Written Answers Nos. 169-183
169. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport the position regarding progress on renovation works on the public toilet facilities at Heuston Station, Dublin; the anticipated timeline for completion of these works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36867/22]
View answerAs the Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
The issue of renovation works on the public toilet facilities at Heuston Station is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann and I have therefore forwarded the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
170. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport when the construction of the south Kerry greenway will commence; and the funding that has been set aside by his Department for same. [36877/22]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to Greenways. The planning, design and construction of individual Greenways is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you on the status of this project.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
171. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a schedule for funding of Local Link services on a service and county by county basis for the years 2021 and to date in 2022. [36896/22]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including management of the Rural Transport Programme which operates under the TFI Local Link brand.
In light of the NTA's responsibilities for TFI Local Link services, including funding of TFI Local Link services in specific geographical areas, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
172. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Transport if there will be a third round of public consultations in relation to Dart West before the railway order is signed and if he will liaise with Irish Rail to interact with residents in relation to same. [36910/22]
View answerAs Minister for Transport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including the DART+ Programme and the public consultations associated with it.
As referenced by the Deputy, there have been two rounds of non-statutory public consultation on the DART+ West project. It will again be subject to public consultation once it enters the statutory planning system in due course.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matters raised, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a more detailed reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
173. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide the 11 options that have been compiled as part of the development of plans for an M50 road resilience project; and if he and or the National Transport Authority have consulted with an engineering company in respect of bridge building projects as part of the development of the plans. [36911/22]
View answerAs Minister for Transport I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Public Spending Code and the necessary statutory approvals. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
174. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Finance the provisions that are in place for Ukrainian nationals to open bank accounts despite not having documentation such as a utility bill in their name; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36923/22]
View answerThe EU Payment Accounts Directive, which was transposed in Ireland by the Payment Accounts Regulations 2016, introduced the right for any consumer who is legally resident in the European Union and who does not already have a payment account with a credit institution in the State to open and use a payment account with basic features.
The Directive explicitly states that a consumer who is legally resident in the European Union has this right regardless of his or her place of residence and regardless of whether he or she has a fixed address, is an asylum seeker, or is a consumer who has not been granted a residence permit but whose expulsion is not possible for legal or practical reasons.
Credit and financial institutions (firms) are obliged to identify and verify their customer’s identity on the basis of documents or information that they have reasonable grounds to believe can be relied upon to confirm the identify of their customer. Institutions often use official documents, like passports or driving licences in order to verify a customer’s identity. However neither the relevant legislation (Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, as amended, nor the Central Bank of Ireland are prescriptive as to what documents and information can be relied upon.
Accordingly firms have some flexibility in this regard, including in situations where an asylum seeker or refugee may be unable to provide traditional forms of identity documentation.
While providing asylum seekers or refugees with access to financial products and services can create challenges for institutions where the identity of such persons cannot be verified on the basis of ‘traditional’ forms of identification like passports or driving licences, the European Banking Authority (EBA) has previously issued Guidance on this point which provides that official identity documents issued by an EU Member State to asylum seekers/refugees which confirms their status and right to reside in that EU Member State are likely to satisfy the verification requirement.
In addition, the Payment Accounts Directive provides that credit institutions cannot refuse the opening of payment account unless the opening of the account or its subsequent use would result in a breach of national law transposing the applicable Anti-Money Laundering (AML)/ Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) Directive, for example, because the credit institution cannot manage the Money Laundering (ML)/ Terrorism- Financing (TF) risk associated with the business relationship.
The EBA’s Guidance provides that a situation where an asylum seeker can only provide less robust evidence of identity, is unlikely to be sufficient AML/CFT grounds to refuse the opening of an account, given that it is likely that the firm could manage the ML/TF risks presented by such a prospective customer by ensuring that only a basic payment account is offered, for example with no overdraft facility and with monthly turnover/transfer limits.
In 2021 the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI), in conjunction with a number of retail Banks, issued guidance to assist asylum seekers and refugees on opening a bank account in Ireland, which included information on the type of non-standard documentation, including state issued documents, that will be accepted as forms of identification when opening an account. This information can be found here - bpfi.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Final-BPFI-Guide-to-Opening-Bank-Accounts-in-Ireland-for-Protection-Applicants-Final.pdf.
