Written Answers Nos. 97-106
97. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he and-or his departmental officials have met a person (details supplied) and-or representatives of companies in the past two years; if so, if he will publish a schedule of those meetings and the associated minutes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42818/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that neither I, nor my departmental officials, have met with persons or representatives of companies referred to by the Deputy in the past two years to date.
98. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to reports that an Irish aid agency (details supplied) has been ordered to cease working in Pakistan; if he has raised this issue formally with Pakistani officials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42795/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2017, a number of international NGOs, including the NGO in question, received notification from the government of Pakistan to cease operations. This decision was appealed by the organisation. However, on 4 October 2018 the Pakistani authorities said that the appeal had been rejected and that it, along with a number of other reputable international NGOs, must cease operations within 60 days. My Department has liaised closely with the organisation in question since the issue of its registration in Pakistan was first raised, and continues to do so. I, together with officials, met senior representatives of the organisation on Tuesday last, 16 October, and this issue was discussed.
Ireland has made a number of high level representations on the organisation’s behalf to the government of Pakistan, including through the Embassy of Pakistan in Dublin. After news of the latest decision was notified, a meeting between officials of my Department and the chargé d'affaires of the Embassy of Pakistan took place. Furthermore, the Irish Embassy in Ankara, which is accredited to Pakistan, is in close contact with the EU and other diplomatic missions in Islamabad to support joint advocacy on this matter. Our responses are calibrated in liaison with the organisation in question with a view to achieving the most positive outcome possible.
A key element in our dialogue with Pakistani counterparts is that the organisation in question serves no agenda other than promoting human dignity and that it complies with Pakistan’s national laws and policies. Furthermore, we have highlighted the organisation’s track record implementing high-quality humanitarian and development programmes.
99. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he and-or his departmental officials have met a person (details supplied) and-or representatives of companies in the past two years; if so, if he will publish a schedule of those meetings and the associated minutes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42822/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the course of our work, regular interaction can be made with prominent Irish citizens, including for example at Irish community or other official functions, but there have been no specific interactions or meetings with the named individuals.
100. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of holders of Irish passports that are residing in the United States of America and are citizens by descent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42833/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Passport Service does not maintain details of the current residence of passport holders. As outlined in the following table, the Passport Service can provide details of the number of passports issued, since 2008, to Irish citizens who were resident in the USA at the time of the passport application. The table also records the number of applicants since 2018 who were resident in the USA and who claimed citizenship through descent.
Entitlement to Irish citizenship is governed by Irish law and in particular the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applicants must demonstrate an entitlement to Irish citizenship in their passport application.
With reference to citizenship by descent, an individual born abroad is automatically an Irish citizen if one of their parents was an Irish citizen born in Ireland. An individual can also claim citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who was not born in Ireland but was an Irish citizen at the time of the individual's birth.
|
Year |
Passports issued |
Citizenship by descent |
|
2008 |
13,943 |
7,967 |
|
2009 |
12,579 |
6,924 |
|
2010 |
12,199 |
6,450 |
|
2011 |
11,562 |
6,436 |
|
2012 |
12,045 |
6,619 |
|
2013 |
12,036 |
6,661 |
|
2014 |
12,534 |
7,072 |
|
2015 |
13,484 |
7,328 |
|
2016 |
16,148 |
9,257 |
|
2017 |
19,358 |
11,727 |
|
2018* |
14,579 |
8,900 |
*Jan. 1 to Sep. 30
Please note that the figures given above will include applications made via the online renewal system (where a USA address is indicated) and via the network of Irish diplomatic missions in the USA. Passports issued on foot of an application through a diplomatic mission in the USA will also include a relatively small number of passports issued to Irish citizens resident in the jurisdictions for which the USA mission network has secondary accreditation. At present, these jurisdictions are the Cayman Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, the Turks & Caicos Islands, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Antigua & Barbuda and the U.S. Outlying Minor Islands.
101. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of holders of Irish passports residing overseas that are under 18 years of age and citizens by descent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42834/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra103. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport holders residing overseas that are over 18 years of age and could vote; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42836/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 103 together.
