Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:259. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the most up to date figures for the amount paid out annually in motor insurance claims by each insurance company. [25563/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMotor Insurance Data
Ceisteanna (259)
Freagraí scríofa
As Minister for Finance, I am responsible for the development of the legal framework governing financial regulation. As such, my Department does not collect the type of information being sought by the Deputy. However, in order to address the Deputy's question, my officials contacted the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) to request the most recent information from the National Claims Information Database (NCID) which falls within its responsibility. This is available in Annex 2 of the 2019 NCID private motor insurance report published on the CBI website (https://www.centralbank.ie/statistics/data-and-analysis/national-claims-information-database).
The NCID Report shows that the total claims paid by insurers in respect of motor insurance in nominal figures in financial year 2018, before recoveries from reinsurers, amounted to €707,388,401. The CBI noted that this data is an aggregate figure which relates to 90 per cent of the market in terms of coverage (based on the proportion of total premium earned in 2018), and that this should be borne in mind when using the data. With respect to firm-level information, it is not possible to provide the Deputy with this as the NCID legislation prohibits the publishing of data for individual companies. The Deputy should also be aware that claims paid in a particular financial year will include payments made in respect of accidents that happened in prior years.
The relevant data for 2019 will be included in the 2020 NCID private motor report, which the Central Bank is due to publish at the end of October 2020. I look forward to the publication of this report, as I believe that it makes a significant contribution to increasing transparency in the Irish motor insurance sector. This is particularly important in light of recent developments in relation to the Central Bank’s findings at the conclusion of the first phase of its review on differential pricing, as well as the CCPC’s preliminary findings in its investigation into the motor insurance sector.
Finally, the Deputy should be aware that that the CBI signed new regulations recently which formally extend the scope of the NCID to now include employer liability and public liability insurance claims. I understand that the first report of the NCID including such information will be published in the first half of 2021. This is an important development as I believe it will increase transparency in other parts of the Irish insurance market relevant to small businesses and is a further element of the ongoing reform agenda for this sector.
Tax Data
Ceisteanna (260, 261, 262)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:260. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the cost to date in 2020 of tax reliefs and exemptions available to property developers. [25564/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraRichard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:261. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the cost to date in 2020 of the tax reliefs and exemptions available to property owners. [25566/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraRichard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:262. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the cost to date in 2020 of the tax reliefs and exemptions available to landowners. [25567/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 to 262, inclusive, together.
Information relating to the various reliefs and exemptions are set out in the links below. The Deputy should be aware that some of the measures contained in the links are not exclusive to property owners, landowners and developers. It should also be noted that some are no longer available to new claimants.
The figures set out in the links below relate to the most recent years for which data are available. As the Deputy will appreciate, tax returns for 2020 are not yet available. The data range from various dates (depending on the different reliefs and exemptions) up to the most recent years for which figures are available (generally 2018).
- Interest paid on loans relating to principal private residence, relief for expenditure on significant buildings and gardens and the rent a room scheme (available at: https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/information-about-revenue/statistics/tax-expenditures/costs-expenditures.aspx)
- Property incentives (available at: https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/information-about-revenue/statistics/tax-expenditures/property-reliefs.aspx)
- Home Renovation Incentive Scheme (available at: https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/information-about-revenue/statistics/tax-expenditures/index.aspx);
- Help to Buy scheme (available at: https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/information-about-revenue/statistics/tax-expenditures/index.aspx);
- Local Property Tax (numbers claiming various exemptions available at: https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/information-about-revenue/statistics/local-property-tax/index.aspx).
Tax Yield
Ceisteanna (263)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:263. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the estimated amount that could be raised by imposing a 2% public health levy on the profits of private human health and pharmaceutical companies here including nursing homes and homecare agencies. [25569/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The trading profits of companies in Ireland are generally taxed at the standard Corporation Tax rate of 12.5 %.
Some of the main features of the current Corporation Tax regime are its simplicity and that it applies to a broad base. Changing this rate (or imposing additional levies on corporate profits) would involve increased complexity and could change the attractiveness of Ireland's corporate tax offering. It is not possible to accurately predict the effect that changes to the rate would have on the behaviour and decisions of large, multinational companies. This uncertainty prevents a reliable estimate being made of any yield that might accrue to the Exchequer.