In addition to this the BPFI via the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection have provided information booklets on opening a bank account in Ireland to Ukrainians at entry points into the country, the booklet is available in both Ukrainian and Russian languages.
Full lists of accepted proof of identity and address documents and information on how to open a bank account for Ukrainian citizens coming to Ireland can be found on each of the retail banks websites. Anyone who is unsure of how to meet the identification requirements should inquire with the bank of their choice on what would be acceptable as proof of residence.
175. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Finance the salary of four roles within his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36822/22]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the salaries paid by the Department of Finance for the four roles requested follow the relevant salary scales set out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform which apply across the Civil Service.
As of 1 July 2022, they are as follows:
Secretary general I
PPC: €250,000
Non-PPC: €237,500
Assistant Secretary
PPC: €145,283 – €151,885 – €159,042 – €166,194
Non-PPC: €138,019 – €144,292 – €151,088 -€157,886
Minister*
€82,730
Minister of State*
€40,464
*In addition to their ministerial salary, the Minister and Minister of State also receive a salary from the Oireachtas in their capacity as Deputies.
176. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance to address a query (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36924/22]
View answerI am informed by Revenue that for Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) purposes, the relationship between the deceased person (i.e. the disponer) and the person who receives the gift or inheritance (i.e. the beneficiary) determines the maximum amount, known as the “Group threshold”, below which CAT does not arise. The Group A threshold (currently €335,000) applies, inter alia, where the beneficiary is a child (including adopted child, stepchild and certain foster children) of the disponer.
A foster child is treated as a child of the disponer and can avail of the Group A threshold in the following circumstances:
- in respect of a gift or an inheritance from a foster parent with whom he or she has lived, and who has cared for and maintained the child at his or her own expense, for a cumulative period of at least 5 years before the child’s 18th birthday, or
- in respect of an inheritance from a foster parent where, prior to the inheritance, the child had been placed in the care of the foster parent under the Child Care (Placement of Children in Foster Care) Regulations 1995, or the Child Care (Placement of Children with Relatives) Regulations 1995.
Therefore, the current position is that certain children in either informal long-term foster care arrangements or formal foster care arrangements can avail of the Group A tax-free threshold on inheritances from a foster parent. Where a foster child who is the subject of an informal long-term arrangement avails of the Group A threshold, there is a requirement that a minimum of two witnesses can attest to the bona fides of the arrangement.
It is worth noting that a person can bequeath their principal private residence, generally the most substantial asset held by an individual, free from tax under the dwelling house exemption which allows for property to be inherited tax free where the inheritor is already living in the home, irrespective of the person’s relationship to the inheritor, subject to certain conditions.
Information is also available on the Revenue website at the link www.revenue.ie/en/gains-gifts-and-inheritance/cat-reliefs/foster-child-relief/index.aspx.
177. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of extending the reduced rate of VAT at 9% applying to electricity and gas to 31 December 2022. [36925/22]
View answer178. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance he estimated cost of applying a reduced rate of VAT at 9% applying to electricity and gas from 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023. [36926/22]
View answer179. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of applying a reduced rate of VAT at 9% applying to electricity and gas from 1 January 2023 to 12 October 2023. [36927/22]
View answer180. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of applying a reduced rate of VAT at 9% applying to electricity and gas from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023. [36928/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 177 to 180, inclusive, together.
