Parliamentary questions

Gambling Sector

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

148. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Finance what sanctions are used for businesses operating a gaming business without a gaming licence (as per Revenue's register of gaming licences); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22250/24]

Gambling Sector

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

149. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Finance how many prosecutions have taken place of gaming establishments operating without a licence (as per the revenue.ie register of gaming licences) since 2019, per year and per county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22252/24]

Gambling Sector

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

150. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware there are casinos operating in Waterford without gaming licences in 2024 (as per Revenue's register of gaming licences); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22253/24]

Gambling Sector

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

151. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Finance the details of sanctions taken against casinos or gaming premises operating without an annual or three-month gaming licence (as per the revenue.ie register of gaming licences) since 2019, per county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22247/24]

Gambling Sector

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

152. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Finance how many gaming and casino businesses are currently operating without a licence in Ireland (as per the revenue.ie register of gaming licences); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22248/24]

Gambling Sector

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

153. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Finance how long gaming and casino businesses are allowed to operate without a licence in Ireland (as per the revenue.ie register of gaming licences) before prosecution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22249/24]

Gambling Sector

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

154. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Finance the exemptions that are in place for businesses that wish to operate a gaming premises without a gaming licence (as per the revenue.ie register of gaming licences); how any such exemptions are assessed and monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22251/24]

Gambling Sector

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

155. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Finance how many gaming machines are currently licensed for Waterford in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22255/24]

Gambling Sector

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

156. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Finance how many gaming machines were licensed in Waterford since 2019, per year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22256/24]

Gambling Sector

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

157. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Finance the amount of revenue generated through gaming machines licence fees in Waterford gaming premises and casinos since 2019, per year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22257/24]

Universal Social Charge

Pearse Doherty

158. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated first- and full-year costs of reducing the first rate of USC from 0.5% to 0%, reducing the second rate of USC from 2% to 0% and increasing the threshold to the third rate of USC from €25,760 to €30,000. [22275/24]

Universal Social Charge

Pearse Doherty

159. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated first- and full-year costs of reducing the first rate of USC from 0.5% to 0%, reducing the second rate of USC from 2% to 1% percent and increasing the threshold to the third rate of USC from €25,760 to €27,880; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22276/24]

Tax Exemptions

Willie O'Dea

160. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if he will give consideration to increasing the annual exemption limits for tax purposes for people over the age of 65 years from €18,000 for a single person and €36,000 for a married couple, in view of the fact these exemptions have now been in place for a number of years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22295/24]

Insurance Industry

Pearse Doherty

161. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance to outline any consent to settle provisions within insurance law, whereby insurers are required to seek an insured’s approval before settling a third-party claim, in the context of reports that insurers are settling claims for amounts and reasons that are disputed by the insured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22299/24]

Insurance Industry

Niamh Smyth

23. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Finance the steps his Department is taking to assist with the increasing price of insurance premiums, despite the fact claims are going down. [22025/24]

Financial Services

Louise O'Reilly

232. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance his views on individual savings account schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21224/24]

Insurance Coverage

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

233. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Finance if there are plans for a State-backed thatched cottages insurance provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21345/24]

Tax Code

Darren O'Rourke

234. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance if there are plans to change the way VAT is applied to licenced taxi vehicles that are rented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21349/24]

Regulatory Bodies

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

235. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Finance the number of vacant WTE staff, by job title, in the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman as of 7 May 2024; the estimated full-year cost of filling these vacancies; when each of those vacancies will be filled, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21432/24]

Housing Policy

Rose Conway-Walsh

236. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Finance if the ISIF chose to make commercial investment by lending to approved housing bodies to deliver costs rental accommodation; whether this would be included within the General Government Balance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21566/24]

Tax Data

Louise O'Reilly

237. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance how many companies had failed to engage with the Revenue Commissioners as of 1 May 2024 when the debt warehousing scheme ended; the total tax debt owed by this cohort; the breakdown of this information, by division and by NACE economic sector, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21610/24]

Tax Data

Louise O'Reilly

238. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance the amount of debt still warehoused under the tax debt warehousing scheme; the amount of this debt per division; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21611/24]

Tax Data

Louise O'Reilly

239. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance the amount of debt still warehoused under the tax debt warehousing scheme; the amount of this debt per NACE economic sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21612/24]

Tax Data

Louise O'Reilly

240. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance the amount of tax revenue lost as a result of a company becoming insolvent, bankrupt, examinership or other, that had tax debt warehoused under the tax debt warehousing scheme; the amount of tax revenue lost, in tabular form; to provide a breakdown, by amount of tax revenue lost per business size and a further breakdown per division; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21613/24]

Tax Data

Louise O'Reilly

241. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance the amount of tax revenue lost as a result of a company becoming insolvent, bankrupt, examinership or other, that had tax debt warehoused under the tax debt warehousing scheme; the amount of tax revenue lost; to provide a breakdown, by amount of tax revenue lost by NACE sector, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21614/24]

