Parliamentary questions

Excise Duties

Kevin Humphreys

67. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance as excise is €149 million ahead of profile for the year so far, and €58 million in June alone, he will outline where this buoyancy arises; and if he will provide a breakdown of where the increased excises are accruing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30216/14]

Tax Yield

Kevin Humphreys

68. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance as stamp duty is €51 million ahead of profile for the year so far, and €17 million in June alone, if he will outline where this buoyancy arises; and if he will provide a breakdown of where the increased stamp duty is accruing to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30217/14]

GDP-GNP Levels

Kevin Humphreys

69. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance the Central Statistics Office revision to Irish GDP growth figures for 2013 and the nominal increase in total GDP for 2013 and the half yearly Exchequer return the projected outturn on the deficit to GDP for 2014; the figures required to meet a deficit target of 3% of GDP in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30218/14]

Home Renovation Incentive Scheme Eligibility

Kevin Humphreys

70. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider extending the home renovation tax incentive to the private rented sector for landlords who commit to accepting rent supplement or housing assistance payment tenants for a period of time; the tax incentive being only available if tenants are retained for a specific period of time; if he will discuss this matter with the Departments of Social Protection and the Environment, Community and Local Government, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30219/14]

Departmental Funding

Kevin Humphreys

129. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Taoiseach the amount of funding his Department provides for library services for persons with a visual impairment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29583/14]

Departmental Correspondence

Kevin Humphreys

195. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if his Department, agencies under his control or any staff received requests, proposals or submissions on the need for a mortgage indemnity scheme in particular for first-time buyers from any regulated financial institutions here; if so, from whom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29629/14]

Currency Exchange

Kevin Humphreys

196. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide, in a spreadsheet format, the value in euro and punt of each individual transaction of punt to euro exchange at the Cental Bank of Ireland in 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 respectively; total amounts for each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29630/14]

Currency Exchange

Kevin Humphreys

197. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance the losses the Central Bank of Ireland has made on the exchange of punts to euro since 2002 taking into account the original provision of €60 million in 2002 for future transactions; the total exchange of punt notes and coins, respectively, since that provision was made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29631/14]

Tax Credits

Kevin Humphreys

198. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance when the advisory group on tax and social welfare will publish its report on increasing the incentives for persons to return to work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29632/14]

Tax Credits

Kevin Humphreys

199. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if the Revenue Commissioners have undertaken any estimate of the projected cost to the Exchequer of establishing the necessary administrative system to facilitate the refund of tax credits; if the Revenue Commissioners or his Department have carried out a study of the amount a refundable tax credit system for low paid workers would cost assuming a suitable qualification period of work; if not, if he will carry out such a study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29633/14]

Tax Code

Kevin Humphreys

200. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a list for each year since 1997 the applicable stamp duty rate on non-residential property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29634/14]

Budget 2014

Kevin Humphreys

201. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that on current projections Ireland will have a primary budget surplus this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29635/14]

Budget 2014

Kevin Humphreys

202. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance the cost of servicing the national debt as projected in budget 2014; the outturn for the year to date; the savings that have been made; where have they arisen; the total projected saving on the budgeted amount of debt interest for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29636/14]

Structural Budget Balance

Kevin Humphreys

203. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the ESRI Bergin and Fitzgerald note on the structural balance for Ireland; the definition his Department uses for defining our structural balance; if his Department accepts the conclusion that the EU approach is inappropriate for calculating Ireland's structural balance; the action he is taking on same; if Ireland will reach structural balance next year as the paper argues; the implications this will have for Ireland and our EU treaty and commission commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29637/14]

Central Bank of Ireland

Kevin Humphreys

204. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance his plans to regulate pay-day lenders here; if companies (details supplied) were to begin to offer such loans here, the regulations by which they would be covered; his plans to introduce regulations and law similar to those in some Australian states where there is a cap of a 48% APR maximum loan rate, including fees and brokerage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29638/14]

European Stability Programmes

Kevin Humphreys

205. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if the EU Commission will be carrying out an alert mechanism report under macroeconomic imbalances procedure now that Ireland has exited the bailout programme; the date on which this will take place; the expected publication date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29640/14]

Securities and Exchange Commission

Kevin Humphreys

206. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if dark pool trading, private forums for trading securities that is not openly available to the public, regulated here; and if so by whom; the number of operations that are based here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29641/14]

Departmental Funding

Kevin Humphreys

267. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding his Department provides for library services for persons with a visual impairment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29574/14]

Budget Measures

Kevin Humphreys

309. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on developing an economic model to measure the impact and who loses or gains most from public service spending cuts or tax increases as the UK Treasury has; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29639/14]

Capital Expenditure Programme

Kevin Humphreys

324. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide, in tabular form, the amount of capital investment spending in each year since 2000; the percentage of GDP this was in each year; the EU average currently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29585/14]