Notwithstanding the above, I am further advised by Revenue that on a straightforward mathematical basis and assuming no behavioural changes by companies, the potential yield from imposing a 2% levy on the profits of private human health and pharmaceutical companies, including nursing homes and home care agencies, is tentatively estimated to be in the region of €400 million in a year. This is a tentative estimate, calculated based on data using the system of sectoral classification of businesses by NACE code.
Property Tax
Ceisteanna (264)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:264. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the estimated full year cost of abolishing the local property tax. [25570/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I am informed by Revenue that assuming the current system continues to operate as in 2020, Local Property Tax (LPT) would be expected to yield €485 million in 2021. These receipts would be lost if LPT was abolished.
Irish Stock Exchange
Ceisteanna (265)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:265. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the volume of commercial trade that took place in shares here in 2019. [25571/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Euronext Dublin, formerly the Irish Stock Exchange, publishes statistics and data related to trading activity on the Dublin based exchange on its website - https://live.euronext.com/resources/statistics/.
For 2019, the Euronext Dublin data available indicates there were approximately 8.8 million share trades with an estimated turnover of approximately €91.9 billion with both numbers based on double counting of trades.
Irish Stock Exchange
Ceisteanna (266)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:266. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the volume of commercial trade that took place in derivatives here in 2019. [25573/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The 12th Triennial Central Bank Survey of Foreign Exchange and Over-The-Counter Derivatives Markets was issued by the Bank of International Settlements in December of last year. This survey, conducted every three years since 1986, is the most comprehensive source of information on the size and structure of global foreign exchange and OTC derivatives markets.
The survey is available on the BIS website, https://www.bis.org/statistics/rpfx19.htm, and showed that trading in global foreign exchange spot and OTC derivatives markets averaged $6.6 trillion and $6.5 trillion per day respectively.
More than 1,200 financial institutions in 53 countries, including Ireland, contributed to the 2019 Triennial Survey.
The data related to Ireland shows there was a substantial increase in the average daily turnover of both foreign exchange contracts and OTC interest rate derivatives between 2016 and 2019. On each of the trading days in April 2019 an average turnover of $7.2 billion in foreign exchange transactions and $7.3 billion in OTC interest rate derivatives transactions was recorded.
The main trading partners in both foreign exchange contracts and OTC interest-rate derivatives markets in April 2019 were cross-border financial institutions.
The Central Bank of Ireland has published a press release and data pertaining to Irish turnover in derivatives as derived from the survey and is available at https://centralbank.ie/statistics/data-and-analysis/bis-triennial-derivatives-survey
Universal Social Charge
Ceisteanna (267)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:267. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the estimated amount expected to be raised by the universal social charge in 2020. [25574/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department is currently undertaking work on a full set of economic and fiscal forecasts as part of the preparation for Budget 2021.
In this process, my officials will make a projection of the 2020 outturn for Income Tax, including the component accounted for by the Universal Social Charge (USC) and will be able to provide the Deputy with the requested estimate at that stage. The actual outturn for USC for the year will be published by the Revenue Commissioners in 2021.
Universal Social Charge
Ceisteanna (268)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:268. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the estimated amount expected to be raised by the universal social charge from tax units paying more than €90,000. [25575/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I am advised by Revenue that an estimated €1.74bn is projected to be raised by the Universal Social Charge (USC) from taxpayer units earning more than €90,000 per annum. This is a pre-Budget 2021 estimate and is subject to revision.
Question No. 269 answered with Question No. 229.
Tax Code
Ceisteanna (270)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:270. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the estimated amount of revenue which would be generated by imposing €600 per year tax on all second homes, a €1,000 per year tax on all third or fourth homes and a €1,500 per year tax on all fifth or subsequent homes. [25591/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I am informed by Revenue that the available information in respect of second or multiple properties is included in the Ready Reckoner, published at https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/documents/statistics/ready-reckoner.pdf.