Employment Rights

Ged Nash

242. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance if any State, semi-State or commercial semi-State agency, under the aegis of their Department, is aware of any cases of bogus self-employment in any bodies under their remit from 2020 to 1 May 2024; if they will outline if there are currently any cases from such agencies or bodies currently before the Scope section of the Department of Social Protection for investigation or determination; if there are any Scope findings and recommendations relating to any agencies or bodies under their remit where Scope has found in favour of the worker, and where it recommended the reclassification of the workers’ employment status to that of direct employee between 2020 and 1 May 2024; if they will provide information on the numbers involved and the names of the individual agencies and bodies in all cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21691/24]

Tax Data

Peadar Tóibín

243. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance the amount of tax collected on green diesel in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024; and if a breakdown on type of tax can be provided, in tabular form. [21719/24]

Tax Exemptions

Jim O'Callaghan

244. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance if the Government has plans to review the regulations overseeing the process for VAT exemption for technology and specific sports equipment, which have been in place since 1983; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21728/24]

Primary Medical Certificates

Niall Collins

245. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Finance if a response will issue to matters raised in correspondence regarding inequality in awarding the primary medical certificate (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21776/24]

Statutory Instruments

Róisín Shortall

246. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance if he has responded to a letter from an organisation (details supplied); if in respect of SI 308 of 2023, the European Union (Anti-Money Laundering: Beneficial Ownership of Corporate Entities) (Amendment) Regulations 2023, he will meet this organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21803/24]

Departmental Advertising

Carol Nolan

247. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance the total costs incurred by his Department from 2019 to date relating to the placing of advertisements in print media; the names of the print media publications involved, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21864/24]

Insurance Industry

Steven Matthews

154. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Finance the actions he will take to address concerns related to the increased cost of car insurance for the majority of Irish customers; if he plans to meet with companies operating in this sector to raise these concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21143/24]

Community Development Projects

Mark Ward

155. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Finance if he can clarify if, in a situation where a local authority has awarded a grant to a community centre for works to be carried out, both the local authority and community centre have to pay the relevant contracts tax for the same work project; if not, who is responsible for paying the relevant contracts tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20993/24]

Tax Code

Paul Kehoe

156. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance whether he is giving any consideration to reducing the tax payable on maintenance payments received by divorced partners who have no additional income but are precluded from applying for State benefits due to their gross income from their maintenance payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21031/24]

Fiscal Data

Rose Conway-Walsh

157. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Finance if the HFA lending is included in the general Government balance projections in the stability programme update; what amount is accounted for in each year from 2024 to 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21084/24]

Fiscal Data

Rose Conway-Walsh

158. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Finance if Housing Finance Agency lending is included in the general Government balance projections in the stability programme update; the amount that is accounted for in each year from 2024 to 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21144/24]

Housing Policy

Rose Conway-Walsh

159. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide detail on all investments by the ISIF in public social or affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21151/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Neasa Hourigan

160. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Finance the awards made both with and without a tender process to management consultancy firms (details supplied) by his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department for each of the years 2019 to 2024, in tabular form and classed by firm; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [21172/24]

Exchequer Deficit

Pearse Doherty

161. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the source of Exchequer funding that would be required in the years 2026 and 2027 under the SPU, given the projected Exchequer deficits of €1.9 billion and €1.3 billion respectively; for example, whether the Exchequer account would be supported through borrowing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21174/24]

Tax Data

Darren O'Rourke

150. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the full-year cost of abolishing stamp duty on first-time house buyers where the value of the house is less than €400,000. [20155/24]

Revenue Commissioners

Darren O'Rourke

151. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the number of Revenue Commissioners staff, by grade, currently answering telephone calls on the Personal PAYE hotline. [20156/24]

Illicit Trade

Pa Daly

152. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Finance the measures he is taking with regard to the illegal importation and manufacturing of tobacco products, including cigarettes and vapes. [20218/24]

Illicit Trade

Pa Daly

153. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Finance the number of scanners the Revenue Commissioners have in possession to scan shipping containers at major ports in the State. [20219/24]

Departmental Staff

Carol Nolan

154. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance the number of employees within his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department who are currently suspended on full pay pending disciplinary investigations; to outline, in tabular form, the length of time these employees have been under suspension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20314/24]

European Union

Matt Carthy

155. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Finance the EU programmes or funds outside of the multiannual financial framework that Ireland has paid into from the year 2014 to date; any receipts from same, by programme or fund, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20355/24]

Tax Data

Michael Ring

156. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Finance to outline the amount of USC tax paid in 2023 by a single PAYE worker who has a gross income of €60,000, €70,000, €80,000, €90,000, €100,000 and €110,000, in tabular form. [20501/24]

Tax Data

Michael Ring

157. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Finance the amount of USC tax paid in 2023 by a couple who are jointly assessed and have equal incomes which gross at €60,000, €70,000, €80,000, €90,000, €100,000, €110,000 and €120,000, respectively, in tabular form. [20502/24]

Tax Code

Claire Kerrane

158. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Finance if consideration will be given to including automatic calf feeders as VAT refundable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20743/24]

Tax Code

Noel Grealish

159. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Finance if he will help Ireland reduce carbon emissions and encourage a modal shift by reducing the tax applicable to e-bikes and other relevant modes of transport that decarbonise the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20875/24]

Motor Industry

Fergus O'Dowd

128. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 190, 191 and 192 of 23 April 2024, if he will address matters in respect of the difficulties second hand car dealers are facing with regard specifically to the mobile VRT trade appointment procedure (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19928/24]