Parliamentary questions

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings

Micheál Martin

1. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if the Dublin-Monaghan bombings were mentioned when he was last speaking with or when he met Prime Minister May. [39810/16]

Programme for Government

Micheál Martin

2. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the commitments in the programme for Government relating to his Department; and the progress on same. [39812/16]

Programme for Government

Gerry Adams

3. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the implementation of commitments in the programme for Government pertaining to his Department. [1909/17]

Departmental Staff

Brendan Howlin

4. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if there has been a skills needs assessment in his Department; and if any direct hires have occurred in the past year. [39820/16]

Departmental Staff

Gerry Adams

5. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach the number of staff assigned to each division in his Department; and the number of staff assigned to each section and unit of each division. [1910/17]

Central Bank of Ireland Investigations

Michael McGrath

29. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an estimate of the number of mortgages identified as part of the Central Bank investigation into tracker mortgages whereby the customer was wrongly denied his or her right to a tracker rate or the incorrect tracker rate was applied; his views on the widespread nature of this practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1892/17]

Central Bank of Ireland Investigations

Pearse Doherty

30. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the way in which he will ensure that those responsible are held accountable for the financial and social distress caused by their removal of the right to a tracker mortgage to thousands of families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1986/17]

State Banking Sector

Michael McGrath

31. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his plans to proceed with the sale of a stake in a bank (details supplied) in the course of 2017; the factors that will influence his decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1893/17]

Tax Code

Joan Burton

32. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the measures he has put in place in order that so-called vulture funds pay both corporation tax and capital gains tax at full rate; if he will provide an estimate of the additional revenue he expects for the Exchequer in each of the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 from the closure of loopholes that enabled these funds to avoid taxation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1806/17]

Loan Books Purchasers

Michael McGrath

33. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce further protections for mortgage holders and SMEs whose loans have been sold to unregulated loan owners, including so-called vulture funds; his further plans to bring these funds fully within the ambit of financial regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1894/17]

Tax Code

Brendan Griffin

34. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether industry may no longer be in a position to plan ahead with certainty if the Revenue Commissioners can review decisions already taken and change the tax interpretations on these decisions and implement changes retrospectively, such as seems to be the case with patronage shares of a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1496/17]

Financial Services Sector

Brendan Howlin

35. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance his Department's current role in engaging with the financial services industry here. [38620/16]

Tax Code

Michael Healy-Rae

36. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a tax yield impact analysis of the recent Revenue Commissioners' change in policy with regard to patronage share schemes, taking into account the average effective rate of income tax of affected farmers, balanced against the adverse impact on capital gains tax yield at 33% and increased VAT flat rate addition payable to farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1606/17]

Motor Insurance Regulation

Michael McGrath

37. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his views on the fact that, almost three years on from the collapse of a company (details supplied), 1,666 claims are still not dealt with; the position regarding the implementation of the motor insurance compensation framework announced in July 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1726/17]

Tax Code

John Brassil

38. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Finance the controls his Department has with respect to the Revenue Commissioners to monitor retrospective tax demands particularly when audits have been carried out and persons are found not to be fully tax compliant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1742/17]

Tax Code

Martin Ferris

39. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Finance the average effective tax rate on income of farmers based in the south west; if he will provide an illustration of the impact on the average farmer on the Revenue Commissioners' treatment of patronage shares as income assuming they sell the shares and pay CGT at 33%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1613/17]

Motor Insurance

John Curran

40. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Finance if the cost of insurance working group has completed its deliberations and consultations; if the working group developed an action plan; the details of the plan and its implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1604/17]

Tax Code

Paul Murphy

41. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance his views on recent reports (details supplied) of so-called vulture funds being able to pay a small amount of tax; the measures he will take to close tax loopholes; if he will consider an increase in tax or new taxes on these funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1747/17]

Tax Code

Danny Healy-Rae

42. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance if, in the event of the Revenue Commissioners' position being upheld in a test case, he will change the legislation such that tax will not arise until the shares are sold, thus aligning it to the position now intended generally for share-based reward in an SME context, in view of the recent Revenue Commissioners' change in approach to patronage share schemes being prima facie inconsistent with the overall tax policy approach to the farming sector. [1607/17]

Central Bank of Ireland

Michael McGrath

43. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied with the staffing levels at the Central Bank; his views on the level of vacancies; if he is satisfied that the Central Bank is adequately prepared for the financial services firms that could potentially come to Ireland in view of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1724/17]

NAMA Portfolio

Pearse Doherty

44. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will propose an amendment to the NAMA legislation to allow NAMA to play a greater role in the provision of social housing and housing in general; and if he will direct NAMA to carry out an audit of all its properties to ascertain which assets might be suitable for housing. [1735/17]

Help-To-Buy Scheme

Pat Buckley

45. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Finance if he will put in place a mechanism within his Department to track house price inflation and assess whether such inflation is being caused by the help-to-buy scheme; and if he will provide a commitment that if evidence emerges, he will suspend the scheme pending a full review. [35458/16]

Financial Services Regulation

Bernard Durkan

46. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the extent to which adequate controls exist to ensure unregulated third parties purchasing loan books from financial institutions are not allowed to ignore the individual family circumstances in the course of the pursuit of mortgage arrears, with particular reference to the likelihood of an exacerbation of an already serious housing crisis, in view of the fact there is no obligation for such venture capitalists to disclose their profits in individual cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41582/16]

NAMA Loans Sale

Paul Murphy

47. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on meetings he and his officials have had with so-called vulture funds since 2011; his views on NAMA transferring loans to such funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1748/17]