Table 1 indicates the number of passports issued annually, from 2014 to present, to citizens under 18 who were resident overseas at the time of application. The number of these applicants whose entitlement to Irish citizenship was derived by descent is also indicated.
Entitlement to Irish citizenship is governed by Irish law and in particular the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applicants must demonstrate an entitlement to Irish citizenship in their passport application.
With reference to citizenship by descent, an individual born abroad is automatically an Irish citizen if one of their parents was an Irish citizen born in Ireland. An individual can also claim citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who was not born in Ireland but was an Irish citizen at the time of the individual's birth.
Table 1:
|
Year |
Passports issued |
Citizenship by descent |
|
2014 |
20,401 |
15,569 |
|
2015 |
21,501 |
16,293 |
|
2016 |
24,793 |
18,770 |
|
2017 |
27,944 |
21,502 |
|
2018* |
21,989 |
16,401 |
Table 2 outlines the number of passports issued annually, from 2008 to present, to citizens over 18 who were resident overseas at the time of application.
|
Year |
Passports issued |
|
2008 |
67,650 |
|
2009 |
66,645 |
|
2010 |
64,260 |
|
2011 |
60,902 |
|
2012 |
65,637 |
|
2013 |
62,476 |
|
2014 |
65,141 |
|
2015 |
71,251 |
|
2016 |
92,019 |
|
2017 |
110,024 |
|
2018* |
90,531 |
*Jan 1 to Sep 30 2018
An Irish passport issued to an individual over the age of 18 has a maximum validity of 10 years. An Irish passport issued to an individual under the age of 18 has a maximum validity of 5 years.
The eligibility of citizens to vote is a matter for the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
102. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of holders of Irish passports that reside in Northern Ireland; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that demand for Irish passports in Northern Ireland has seen a sharp increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42835/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo data is kept on the current residence of individuals who have been issued with an Irish passport. The following table outlines the number of passports issued, since 2008, to Irish citizens who were resident in Northern Ireland at the time of their application. An Irish passport issued to an individual over the age of 18 has a maximum validity of 10 years.
|
Year |
Passports issued |
|
2008 |
31,909 |
|
2009 |
32,183 |
|
2010 |
32,760 |
|
2011 |
30,181 |
|
2012 |
40,526 |
|
2013 |
43,227 |
|
2014 |
46,944 |
|
2015 |
52,861 |
|
2016 |
65,716 |
|
2017 |
75,951 |
|
2018* |
62,624 |
*1 January to 30 September 2018
Between 1 January and 30 September this year the Passport Service received 60,452 passport applications from applicants resident in Northern Ireland. This compares to application volumes of 61,815 for the same period last year. While the volume of applications received so far this year indicates a slight decrease on applications compared with last year, the overall annual volumes of applications received and passports issued since the UK Referendum on EU membership in June 2016 remain significantly higher than preceding years.
The Passport Service monitors the overall volume of applications on an ongoing basis to ensure that resources are available to meet demand. Furthermore, the Passport Service has taken steps to proactively project future demand patterns with a particular focus on the potential contribution applications from Northern Ireland and Great Britain may make to overall demand.
104. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Finance the non-voted current expenditure for the years from 2018 to 2023, by Department; the cost items that make up the non-voted expenditure for each Department; if he will provide similar information for non-voted capital expenditure, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43069/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra111. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the expected Exchequer borrowing requirement for each of the years from 2019 to 2023 based on the forecasts published in budget 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43075/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra113. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the non-tax revenue for each year from 2018 to 2023 as outlined in tables 8 and 10 of the economic and fiscal outlook segment of the budget 2019 documents, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43077/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra114. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the capital receipts for each year from 2018 to 2023 as outlined in tables 8 and 10 of the economic and fiscal outlook segment of the budget 2019 documents, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43078/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra115. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the capital resources for each year from 2018 to 2023 as outlined in tables 8 and 10 of the economic and fiscal outlook segment of the budget 2019 documents, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43079/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 104, 111 and 113 to 115, inclusive, together.