Tax Code
Ceisteanna (271)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:271. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the estimated amount of tax revenue which would be generated by applying a 12.5% minimum effective tax rate on total gross profits before deductions, allowances or reliefs. [25594/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Companies in Ireland are mainly taxed at the standard corporation tax rate of 12.5 per cent. The higher corporation tax rate of 25 per cent applies to certain income of companies, mainly non-trading income. Additionally, a rate of 33 per cent applies to capital gains. There are different figures and methodologies used to calculate effective tax rates paid by companies in Ireland. While some of these percentages are lower than the 12.5 per cent headline rate, this can be attributed to the availability of a small number of tax reliefs, such as the Research and Development Tax Credit, available in Ireland that may lower the effective rate of corporation tax paid.
An analysis by Revenue of corporation tax paid by companies in 2018 estimates that the effective rate of tax paid by all companies in Ireland in that year, after taking account of tax reliefs, was 10.6 per cent, and 11.3 per cent and 10.8 per cent respectively for the top 10 and top 100 companies.
It is not possible to accurately estimate any potential yield or cost in Corporation Tax receipts from the proposal set out in the Deputy’s Question because it is not possible to predict any behavioural change in response by the large, multinational companies who are responsible for around 80% of Corporation Tax receipts. Additionally, some companies who have non-trading income taxed at 25% or capital gains taxed at 33% may not see any increase in Corporation Tax payable.
Question No. 272 answered with Question No. 235.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Ceisteanna (273)
Bríd Smith
Ceist:273. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance when he will publish a list of the companies that availed of the wage subsidy scheme; the amounts given to the companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25596/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS), which was provided for in section 28 of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (COVID-19) Act 2020, expired on 31 August 2020. The TWSS has now been replaced by the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), which was legislated for under the recently enacted Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Act 2020.
Notwithstanding any obligations imposed on the Revenue Commissioners under section 851A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 or any other enactment relating to the confidentiality of taxpayer information, section 28 of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provides that the names and addresses of all employers to whom a temporary wage subsidy has been paid will be published by Revenue on its website. However, the legislation does not make provision for the subsidy amounts given to employers to be published. Furthermore, employers who originally registered for the scheme but who did not operate the TWSS and who did not receive any subsidy refunds will not be included in the publication list.
I have been advised by Revenue that there are certain employers who received a temporary wage subsidy refund, who may unintentionally have made J9 submissions or who sought to reverse out of the scheme for other legitimate commercial reasons. These employers must undertake a number of remedial actions, to include, the full repayment of the Subsidy refunds received and to address all the relating tax and PRSI liabilities. These actions must be completed by 15 October 2020 if the employers are to be considered as having not benefited from the scheme and therefore outside of the scope of the publication requirement. Revenue will publish the names and addresses as soon as is practicable after that date.
Workplace Safety
Ceisteanna (274)
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill
Ceist:274. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps being taken to protect staff working in open plan offices in Departments; if the advice is for staff to remain working from home if possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25049/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In relation to employee safety and attendance in the work premises, the Return to Work Safely Protocol sets out the steps employers need to take to make their work premises safe during COVID-19. Employers should implement the advice in the protocol and, where necessary, ensure that it is tailored to meet the unique set of circumstances pertaining to each sector and workplace location.
The Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021 Plan for Living with COVID-19 sets out five levels of a Framework for Restrictive Measures. The Framework provides for home working to continue where possible across the five levels. Civil service departments and offices will continue with this arrangement where possible unless attendance at the workplace is needed for the provision of public services. My Department supports civil and public service employers by providing regularly updated guidance on working arrangements during COVID-19.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (275)
Bríd Smith
Ceist:275. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the provisions for workers that have left or were in their final year of service in the public sector when the Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018 was passed to continue working in their positions; if workers aged 66 years of age and that were still working in their positions when this legislation was enacted can continue working in line with the new age limits in the Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24716/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018 (“the Act”) was enacted on 26 December 2018. The Act introduced a new compulsory retirement age of 70 for the cohort of standard grade public servants recruited prior to 1 April 2004 (termed “relevant public servants” under the Act). Prior to 26 December 2018, these public servants had a compulsory retirement age of 65.