NAMA Loans Sale

Paul Murphy

48. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance his views on reports in the media (details supplied) regarding the mass sale of properties in County Limerick to a vulture fund by NAMA; his views on reports in that article that he met vulture funds to encourage them to come to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1749/17]

Interest Rates

Thomas P. Broughan

49. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance his views on reports of possible rises in interest rates during 2017 in the eurozone, the US and the UK; the estimates that have been made for the impact on growth here in 2017 from these changing monetary conditions and from the winding down of quantitative easing by the ECB during 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1493/17]

Tax Code

Niall Collins

50. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Finance if, following the recent change in approach to patronage share schemes, he will confirm that in the event of the Revenue Commissioners' position being upheld in a test case, he will change the legislation such that tax will not arise until the shares are sold, thus aligning it to the position now intended generally for share-based reward in an SME context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1733/17]

Tax Code

Niall Collins

51. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Finance if, following the recent change in approach to patronage share schemes, a tax yield impact analysis of such a change in tax policy, taking into account the average effective rate of income tax for affected farmers, has been undertaken, balanced against the adverse impact of CGT yield at 33% and increased VAT flat rate addition payable to farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1732/17]

NAMA Loans Sale

Catherine Murphy

52. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered if the practical application of sections of the National Asset Management Agency Act 2009, which require NAMA to contribute to the social and economic development of the State and protect or otherwise enhance the value of those assets in the interests of the State, are being carried out appropriately by NAMA in view of a documentary (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1723/17]

Tax Code

Martin Heydon

53. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Finance the status of the working of the Tax Strategy Group in 2017, with particular reference to a review of the current system of betting tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1656/17]

Tax Code

Thomas P. Broughan

54. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance when he and his Department first became aware of potential tax losses to the Exchequer from the application of section 110 of the Finance Acts by so-called vulture funds; the reason the loophole was not closed in the Finance Act 2014 at the latest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1491/17]

Tax Code

Richard Boyd Barrett

55. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether significant mistakes have been made by the Government in relation to vulture funds in terms of the scale of acquisitions of property and property-related assets and in terms of the taxes forgone as a result of tax loopholes benefiting these funds; if he proposes any further policy or legislative action in relation to these funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1610/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

56. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a report on his recent meeting in Dublin with the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Philip Hammond. [1647/17]

EU Issues

Pearse Doherty

57. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a request to a company (details supplied) that it attend the upcoming finance committee hearings on the EU state aid ruling related to the company and Ireland. [1736/17]

Motor Insurance

Martin Heydon

58. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Finance the next steps to tackle rising motor insurance costs following the recent publication of the report of the working group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1655/17]

Tax Code

Martin Ferris

59. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Finance the tax policy logic in forfeiting capital gains tax at 33% in view of the fact that the effective income tax rate is 27%; and his views on whether it is appropriate that the Revenue Commissioners' resources should be deployed in circumstances which will result in a cost to the Exchequer if they are successful in sustaining their position. [1614/17]

Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base Proposals

Joan Burton

60. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the contact he has had with the European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, Pierre Moscovici, regarding the common consolidated corporate tax base since December 2016. [39709/16]

Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base Proposals

Michael McGrath

61. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his views on the latest set of common consolidated corporate tax base proposals from the European Commission; his further views on whether these proposals would have a significantly negative impact on Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1728/17]

Financial Services Regulation

Pearse Doherty

62. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the legislative and regulatory steps he will take to ensure that the owners of mortgage credit are fully regulated as opposed to the credit servicers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1734/17]

Financial Services Regulation

Thomas P. Broughan

63. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he has made a complaint to the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the Central Bank and other relevant agencies regarding the alleged illegal transfer of mortgage payers from tracker to variable interest rate mortgages; the actions he has taken in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1494/17]

Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears

Bernard Durkan

64. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the extent to which he remains satisfied that the lending institutions are compliant with a code of conduct in respect of mortgage arrears that recognises the efforts made by borrowers who continue to make payments within their capacity now and over the period since the economic crash; if this is reflected in the manner in which they deal with customers, many of whom continue to make huge sacrifices to make repayments; his plans to introduce specific guidelines governing the repossession of the family home where lending institutions tend to resort to measures more protective of their own interests, often with tragic consequences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41581/16]

Real Estate Investment Trusts

Bríd Smith

65. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance the projected loss of tax revenue from the tax exemptions granted to REITs in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1653/17]

Tax Avoidance

Joan Burton

66. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on his Department's work with the Revenue Commissioners in tackling the tax evasion uncovered in the Panama Papers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1648/17]

Motor Insurance

Richard Boyd Barrett

67. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the way in which the Government's new motor insurance policies will result in affordable premiums; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1652/17]

State Aid Investigations

Joan Burton

68. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the contact he has had with fellow EU colleagues regarding a tax case (details supplied). [39936/16]

NAMA Loans Sale

Catherine Murphy

69. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered requesting a temporary halt to all NAMA sales while a full evaluation as to whether the social and economic interests of the State are being prioritised as part of NAMA's sales processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1731/17]

State Aid Investigations

Eamon Ryan

70. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on a tax case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1722/17]

Insurance Coverage

Maureen O'Sullivan

71. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the advances that have been made between his Department and Insurance Ireland regarding the problems faced by potential home buyers in areas that have been flooded and in which substantial prevention and remedial works have taken place but who are still denied insurance cover for flooding. [1729/17]

Tax Code

Eamon Ryan

72. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to a recent documentary on vulture funds (details supplied); and his plans to address the issues raised. [1721/17]

Financial Services Regulation

Michael McGrath

73. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Central Bank has no record of the number of SME loans that have been sold on to unregulated loan owners; if he will discuss this matter with the Central Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1727/17]