Parliamentary questions

Prompt Payments

Robert Troy

44. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the action he is taking to ensure that small and medium enterprises are paid promptly by all public bodies employing their services; the way he engages with other Government Departments and agencies on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9071/13]

Business Regulation

Michael McGrath

45. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the measures that have been taken to reduce the number of licences required by businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9089/13]

Retail Sector

Niall Collins

46. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way he will assist the retail sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9092/13]

Business Regulation

Brendan Smith

47. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress that has been made in reducing the multiplicity of licences required by businesses on foot of the Forfás report last year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9074/13]

Financial Services Sector

Denis Naughten

48. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress made to date in finding a buyer for the MBNA UK loan book; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9035/13]

Proposed Legislation

Timmy Dooley

49. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when he will make a decision on the structured non-judicial debt settlement system proposed by the report submitted to him by the Company Law Review Group in September; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9082/13]

Cross-Border Enterprise Initiatives

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

50. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he intends to make a response to the Cross-Border Economic Renewal Report of the Centre for Cross Border Studies. [9056/13]

Industrial Development

Barry Cowen

51. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the measures he will put in place to help the traditional manufacturing sector here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9093/13]

Departmental Agencies Funding

Thomas P. Broughan

52. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the level of investment in the Dublin region by Enterprise Ireland and Industrial Development Agency Ireland each year from 2009 to 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9038/13]

Enterprise Support Services Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

53. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will identify the barriers to microenterprise posed by the Border both in financial terms and with regard to internal enterprise administration; if he will identify the steps he has taken to reduce these barriers in the past two years; and the effect this has had on volumes of cross-Border trade. [9042/13]

Job Creation Data

Peadar Tóibín

54. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs created by Industrial Development Agency Ireland in County Laois during the past year; and the number of jobs lost in IDA Ireland-supported industry in County Meath in the same period. [9047/13]

Cross-Border Enterprise Initiatives

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

55. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the consideration being given to creating a special economic zone along the Border counties to counter the regional economic disparities; and if he will raise the issue with his counterpart in the Northern Executive. [9057/13]

Job Creation Data

Dessie Ellis

56. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs created by Industrial Development Agency Ireland that require foreign language skills at native speaker level over the past two years. [9064/13]

Job Creation Data

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

57. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation of the 12,000 new jobs created in the private sector as claimed in the action plan for jobs progress report, the number that were part-time, full-time or causal-temporary in nature. [9052/13]

EU State Aid Negotiations

Brian Stanley

58. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will detail his position with regard to the upcoming EU state aid negotiations; and if he will seek to redress employment inequalities by increasing and targeting state aid in the future. [9065/13]

Retail Sector

Pearse Doherty

59. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the impact of upward only rent on the retail sector in terms of lost competitiveness and in terms of jobs lost. [9050/13]

Job Initiatives

Gerry Adams

60. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the administration cost to date and the contracts costs for the Succeed in Ireland initiative. [9049/13]

Retail Sector

Mick Wallace

61. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to assist the retail sector in Ireland which is facing significant challenges in areas such as commercial rates and high rents due to upward only rent reviews; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9208/13]

Overseas Development Aid Provision

Nicky McFadden

62. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the steps taken by his Department to ensure stronger accountability in relation to overseas aid provision; if he will ensure that the aid provided is being used in the correct way and to directly help those most in need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9288/13]

Passport Application Numbers

Thomas P. Broughan

63. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of Irish passports that were issued in 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; if additional staff will be allocated to the Passport Office during the peak season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9296/13]

Passports Data

Thomas P. Broughan

64. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will estimate the number of Irish passport holders that hold one or more passports of other sovereign states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9297/13]

Human Rights Issues

Robert Troy

65. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will take the lead through funding and diplomacy in Irish Aid's priority countries to guarantee safe spaces for community organisations, leaders and local people to advocate for their rights (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9474/13]

Human Rights Issues

Robert Troy

66. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will take the lead through both funding and diplomacy in Irish Aid's priority countries to guarantee safe spaces for community organisations, leaders and local people to advocate for their rights in view of the details supplied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9502/13]

Property Taxation Application

Finian McGrath

67. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the main changes in the property tax in relation to the unemployed, senior citizens and the disabled, exemptions, waivers and so on. [9313/13]

Mortgage Arrears Proposals

Clare Daly

68. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the administrative costs of the mortgage arrears resolution process; the number of persons that have applied to the scheme; the number that have been approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9425/13]

Banking Sector Remuneration

Thomas P. Broughan

69. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff earning more than €100,000 but under €150,000, between €150,000 and €200,000, between €200,000 and €250,000 and more than €250,000 per year in Allied Irish bank, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9298/13]

Proposed Legislation

Clare Daly

70. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance his plans to reform the statue of limitations in order that claims can be made against financial institutions that mis-sold financial products. [9309/13]

Property Taxation Application

Dominic Hannigan

71. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance if there are plans for the payment people make to management companies to be taken into account when they are paying the local property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9317/13]

IBRC Staff

Joanna Tuffy

72. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Finance the way he proposes to deal with the redundancy entitlements of the former employees of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9348/13]

Property Taxation Application

Dominic Hannigan

73. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance if there is any way that a householder whose home was fully compliant with building regulations when they bought it but has since been declared non-compliant, due to the fault at the build stage may not pay the local property tax until the building is fully complaint with building regulations again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9351/13]

Tax Code

Robert Dowds

74. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Finance the way income from farming and related activities is calculated for tax purposes. [9357/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Michael McGrath

75. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his plans to amend the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act 2013 to remove the stay on legal actions against the bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9475/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Michael McGrath

76. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the date on which his Department first communicated with KPMG regarding the possibility of its being appointed as special liquidator of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation; the procurement procedures that applied; the estimated value of the contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9476/13]

Promissory Note Negotiations

Michael McGrath

77. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if it is his intention, provided all other economic indicators remain in line with the projections made in Budget 2013, to use the circa €1 billion improvement in the general Government balance as a result of the deal on the promissory notes to reduce the planned €3.1 billion adjustment in budget 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9477/13]

Revenue Commissioners Investigations

Michael McGrath

78. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide details of the actions taken by the Revenue sheriff in 2012 including the number and value of goods and property seized; the number and value of attachment orders issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9478/13]

Revenue Commissioners Investigations

Michael McGrath

79. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the number, type and value of goods and property seized by county sheriffs and County Registrars in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9479/13]

Government Bonds

Michael McGrath

80. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance in the context of the deal on the promissory notes reached with the European Central Bank, if the ECB can instruct the Central Bank of Ireland to dispose of the Government bonds at an accelerated pace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9480/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Michael McGrath

81. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether the sale of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation loan book by the special liquidator may have unintended consequences for some of the debtors concerned who required the support of the former bank to remain as a going concern to businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9481/13]

IBRC Staff

Michael McGrath

82. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his plans to improve the redundancy terms available to the employees of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, in special liquidation, in view of the fact that other staff members recently left the bank on significantly better redundancy terms and some of those who remained did so on the basis they would receive the same terms on the eventual wind down of the bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9484/13]

VAT Rate Application

Róisín Shortall

83. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance his estimate of the loss to the State of VAT revenue arising from the below-cost selling of alcohol. [9488/13]

IBRC Staff

Robert Troy

84. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he will take steps to restore the value of the severance terms previously agreed with the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation employees; if he acknowledges that employees of the firm continue to work for the best outcome for taxpayers in very difficult circumstances and that equality of treatment would imply that they receive the same terms on redundancy as was available to employees of the company who left employment in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9495/13]

Mortgage Arrears Report Implementation

Michael McGrath

85. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a detailed statement on the respective role of the Central Bank of Ireland and his Department in tackling the mortgage arrears problem; if he will specify the mortgage arrears resolution options that the banks have now been asked to implement by the Central Bank and if he will further specify the reporting arrangements that apply between the banks and the Central Bank on this matter. [9496/13]

IBRC Staff

Michael Creed

86. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to an arrangement between the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, his Department and the troika, setting out redundancy terms that would apply in circumstances whereby compulsory redundancies were required; and if he will comment on the document (details supplied). [9497/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Gerry Adams

87. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Finance if he will detail whether the issuance of €25 billion Government bonds as consideration with the Central Bank of Ireland for the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation promissory note also included consideration for the €884 million of senior National Asset Management Agency bonds which according to the June 2012 IBRC reports had been pledged under a special master repurchase agreement with the Central Bank of Ireland; if he will detail whether these senior NAMA bonds were acquired by the State as part of the promissory note and the special master repurchase agreement transaction; if he will detail the arm of the State that owns these €884 million of senior NAMA bonds; if this assets of the State is to be disposed of; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9509/13]

NAMA Loan Book

Gerry Adams

88. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Finance if he will detail the total original book value of the €33.9 billion of assets which were transferred from Anglo Irish Bank to the National Asset Management Agency in 2010 that have been sold, brought to maturity or realised by NAMA; if he will detail the percentage of the €33.9 billion of assets which were transferred from Anglo Irish Bank to NAMA in 2010 that have been sold, brought to maturity or realised by; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9510/13]

NAMA Loan Book

Gerry Adams

89. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Finance if he will detail the total original book value of assets that were transferred from the old INBS to the National Asset Management Agency; if he will detail the total original book value of the assets that have been sold or brought to maturity; if he will detail the percentage of the assets which were transferred from INBS to NAMA that have been sold or brought to maturity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9511/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Gerry Adams

90. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Finance the process for the appointment by the special liquidator of an independent valuer for IBRC as stipulated in the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act 2013; if he will confirm whether these independent valuers will also be allowed to act as independent brokers in the sale of these assets; if he will further confirm whether the independent values of IBRC assets' valuation shall be the fixed valuations upon which he accepts and that no other valuation will be applied by him; if he will confirm that the final discount on all the assets of IBRC overseen by the special liquidator will be on current market value and not long term economic value as was the case in the transfer of assets to the National Asset Management Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9512/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Gerry Adams

91. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that KPMG will not be responsible for brokering the disposal of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation assets; if he will further confirm that no former auditors of either Irish Nationwide or Angle Irish Bank shall be awarded contracts for either the valuations or disposal of IBRC assets; if he will further confirm that there shall be no off-market transactions on any of the remaining IBRC assets currently being worked through by the special liquidator and that all these assets shall be sold in an open and transparent process through the appointment of an independent broker; if he will further confirm the persons responsible for the sale of assets in advance of assets being transferred to the National Asset Management Agency, whether similar to NAMA these asset disposals will go towards some form of credit committee; the membership of such a committee; the membership of a such a committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9513/13]

Central Bank of Ireland

Michael McGrath

92. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the actions that will be required should the Central Bank of Ireland make a loss on disposal of the bonds it currently holds in its investment portfolio resulting from the revised arrangements in respect of the promissory notes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9517/13]

National Debt

Michael McGrath

93. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he expects discussions to take place in the near future at European level on extending the maturity of loans drawn down by Ireland from the EFSF and EFSM; if he has discussed the situation with his Portuguese counterpart; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9518/13]