Under the Act, any relevant public servant who had not already reached their compulsory retirement age of 65 before 26 December 2018 has a new compulsory retirement age of 70. Enactment of the legislation had no effect on those public servants who had already retired at 65 prior to the enactment of the legislation on 26 December 2018. This includes individuals who had availed of the temporary interim arrangements which were made available to public servants who reached their compulsory retirement age of 65 between 5 December 2017 and 25 December 2018. Under the arrangements, these individuals retired, as required, but were re-hired on a 1 year contract until they reached the age of 66. Anyone in this position would have been required to cease working in the public service no later than 25 December 2019 on the expiration of that 1 year contract.
As provided for in Section 3 of the Act, my colleague Paschal Donohoe, TD, former Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform prepared a report on the cohort of public servants who were required to retire at the age of 65 after the date of the Government Decision to introduce the new compulsory retirement age, but before the commencement of the Act. This Report was laid before the Oireachtas on 26 March 2019 as required, and is publicly available on the www.gov.ie website and in the Oireachtas Library online catalogue. The conclusion of the report was that the interim arrangements were an appropriate temporary policy response pending enactment of the legislation. The terms of those arrangements were clear, unambiguous and made known to those who availed of them. Accordingly, for the reasons set out in the report, no changes were made to those arrangements and the individuals involved were required to cease working on the expiration of their 1 year contract in accordance with the terms of the temporary interim arrangements.
Public Appointments Service
Ceisteanna (276)
Neasa Hourigan
Ceist:276. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department has conducted a review of the employment practices and interview processes of the civil service in relation to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24733/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland formally ratified this Convention in 2018. Under Article 33 of the UNCRPD, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) is the independent monitoring mechanism for UNCRPD in Ireland and works with the National Disability Authority (NDA) to carry out its task.
The NDA has confirmed to my officials that the most recently published Disability Census Report, some 4.6% of civil servants that made a return identified themselves as having a disability.
The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (2015-2024) (CES), provides a whole-of-government approach to improving the employment outcomes for persons with disabilities, across both private and public sectors. Work to implement the Strategy forms part of progressive realisation of Articles 26 and 27 within UNCRPD. Within the CES, there are commitments for public bodies to progress actions within their remit in order to improve employment practices, including for DPER as the body responsible for the Civil Service, with a target to progressively increase the 3% statutory employment target to 6% by 2024 for the Civil and Public Service.
My Department is committed within the CES to examining alternative recruitment routes for people with disabilities. The Public Appointment Service (PAS), which is an agency under my Department, is the lead recruiter for appointments at all levels to the Civil Service. PAS, working in conjunction with officials from my Department, has implemented a programme of work in the first 3 years of the CES and made significant progress in examining and improving how it attracts and recruits persons with disabilities to the Civil and Public Service.
The Deputy may be aware of the Oireachtas Work Learning (OWL) Programme which is an applied learning, development and socialisation programme for adults with an intellectual disability which was launched as a pilot programme in September 2018. It is facilitated by the Houses of the Oireachtas Service in collaboration with two sponsor organisations, KARE and WALK. The goal of the Programme is to provide trainees with the skills, knowledge and ability to gain meaningful employment via the unique opportunity to gain practical work experience as well as accredited learning over an 11 month period. Over a quarter of the initial OWL interns have since gone on to secure employment in the public service.
PAS also has a long-standing partnership with AHEAD on their Willing, Able, Mentoring (WAM) Programme. WAM offers graduates with a disability a six-month placement in the public service. PAS conduct the recruitment element of the process on behalf of AHEAD. Since 2005, 215 graduates have completed placements across the public service. PAS and DPER, in conjunction with AHEAD, are currently exploring the feasibility of a confined competition for a number of those graduates who successfully complete their placement in the civil service.
Both the OWL Programme and the proposed route to permanency for WAM graduates fulfil one of the goals of the CES in providing alternative routes of entry into the public service for people with disabilities. The NDA, in its independent advice and annual assessments of progress under the CES, have recommended that the internship model should have wider use across the civil and public service.