Table 8 found on page 17 of the Economic & Fiscal outlook of Budget 2019 sets out the fiscal forecast for 2018-2023. It is presented in the same format as the Exchequer Statement included in the monthly Fiscal Monitor published by my Department. This facilitates a comparison of the end-year outturns against the Budget 2019 forecast.
Table 10 found on page 20 of the Economic & Fiscal outlook of Budget 2019 presents the fiscal forecast in the same format as the Analytical Exchequer Statement which is also included in the monthly Fiscal Monitor. As some of the Exchequer receipts and expenditure items do not have an impact in general government terms, under ESA 2010 statistical rules, these items are delineated in Table 10.
The line items which make up non-voted expenditure, both current and capital, are listed in Table 10 and are reproduced for the Deputy’s convenience in the following table.
|
- |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
non-voted current expenditure |
8,925 |
8,430 |
8,475 |
8,025 |
8,405 |
8,815 |
|
- national debt interest |
5,815 |
5,320 |
5,090 |
4,430 |
4,685 |
4,945 |
|
- debt management expenses |
185 |
200 |
170 |
165 |
160 |
160 |
|
- EU budget contribution |
2,575 |
2,575 |
2,875 |
3,050 |
3,200 |
3,350 |
|
- Oireachtas |
135 |
150 |
140 |
140 |
140 |
140 |
|
- other |
215 |
185 |
200 |
245 |
225 |
220 |
|
expenditure transactions with no general government impact |
||||||
|
non-voted current expenditure |
10 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
- Other |
10 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
non-voted capital expenditure |
1,050 |
1,130 |
1,145 |
1,125 |
1,155 |
1,190 |
|
- FEOGA |
800 |
800 |
800 |
800 |
800 |
800 |
|
- Loans |
240 |
310 |
335 |
315 |
345 |
385 |
|
- Other |
10 |
20 |
15 |
10 |
5 |
5 |
The elements of non-voted current expenditure indicated in table 10 as impacting in general government terms, show the mains items as debt servicing costs, Ireland’s contribution to the European Union budget and the Oireachtas. Included in ‘other’ are such items as judicial salaries, allowances and pensions payable to the political system. In terms of non-voted current expenditure which does not impact on the general government balance, the main items are pension payments under section 48 of the Pensions Act 1990.
Non-voted capital for the years 2018 to 2023 is not expected to include items that will impact on the general government balance. The main items under this heading are short term cash flow loans to the FEOGA fund and other technical Exchequer loans. The line entitled “other” is mainly made up of investments in international bodies provided for under such legislation as the Development Banks Act 2005.
The Exchequer Borrowing Requirement (EBR) for 2019-2023 is represented in table 8 of the Economic & Fiscal Outlook of Budget 2019 as the Exchequer Balance and is reproduced for the Deputy’s convenience in the following table:
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
|
Exchequer Balance/Borrowing Requirement |
-2,250 |
-670 |
810 |
-275 |
705 |
The line items which make up non-tax revenue are also listed in Table 10 and reproduced for the Deputy’s convenience in the following table.
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
|
general government impacting non-tax revenue |
1,405 |
1,315 |
845 |
635 |
600 |
520 |
|
- Central bank surplus income |
670 |
565 |
315 |
135 |
80 |
-40 |
|
- Dividends |
280 |
285 |
290 |
255 |
275 |
310 |
|
- other |
455 |
460 |
240 |
245 |
245 |
245 |
|
non-general government impacting non-tax revenue |
1,430 |
1,240 |
590 |
645 |
665 |
700 |
|
- Central bank surplus income |
1,430 |
1240 |
590 |
645 |
665 |
700 |
As laid out in Table 10 the only non-tax revenue elements that impact upon general government are surplus income from the Central Bank arising from its normal operation, dividends paid to the State and ‘other’. Included in this ‘other’ category is interest on loans, royalties, departmental non-tax receipts and miscellaneous receipts. The only element of non-tax revenue which does not impact upon the general government balance is Central Bank surplus income related to the disposal of floating rate notes.