I am informed by Revenue that traders are not required to identify the VAT yield generated from the supply of specific services on their VAT returns. Therefore, it is not possible to provide an accurate costing for the potential measures outlined. However, a tentative estimate of the likely costs arising from extending the current arrangements whereby electricity and gas supply are subject to the second reduced rate of VAT to end on October 31st is as follows:
|
Electricity |
Gas |
|
|
€m |
€m |
|
|
1 November to 31 December 2022 |
15.2 |
4.8 |
|
1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023 |
46.1 |
20.6 |
|
1 January to 12 October 2023 |
70.6 |
27.0 |
|
1 January to 31 December 2023 |
92.5 |
37.0 |
181. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of maintaining the existing reduced rates of excise duty total mineral oil tax on petrol and diesel from 13 October 2022 to 31 December 2022. [36929/22]
View answer182. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of applying the existing reduced rates of excise duty total mineral oil tax on petrol and diesel from 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023, 12 October 2023 and 31 December 2023 respectively. [36930/22]
View answer183. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of applying reduced rates of excise duty total mineral oil tax on petrol and diesel to €359 per 1,000 litres and €330 per 1,000 litres, respectively, from 13 October 2022 to 31 December 2022. [36932/22]
View answer184. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of applying reduced rates of excise duty total mineral oil tax on petrol and diesel to €359 per 1,000 litres and €330 per 1,000 litres, respectively, from 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023, 12 October 2023 and 31 December 2023. [36933/22]
View answer185. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of applying excise duty at a rate of €0 per 1,000 litres on home heating oil from 30 September 2022 to 31 December 2022. [36934/22]
View answer186. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of applying excise duty at a rate of €0 per 1,000 litres on home heating oil from 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023, 12 October 2023 and 31 December 2023, respectively. [36935/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 181 to 186, inclusive, together.
I am advised by Revenue that the estimated costs of extending reduced Mineral Oil Tax (MOT) rates, for the periods outlined by the deputy, in respect of petrol and diesel, are shown in the following tables.
Petrol
|
Period |
MOT €M |
VAT €M |
Total €M |
|
13 October 2022 to 31 December 2022 |
33.5 |
7.7 |
41.2 |
|
1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023 |
79.0 |
18.2 |
97.2 |
|
1 January 2023 to 12 October 2023 |
124.9 |
28.7 |
153.6 |
|
1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 |
158.5 |
36.5 |
195.0 |
Diesel
|
Period |
MOT € |
VAT € |
Total € |
|
13 October 2022 to 31 December 2022 |
104.9 |
7.2 |
112.1 |
|
1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023 |
236.2 |
16.3 |
252.5 |
|
1 January 2023 to 12 October 2023 |
373.6 |
25.8 |
399.4 |
|
1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 |
478.6 |
33.0 |
511.6 |
In relation to Questions 36932/22 and 36933/22, I am advised that Ireland’s taxation of fuel is governed by European Union law as set out in Directive 2003/96/EC, commonly known as the Energy Tax Directive (ETD).
The ETD prescribes minimum tax rates for fuel with which all Member States must comply. The ETD minimum rates for petrol and diesel are €359 per 1,000 litres and €330 per 1,000 litres respectively. In complying with ETD minimum rates, total MOT rates (both non-carbon and carbon component rates) are taken into account. The estimated cost of applying the ETD minimum rates to petrol and diesel are set out in the following tables.
Petrol
|
Period |
MOT € |
VAT € |
Total € |
|
13 October 2022 to 31 December 2022 |
58.0 |
13.3 |
71.3 |
|
1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023 |
136.6 |
31.4 |
168.0 |
|
1 January 2023 to 12 October 2023 |
215.9 |
49.7 |
265.6 |
|
1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 |
277.3 |
63.8 |
341.1 |
Diesel
|
Period |
MOT € |
VAT € |
Total € |
|
13 October 2022 to 31 December 2022 |
181.9 |
12.6 |
194.5 |
|
1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023 |
409.5 |
28.3 |
437.8 |
|
1 January 2023 to 12 October 2023 |
647.8 |
44.7 |
692.5 |
|
1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 |
845.9 |
58.4 |
904.3 |
In relation to Questions 36934/22 and 36935, I am advised by Revenue that MOT on heating kerosene is comprised of a €0.00 non-carbon component and a carbon component currently set at €122.83 per 1,000 litres.
The ETD minimum rate of taxation on kerosene used for heating purposes is set at zero. The cost of reducing the carbon component to zero cents per 1,000 litres for the timeframes set out by the deputy are contained in the following table.
Kerosene
|
Period |
MOT € |
VAT € |
Total € |
|
30 September 2022 to 31 December 2022 |
33.6 |
4.5 |
38.1 |
|
1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023 |
53.2 |
7.2 |
60.4 |
|
1 January 2023 to 12 October 2023 |
75.2 |
10.2 |
85.4 |
|
1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 |
110.2 |
14.9 |
125.1 |
