Parliamentary questions

Banking Sector

Ged Nash

54. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the plans of a bank (details supplied) to close a service in County Kilkenny in view of the fact the State is a shareholder in the bank; his views on this development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11948/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Jackie Cahill

55. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Finance if he will review the anomaly in the temporary wage subsidy scheme in which a limited company that runs a quarterly payroll has been deemed ineligible for the scheme for that reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11972/20]

Revenue Commissioners

Gino Kenny

56. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Finance if the Revenue Commissioners’ customs service has ever intercepted the poppy seed imports of retailers and food businesses that use poppy seed in the manufacture of their products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11998/20]

Mortgage Lending

Catherine Murphy

57. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he or his officials have engaged with mortgage lenders in the context of the practice of reassessing applicants of mortgages that have availed of the pandemic unemployment payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12003/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Brendan Griffin

58. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance if the temporary wage subsidy scheme will be made available to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who was unable to return to work after maternity leave due to the Covid-19 crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12016/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Colm Burke

59. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if supports, including the existing Covid-19 subsidy supports, will be in place for businesses that are seasonal which would normally open in March or April; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12021/20]

Value Added Tax

Danny Healy-Rae

60. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance if the VAT rate will be reduced to at least 5% in order to ensure that businesses will have a chance of surviving the 2020 summer season during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12042/20]

Mortgage Lending

Gino Kenny

61. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that couples that were approved for a mortgage prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, one of whom has had to avail of the temporary wage subsidy scheme but will return to employment, have had the mortgage offer suspended; the reason for same; if a solution will be introduced in order that prospective buyers can proceed with a home purchase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12057/20]

Corporation Tax

Michael McGrath

62. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to a forthcoming corporation tax deadline with particular regard to small and medium-sized enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12076/20]

Tax Code

Michael McGrath

63. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the taxation issues that arise in respect of Irish citizens in the context of the double taxation treaty between Ireland and New Zealand that sell their home in New Zealand and wish to repatriate the proceeds here to buy a property here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12078/20]

Tax Code

Michael Healy-Rae

64. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding inheritance tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12084/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Seán Sherlock

65. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Finance if the temporary wage subsidy scheme will continue for event and arts workers until the mass gathering ban and social distancing are not required for medical safety here. [12097/20]

Value Added Tax

Seán Sherlock

66. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered a reduced VAT rate of 9% for the event and arts sector for three years. [12100/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

James Browne

67. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Finance his views on employees receiving the basic amount of the temporary wage subsidy scheme in view of the fact that they are working more hours than the equivalent reimbursement of €350; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12130/20]

Programme for Government

Alan Kelly

68. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Finance if a copy of all briefing documents provided to Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party for their programme for Government negotiations will be provided. [12149/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Paul Murphy

69. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will request his officials and-or the Revenue Commissioners to contact an airline (details supplied) to request that it immediately pay the temporary wage subsidy scheme payments to those employees that it made redundant on 29 May 2020 due to Covid-19, but for whom it has continued and will continue to receive payments under the scheme until 29 June 2020 on account of it keeping these ex-employees on its payroll list for revenue until that date; and if he will request that it pay these workers such temporary wage subsidy scheme payments due until 29 June 2020 alternatively. [12251/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Paul Murphy

70. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will request that his officials and-or the Revenue Commissioners will contact an airline (details supplied) to request that it immediately remove from its payroll listing, those employees who were made redundant on 29 May 2020 due to Covid-19 but have been unable to claim the pandemic unemployment payment, due to the fact that it has the ex-employees listed on its payroll and that it indicates will remain listed on its payroll for purposes of the temporary wage subsidy scheme until 29 June 2020, meaning the ex-employees continue to be ineligible for the pandemic unemployment payment and will have had no income for a month; and if he will arrange for such employees to receive arrears of the pandemic unemployment payment from 29 May 2020. [12269/20]

Banking Sector Data

Martin Heydon

71. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Finance the assessment of expected losses incurred by banks across microbusinesses, small businesses and medium businesses, respectively, once the period of forbearance is lifted at the end of September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12324/20]

Tax Collection

Martin Heydon

72. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide statistical information (details supplied) in respect of tax receipts collected in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12328/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Martin Heydon

73. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Finance the proportion of wages that has already been covered and is forecast to be covered by the temporary wage subsidy scheme in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12330/20]

Mortgage Lending

Róisín Shortall

74. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance his plans to engage with the major banks regarding the assessment of mortgage applicants in receipt of the temporary wage subsidy scheme in view of the fact that many banks are now denying mortgage approval to applicants in receipt of the scheme regardless of whether their income level has changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12387/20]

Ireland Strategic Investment Fund

Róisín Shortall

75. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance the terms of the funding by the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund to a company (details supplied); if the decision to invest over €70 million was taken after consultation with experts in genomic research and data protection not affiliated with the company; if further investment in the company is being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12396/20]

Insurance Industry

Matt Carthy

76. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 89 of 20 May 2020, the insurers that have not yet indicated to the Central Bank that they will not pay discretionary dividends or implement share buyback schemes for 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12414/20]

Home Building Finance Ireland

Matt Carthy

77. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff employed by Home Building Finance Ireland; the staffing costs per annum; the number of staff vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12415/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pa Daly

78. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Finance the way in which employees returning to work should be compensated, in particular employees who are working more hours per week than they were in January and February 2020 and are still being paid based on average net weekly pay. [12494/20]

Retail Sector

Mattie McGrath

79. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if cash is no longer legal tender; if those that do not have card facilities can be refused service; his views on whether this is discriminating against those who do not have access to card facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12500/20]