Capital receipts are laid out in Table 8 and reproduced for the Deputy’s convenience in the following table.
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
|
capital receipts |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
Capital receipts are not received to the Exchequer, rather they are received directly into Departments or into extra budgetary funds as Appropriations in Aid.
The line items that make up capital resources are listed in table 10 and reproduced for the Deputy’s convenience in the following table.
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
|
general government impacting capital resources |
||||||
|
capital resources |
145 |
75 |
65 |
70 |
70 |
75 |
|
non-general government impacting capital resources |
1,710 |
1,055 |
2,850 |
3,070 |
1,070 |
1,070 |
|
- Nama |
0 |
0 |
1,500 |
2,000 |
0 |
0 |
|
- FEOGA |
740 |
800 |
800 |
800 |
800 |
800 |
|
- Loan repayments |
970 |
245 |
550 |
270 |
270 |
270 |
|
- Other |
0 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
The element of capital resources shown in table 10 as impacting in general government terms is mainly made up of forecast receipts from the European Union Regional Development Fund. In terms of capital resources that do not impact upon the general government balance, the main items include projected receipts of €3.5 billion arising from the projected wind-down of the National Asset Management Agency, repayment of an annual cash flow loan to the FEOGA fund and repayment of other technical Exchequer loans. These are generally given for cash flow purposes to ensure that sufficient resources are available when expenditure items fall due for payment.
105. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he and-or his departmental officials have met a person (details supplied) and-or representatives of companies in the past two years; if so, if he will publish a schedule of those meetings and the associated minutes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42821/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy predecessor as Minister for Finance met with representatives from Enet in the Department of Finance on Wednesday 14 December 2016. The meeting was at the request of Enet as a business based in his constituency. The meeting was also attended by officials from the Department.
The reasons Enet gave for the meeting was to brief the then Minister on the following issues:
- significant revenue growth since establishment in 2000;
- Enet's management, maintenance and operation of a fully integrated fibre infrastructure, comprising of 94 State owned Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs), providing interurban services to towns, as well as other privately owned metro fibre rings in locations such as Dublin, Shannon and Castlebar; and
- Enet's significant growth plans.
The scheduled attendees on behalf of Enet were:
- Conal Henry – CEO Enet
- Niall Beirne – Head of Communications Enet
- Eoghan Ó Neachtain – Heneghan PR (advisors to Enet)
The record of the meeting sets out that:
- it was made clear at the outset that there could be no discussion of the National Broadband Plan tendering process; and
- the discussion was in lines with the issues flagged by Enet in advance.
106. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Finance the rationale behind imposing taxation on passive investments every seven years as though those investments had been divested; his views on whether this may be an impediment to the use of such investments as long-term pension-style instruments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42991/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFinance Act 2000 introduced the gross roll-up taxation regime for investments in certain investment undertakings and life assurance policies. The gross roll-up regime provides for a single level of taxation on investment products. Under the gross roll-up regime, there is no annual tax on income or gains arising within the investment. Instead, tax applies at an investor level upon the investor withdrawing amounts from the investment.
Finance Act 2006 introduced the concept of deemed disposals every 8 years in relation to these investments. A deemed disposal occurs 8 years following inception of a policy of life assurance or acquisition of a fund and then every 8 years thereafter. The deemed disposal rules also apply to equivalent offshore funds. Any gain on the investment which arises from the date of inception or the date of acquisition to the date of the deemed disposal is subject to tax. This ensures that income cannot be rolled up indefinitely in life assurance policies or funds without being taxed. On the ultimate disposal of the investment any tax paid which arose as a result of a deemed disposal is allowed as a credit against any final tax liability on disposal.
Investment undertakings and life assurance policies are savings and investment products which are expected to have a return over the medium term. This was the expectation when the gross roll-up regime was introduced. There are special rules in relation to the taxation of pension saving products which are designed to have a return over the long term.