PAS has recently established a dedicated Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) function and has recently recruited for a Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion demonstrating an organisational commitment to build on ED&I best practice. Recently, an external consultant has been engaged by PAS to review the end-to-end candidate journey for people with disabilities from attraction to interview, assignment and beyond with a view to enhancing the candidate experience and transition into the workforce.
PAS will shortly launch its Business Strategy for the next 3 years, a central tenant of which will be to continue to build on ED&I initiatives, such as engagement with the OWL and WAM programmes. I am confident that PAS, with the support of my Department, will continue to collaborate with Civil and Public Service employers to attract talented staff from diverse backgrounds to work in an inclusive, disability-confident environment ensuring that we have a Civil and Public Service reflective of the modern Ireland that they serve.
Public Sector Staff
Ceisteanna (277)
Mick Barry
Ceist:277. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the programmes in place to provide beginner, intermediate and advanced Irish language training for staff in the civil and public service in view of the commitment in the Programme for Government to increase the use of the Irish language in the civil and public service; if beginner level classes are available to all civil servants at all grades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24753/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
OneLearning was established in 2017 and is the Civil Service Learning and Development Centre staffed by Civil Servants and based in the Dept. of Public Expenditure and Reform. OneLearning are responsible for all training that is common across the Civil Service to ensure oversight, value for money and evidence based prioritisation of learning solutions.
OneLearning in partnership with Learning and Development Business Partners from all Civil Service Bodies continue providing training centrally that meets the common business objectives and evolving skills needs of the Civil Service.
Ahead of the establishment of OneLearning, a Learning and Development Project Team led a consultation with relevant learning and development units in Civil Service Organisations which identified a requirement for Irish Language training at intermediate and advanced levels. There are currently four levels of Irish language courses available to Civil Servants via OneLearning (Levels 3/4/ 5/6, Certificate on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) awarded by Gaelchultúr. These courses have been available to all Civil Servants since 2018 with the goal to continue to develop participants spoken and written abilities by improving their vocabulary and confidence to communicate and provide a service through Irish as required.
In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, and the development of OneLearning’s next generation of course offerings in 2021, a consultation will take place with the Civil Service learning and development community to determine if beginner Irish courses are required for the Civil Service.
Public Sector Staff
Ceisteanna (278)
Mick Barry
Ceist:278. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number and percentage of civil servants that are from Traveller, Black Irish and non-Irish citizen backgrounds; his plans to increase diversity in the civil service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24754/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Civil Service employers do not currently request ethnic background information from civil servants on assignment and such data is, therefore, not available at present.
The Civil Service is strongly committed to equality of opportunity for all in terms of its recruitment and employment practices. Our Commitment is demonstrated and documented with key actions in People Strategy for the Civil Service 2017-2020 and Our Public Service 2020, both of which are to be renewed from 2021.
There are many excellent examples across the Civil Service, and broader Public Service, where positive action has been taken to promote and increase the recruitment of staff from all backgrounds at all levels. As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Appointments Services (PAS), which is an agency under the aegis of my Department, substantially coordinates recruitment to Civil Service posts. PAS is committed to ensuring that there is a concerted focus on attracting a range of talented people from all backgrounds to Civil and Public Service roles. PAS has a Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee in place with both employer representatives and external experts in diversity and inclusion and work closely with officials in my Department.
In the Civil Service, in line with Action 18 in the People Strategy for the Civil Service 2017-2020, my department has established a working group to review and revise the Civil Service policy related to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) which applies to all Civil Service employers, most of which are at different stages on their ED&I journey.
Employee demographic data is recognised as being critical to both baselining, evaluating and reporting progress in further embedding ED&I initiatives across the Civil Service. An action of the Working Group is to explore how aggregate ED&I data might be captured to a common data standard by all Civil Service bodies, adopting best practice while being particularly mindful of data protection and other statutory obligations. It is expected that Equality, Diversity and Inclusion will continue to be a core component of future Civil Service Renewal and People Strategies that are currently being developed for implementation from 2021, ensuring that we continue to build a Civil Service that is reflective of the modern Ireland that we serve.