cromane Lower.
Local coastal protection issues such as the one referred to in the Deputy's question are a matter for the Local Authority to investigate and address in the first instance. KCC may carry out flood mitigation and coastal protection works using its own resources.
The Office of Public Works operates a Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This administrative Scheme's eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial are published on the OPW website, www.opw.ie. It is not available for repair of damaged infrastructure or for maintenance of existing flood defence or coastal protection assets. It is open to the Council to submit a funding application under the Scheme. Any application received will be considered in accordance with the scheme eligibility criteria and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management.
The OPW has not to date received an application from KCC for funding in relation to works in the area referred to by the Deputy.
101. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a report and accounts have been issued by the Irish lottery regulator (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24080/15]
View answerThe National Lottery Regulator took up office on 17 November 2014. In accordance with the terms of the National Lottery Act 2013, the Lottery Regulator has compiled draft accounts for the period during 2014 in which he was in office. These accounts have been submitted to my Department and to the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Once the accounts have been audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General, they will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. At that point, they will be publicly available.
