Written Answers Nos. 103 -113
104. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the projected yield in 2017 of introducing a wealth tax of 2% on all assets, financial and property, excluding the family home and farm. [28035/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is currently no statistical basis for Revenue to compile estimates in relation to a potential wealth tax. Although an individual's assets and liabilities are declared to the Revenue in a number of specific circumstances (for example, after a death), this information is not a complete measure of financial assets in the State, nor is it recorded in a manner that would allow analysis of the implications of an overarching wealth based tax.
As part of the research programme agreed between the Department of Finance and the ESRI covering macroeconomic and taxation issues, a research project involving detailed analysis of wealth distribution and taxation has been included. Officials from both institutions are currently analysing the components of the wealth held by Irish households, using data available from the CSO's Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS) which was collected in 2013 and which the CSO made available to my department earlier this year. The research will enhance understanding of the distribution and composition of wealth in Ireland and will explore various wealth tax scenarios for the purposes of better-informed policy making. The research project is ongoing and it is intended that the results will be ready for presentation at the Department's annual Tax Policy Conference in November 2016.
105. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the projected yield in 2017 of reducing the earnings cap for pension-related tax relief from €115,000 to €70,000. [28036/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by Revenue that the pre-Budget 2017 Ready Reckoner is available on the Revenue Statistics webpage at http://www.revenue.ie/en/about/statistics/index.html. In relation to the Deputy's question, this Ready Reckoner shows a wide range of detailed information, including the estimated cost or yield from changing the ceiling on the annual earnings limit for determining maximum allowable contributions for pension purposes.
106. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the projected yield in 2017 of a reduction in the standard pension fund threshold from €2 million to €625,000. [28037/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Standard Fund Threshold is the maximum allowable pension fund on retirement for tax purposes which was introduced in Budget and Finance Act 2006 to prevent over-funding of pensions through tax-relieved arrangements.
Information on the numbers and values of individual pension funds or on individual accrued benefits in pension schemes are not generally required to be supplied to the Revenue Commissioners. Therefore there is no readily available underlying data or methodology on which to base reliable estimates of any possible yield which might be realised from the reduction in the Standard Fund Threshold outlined.
107. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost in 2017 and in a full year for every €250 reduction in the third level student contribution charge. [28016/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraBased on the number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2014/15 (and were therefore liable to pay the Student Contribution), and taking into account overall expected increases in student numbers, it is estimated that the cost to my Department of reducing the Student Contribution by €250 for the 2017/18 academic year would be €17m.
The above figures take into account the resulting reduction to my Department's Student Grant Scheme budget.
108. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the necessary funding to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27806/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received an application in 2015 for significant capital funding for the replacement of classrooms, additional ancillary accommodation and refurbishment works from the school referred to.
The Deputy will be aware that my Department’s funding priority is focused on the provision of essential classroom accommodation to cater for increased enrolments. In that regard, the school’s application was examined and having regard to the school’s current level of staffing and enrolment numbers the level of school accommodation was considered adequate to meet the school’s teaching needs. In the circumstances, my Department advised the school in question that it was not in a position to approve funding at this time.
109. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will advise on the dental nursing programme and SUSI grant classification; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that qualification for SUSI grants for dental nursing vary depending on the university involved; the way in which he can ratify this; the steps being taken in order to streamline the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27824/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraApproved undergraduate courses for the Student Grant Scheme 2016 are prescribed in the Student Support Regulations 2016 and in the Student Support Act 2011.
The Regulations prescribe that an approved undergraduate course is a full-time course leading to a major higher education and training award which takes a minimum of two years to complete in an approved institution.
Courses that are part-time or that are less than two years in duration, leading to a special purpose/minor award rather than a major award are not approved for the purposes of the Student Grant Scheme.
Universities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006. The management of their academic affairs, including the selection and delivery of courses, are matters for individual institutions. Accordingly, I have no function in relation to such matters as programme provision and the level of courses provided in the various institutions.
110. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new build schools with copper water pipes installed in which the water is not safe to drink. [27831/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra111. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools in which testing has been carried out for contamination and leaching in which copper piping has been used for drinking water. [27832/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra112. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools to which his Department is providing bottled water through office style dispensers in classrooms; the number of these which relate to copper piping; the number which relate to schools built in the past five years; the costs of replacing newly installed copper piping from the past five years; and the monthly cost of drinking water dispensers in schools. [27833/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 110 to 112, inclusive, together.
Under my Department’s Technical Guidance Documents it is a requirement to have the quality of drinking water tested for all new school building projects. In addition, existing schools may themselves, as a matter of routine, arrange for water testing to be carried out without recourse to my Department.
Since 2011 to date, issues have arisen with drinking water quality in 10 schools that required remediation works. The Department carried out testing and remediation works at 8 schools which are located in North Dublin. A building Contractor carried out testing and remediation works in the other 2 schools which are in County Meath.
My Department is currently funding the provision of bottled water at 2 of the North Dublin Schools and the 2 Meath Schools.
Various remedial works were carried out at each of the 8 North Dublin schools. The water has been declared safe to drink by the Local Authority at 6 of the schools. Works at the other 2 schools are now complete and resampling and final testing is awaited before the schools can avail of drinking water. The total cost of remediation works across the 8 schools where remediation has been completed amounted to €474,000 including VAT.
In the 2 Meath schools, testing was carried out on completion of a building project which revealed exceedances of copper. However, this was remediated and paid for by the contractor for the building project and re-testing now shows that the drinking water supply is negative for copper. While there is no imperative for my Department to carry out further works it has arranged for additional remediation works to be undertaken to fully address the concerns of the schools and bottled drinking water is being provided pending the completion of these works.
The 8 North Dublin schools were constructed over 5 years ago and the 2 Meath schools were constructed within the last 2 years.
The average monthly cost of providing bottled water for the 2 North Dublin schools amounted to €383 for the duration of the remedial works period. The cost of the water for the 2 Meath schools is not yet available as this provision only commenced in September but it is likely to be in the same region.
The issues uncovered in identifying the causes of these problems and specifying the necessary remedial works have been incorporated in revised School Building Technical Guidance Documents for Design Teams.
113. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if further education, FE, teacher training students undertaking a qualification required to teach in FE colleges after 1 April 2013, with reference to Teaching Council regulation 5, generally have pre-existing level 8 and level 9 qualifications; if he will review the regulations for the student grant to allow these students to avail of financial supports; if he will backdate financial supports to 1 April 2013 to assist previous students who are struggling financially; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27852/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo satisfy the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme in relation to progression, a student must be moving from year to year within a course, having successfully completed the previous year or be transferring from one course to another, where the award for the subsequent course is of a higher level than the previous course.
The objective of this policy is to help as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study.
Given the level of demand on the student grant budget from first time students and students that are progressing with their studies to a higher level, it is not possible to make an exception in this case.
