Patrick Nulty
Ceist:94. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding the establishment of a financial transaction tax within the Eurozone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34337/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraTax Code
Ceisteanna (94)
Freagraí scríofa
It became clear at the ECOFIN meeting in June that the European Commission’s proposal for an EU-wide Financial Transactions Tax (FTT) would not be agreed, and those countries who favour the tax will now try to introduce it by way of "enhanced co-operation", under which at least nine countries must participate. This requires those countries to write to the Commission asking it to produce a formal proposal for such a directive. This mechanism would require at least nine Member States to participate and would require agreement by Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) comprising 72% of the overall votes and states representing 65% of the total EU population. As of 2 October, three countries – Austria, France and Germany - have written to the European Commission, requesting it to submit to the Council a proposal for a Decision authorising the creation of an FTT via enhanced cooperation. There is no revised proposal as of yet.
Ireland will not be among the participating countries but we will not stand in the way of those who want to introduce an FTT under the "enhanced co-operation" mechanism.
I have previously stated clearly Ireland’s position that an FTT would be best applied on a wide international basis to include the major financial centres. If it cannot be introduced on a global basis, it would be better if it were introduced on at least an EU-wide basis, rather than only in the eurozone, to prevent any distortion of activity within the Union. This is in line with the Commission’s desire that the tax should be applied on a global basis. Such an approach would avoid the danger of activities gravitating to jurisdictions where taxes are not levied on financial transactions.
Clearly a major concern would have been that the introduction of an FTT in Ireland but not in the UK could have led to certain business moving to London, with consequences for employment and activity levels in our financial services industry, particularly in the IFSC. We were also concerned that it might affect transactions in Government bonds, particularly on the secondary or "repo" market.
I have also previously indicated Ireland’s principled opposition to dealing with tax measures under "enhanced co-operation".
Our non-participation in the new initiative is therefore consistent with the position we have taken to date on the Commission’s FTT proposal. We will continue to monitor discussions on the FTT to ensure the compatibility of any proposed measure with the internal market and with existing taxes on financial transactions, including our Stamp Duty.
School Curriculum
Ceisteanna (95)
Bernard Durkan
Ceist:95. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he and his Department continue to promote the Arts through the education system with particular reference to primary and second level schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42349/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Arts education (visual arts, music and drama) is one of the seven curriculum areas that comprise the primary curriculum, which was revised in 1999. All primary school children have access to an arts programme.
At second level there are approved syllabuses for Junior Certificate in Music and Art, Craft and Design. In the senior cycle there are syllabuses in Music and Art. Modules in the Arts are also available as part of the Leaving Certificate Applied. In the Transition Year programme, schools offer a variety of modules which stimulate pupils' interest in the Arts in general and which, in many cases, give them the opportunity to interact with practising artists in their own classrooms and in other contexts. In addition to supporting curricular provision for the arts at primary and second level, my Department aids the arts through the provision of teaching hours to a number of schools of music operated by VECs and through co-operation (teaching) hours to VECs which support work with other institutions. In addition, two Music Education Partnerships are funded in Donegal and Dublin City VECs.
A further initiative in Music for young people of school age has been launched by Music Generation, a subsidiary company of Music Network, supported by donations from U2 and the Ireland Funds. The programme is aimed at providing access to vocal and instrumental music education for children and young people.
The Artists in School Guidelines, developed jointly by the Arts Council and my Department, and issued to all schools in 2006, are an important resource in informing schools of how best to plan, implement and evaluate partnerships with local artists and organisations which will provide stimulating and interesting learning experiences for children.
Residential Institutions Redress Scheme
Ceisteanna (96)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:96. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No 468 of 18 September 2012, when he expects to provide the full information. [42087/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The information sought was forwarded by letter to the Deputy on 25 September 2012.
Departmental Expenditure
Ceisteanna (97)
Pearse Doherty
Ceist:97. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a list of the payments made by the State to private land owners in 2010 and 2011 to acquire land for use in the public capital programme. [42104/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that the value of sites acquired for use in the public capital programme from private landowners by my Department amounted to just under €5m in 2010, and €10.25m in 2011. Table 1 contains the details. In addition, during 2010, my Department provided just under €9.13m in funding to a number of Vocational Education Committees to facilitate the acquisition of sites from private landowners. No such funding was provided to Vocational Education Committees in 2011. Table 2 contains the details. Price information regarding site acquisitions is commercially sensitive and the release of such information for 2011 would prejudice future and ongoing negotiations elsewhere in the State. Therefore, I am not in a position to provide a list of payment amounts paid by my Department for individual sites in 2011.
Table 1
|
Year |
Site Location |
Amount |
|
2010 |
||
|
Site in Ballincollig, Cork |
€3,000,000 |
|
|
Site in Maynooth, Kildare |
€1,986,250 |
|
|
2011 |
||
|
Site and buildings on St. Patrick's Hill, Cork |
Commercially Sensitive |
|
|
Site in Rathnew, Wicklow |
Commercially Sensitive |
|
|
Site on Haddington Road, Dublin |
Commercially Sensitive |
|
|
Site in Belmayne, Dublin |
Commercially Sensitive |
|
|
Site in Cabra, Dublin |
Commercially Sensitive |
Table 2
|
Year |
VEC |
Site Location |
Amount of Funding provided |
|
2010 |
|||
|
County Cork |
Carrigaline |
€1,991,645.00 |
|
|
County Kildare |
Naas |
€770,335.85 |
|
|
County Kildare |
Maynooth |
€1,421,943.50 |
|
|
County Kildare |
Maynooth |
€1,612,000.00 |
|
|
County Limerick |
Kilmallock |
€300,000.00 |
|
|
County Limerick |
Askeaton |
€150,000.00 |
|
|
County Louth |
Dunleer |
€600,000.00 |
|
|
County Monaghan |
Castleblayney |
€553,726.00 |
|
|
County Monaghan |
Monaghan |
€871,200.00 |
|
|
County Sligo |
Coola |
€208,135.00 |
|
|
South Tipperary |
Carrick-on-Suir |
€650,000.00 |
School Staffing
Ceisteanna (98)
Noel Harrington
Ceist:98. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to the enclosed Teaching Council list of teachers employed by County Cork Vocational Education Committee, the number of the 24 teachers (details supplied) who have registration in the Further Education Sector only, are paid on the teachers' basic scale to include increments taking into account their number of years' teaching service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42137/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The teachers to whom the Deputy refers are employed by County Cork Vocational Education Committee. This information is not held by my Department.
School Patronage
Ceisteanna (99)
Joanna Tuffy
Ceist:99. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the location, type of school and prospective patrons for the new 16 classroom school approved for Lucan, County Dublin in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42148/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As announced in March this year, County Dublin VEC will be patron of the new primary school opening in Lucan in September 2013. The school will be a multi-denominational, English medium, co-educational primary school. Officials in my Department are working, in liaison with the patron body, to secure appropriate accommodation for the school to open in September 2013.
FÁS Safe Passes
Ceisteanna (100)
Thomas P. Broughan
Ceist:100. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of safe passes issued by FÁS in each of the past four years to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42163/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
This is a day to day operational matter for FÁS who have responsibility for the delivery of the Safe Pass programme. The number of Safe Pass cards issued from 2008 to 2012 is as follows:Year Per Annual Report Card Mgt. System
|
Year |
Passed Issued |
|
2008 |
78,264 |
|
2009 |
52,840 |
|
2010 |
87,721 |
|
2011 |
72,521 |
|
2012 (January to September |
52,757 |
The figures for the period 2008 to 2011 have been taken from the FÁS Annual Reports. The figure for 2012 has been taken from the card management system.