Revenue Commissioners

Seán Crowe

80. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Finance if guidance has been issued to the Revenue Commissioners custom service on the importation of large quantities of nitrous oxide containers; if so, if this guidance is based on the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010; and if not or not entirely, if he will provide information on the Act or Acts the guidance is based upon. [12588/20]

Financial Services Regulation

Seán Crowe

81. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Finance if he is considering plans to address the high interest rates some legal moneylenders charge; and if there are plans to introduce a cap on excessively high interest rates. [12589/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Mary Butler

82. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding specific financial supports available to seasonal publicans that also serve food but have been closed during the Covid-19 pandemic months and will incur significant expenses in preparing their premises to reopen; his views on whether seasonal proprietors in such a position might not be in a position to reopen without tailored financial supports; his further views on the way in which such seasonal businesses can be supported; the position regarding the availability of the temporary wage subsidy scheme to seasonal proprietors in view of the fact they cannot provide payroll data for reference months such as January and February 2020 due to the fact they are primarily open in the summer months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12607/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Holly Cairns

83. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Finance if he will assist in securing an extension for a moratorium on business debt for businesses that are unlikely to see a recovery until 2021 at the earliest. [12669/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Bríd Smith

84. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance when he plans to publish the list of companies and firms that have availed of the temporary wage subsidy scheme; if the information will be available before the end of this current term of Dáil Éireann; if it will contain details of the numbers of employees on the scheme and the amount of employer top-ups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12672/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Richard Boyd Barrett

85. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a provision to ensure that both the pandemic unemployment payment and the temporary wage subsidy scheme will be tax free in order to avoid an undue burden on those who lost their jobs or had their incomes dramatically reduced as a result of the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12682/20]

Tax Data

Pearse Doherty

86. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cumulative cost for each of the years 2022 to 2025 of indexing PAYE credits, personal tax credits, exemption limits, USC rate bands and income tax standard rate bands by 2% and 3%, respectively, disaggregated by year and category. [12686/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Catherine Murphy

41. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will give consideration to reviewing wage subsidies for casual staff in view of the fact that longer operating hours are now required and that wage subsidies should be proportionate to new working hours as opposed to looking at pre-Covid-19 payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10589/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Chris Andrews

42. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Finance if staff can remain on the temporary wage subsidy scheme as a transition or if they revert back to ordinary employment immediately. [10555/20]

Property Tax

James Browne

43. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Finance if he will review the need for registered holiday cottage owners to pay local property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10794/20]

Tax Collection

Robert Troy

44. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether it was a fair process to tax the back pay of nurses (details supplied). [10976/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Joan Collins

45. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Finance if it will be ensured that workers who have no access to childcare and cannot get back to work, that the temporary wage subsidy scheme will be mandatory for those workers and the employer must use the scheme pending the return and reopening of childcare, crèches and so on. [11051/20]

Vehicle Registration Tax

Pádraig O'Sullivan

46. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a six-week delay for small car dealerships to get a vehicle registration test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11069/20]

Vehicle Registration Tax

Pádraig O'Sullivan

47. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to fact that small car dealerships are losing business due to the fact they cannot secure a vehicle registration test in an appropriate time frame; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11070/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Louise O'Reilly

48. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance the steps he is taking to assist event workers recoup public liability insurance which has been paid to private insurance companies for the purposes of working events which will no longer be taking place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11118/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

David Cullinane

49. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Finance if workers being paid through the temporary wage subsidy scheme without the employer top-up to 100% of previous wages are expected to work full or pro rata hours; the mechanisms his Department is employing to monitor this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11136/20]

Vehicle Registration Tax

Cathal Crowe

50. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Finance if provisions are being made for those who have bought vehicles in the United Kingdom and must inform the national car test, NCT, service within a week of it arriving here in which they are facing a backlog in trying to communicate with NCT centres. [11139/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Cathal Crowe

51. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Finance if he will give consideration to introducing a 0% VAT rate as an interim measure for the tourism and recreation sectors to give them a much needed boost post Covid-19 restrictions. [11150/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

David Cullinane

52. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Finance the reason there has not been flexibility in accommodating businesses that were unable to meet the payroll submission deadline in March 2020 and which can demonstrate their legitimate need to access the temporary wage subsidy scheme; if new applications are being accepted for businesses that require access to the scheme to retain and rehire employees in the coming weeks and months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11312/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Holly Cairns

53. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Finance if he will extend the temporary wage subsidy scheme for the hospitality sector for as long as it is operating at reduced capacity due to social distancing guidelines, restrictions on overseas visitors and self-isolating procedures. [11529/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Cormac Devlin

54. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of increasing by €250,000 the threshold at which businesses must use the invoice system as opposed to cash receipts system for VAT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10515/20]

Tax Data

Cormac Devlin

55. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance the estimated full-year yield from standard rating all discretionary tax reliefs and expenditures that cost in excess of €5 million per year in revenue; the breakdown of each tax relief and expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10516/20]

Property Tax

Frankie Feighan

56. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Finance when the local property tax will be sanctioned by the Revenue Commissioners to be taken from the bank accounts of persons; if the matter has been paused until after the Covid-19 crisis; if not, if the suggested date of 21 July 2020 is accurate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10542/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pádraig O'Sullivan

57. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) whose company is using the temporary wage subsidy scheme has been taxed over €90 on their weekly wage and that the person is not normally subject to tax under the incapacitated child allowance; and if there is a process in place to claim the tax back in the short term without having to wait until year end. [10547/20]