Written Answers Nos. 300-320
301. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he and bodies under his aegis have engaged private investigation companies or persons in the past three years to date; and if so, the cost, duration and purpose of these engagements of this type of contractor. [25824/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMazars are party to a framework agreement to investigate protected disclosures for all Government Departments which was established by the Office of Government Procurement. Since 21 May 2020, my Department has engaged Mazars to investigate a protected disclosure received by the Minister for Finance from a person external to the Department. The cost of this investigation to date is €53,088.74 (incl. VAT).
The National Treasury Management Agency, which is under the aegis of my Department, is designated as the State Claims Agency (SCA) when performing the claims management and risk management functions designated to it under the National Treasury Management Agency Act 1990, as amended. The statutory mandate of the SCA is to manage claims in such a manner as to ensure that the State’s liability is contained at the lowest achievable level. The Agency, in a very small number of claims, engages private investigators where the circumstances of those cases are such that they merit particular investigation. The Agency also uses private investigators to serve witness summonses. Only those Private Security Authority (PSA) Licensed private investigators who have signed the Agency’s surveillance protocol agreement and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) agreement are engaged by the SCA. Details of Private Investigation Firms, including total payments made to each from 1 January 2018 to date, are in the attached table.
302. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Finance if the Covid restrictions support scheme will be extended beyond the end of May 2021 for travel agents. [25895/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) is a targeted support for businesses significantly impacted by restrictions introduced by the Government under public health regulations to combat the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The support is available to companies, self-employed individuals and partnerships who carry on a trade or trading activities, the profits from which are chargeable to tax under Case I of Schedule D, from a business premises located in a region subject to restrictions introduced in line with the Living with Covid-19 Plan.
Details of CRSS were published in Finance Act 2020 and detailed operational guidelines, which are based on the terms and conditions of the scheme as set out in the legislation, have been published on the Revenue website.
The CRSS applies to businesses carrying on trading activities from a business premises located in a region subject to restrictions, which requires the business to prohibit or considerably restrict customers from accessing their business premises and as a result, is operating at less than 25% of turnover in 2019.
The Dáil has approved the extension of both the EWSS and the CRSS until the end of June 2021.
With easing of restrictions in the coming weeks, the CRSS will remain available to any business still closed/restricted under public health guidelines. Any business which can reopen but chooses not to will not be eligible for the CRSS.
It will not be sufficient that the trade of a business has been impacted because of a reduction in customer demand as a consequence of Covid-19. The scheme only applies where, as a direct result of the specific terms of the Government restrictions, the business is required to either prohibit or significantly restrict access to its business premises.
Any business currently availing of CRSS and that can now reopen as restrictions are eased will be able to avail of double restart week payments for two weeks subject to the statutory maximum of €5,000 per week to support them in meeting the costs of reopening as they exit the scheme.
The CRSS is an additional measure for businesses in a region subject to significant Covid-19 restrictions. Businesses not falling within the scope of the CRSS may be entitled to support under other measures put in place by Government, including the COVID Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS). Businesses may also be eligible to warehouse VAT and PAYE (Employer) debts and also excess payments received by employers under the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, and the balance of Income Tax for 2019 and Preliminary Tax for 2020 for self-assessed taxpayers if applicable.
The Government will continue to assess the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy and I will continue to work with my Ministerial colleagues to ensure that appropriate supports are in place to mitigate these effects.
303. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Finance the additional revenue that would be generated if a 40% capital gains tax rate was applied in which the person making the disposal had an annual income in excess of €250,000. [25936/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by Revenue that the estimated revenue generated from a rate of 40% on capital gains made on disposals by individuals with income over €250,000 would be in the region of €70m per year.
This estimate is based on income and Capital Gains Tax (CGT) returns for the tax year 2018, the latest year for which full income information is available. The estimates assume no change in behaviour by individuals resulting from the increase in the tax rate and do not include any yield in respect of companies.
304. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Finance the details of his engagement with the IMF over the past 18 months; if he will request the IMF to include health risks in all country specific economic risk reports in view of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26034/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, the IMF recently concluded Ireland’s biennial Article IV consultation. A requirement for all members of the Fund. This process assesses a country’s economic and financial developments, including discussions with the Country's economic and financial policies with Government and Central Bank officials. This follows the unfortunate, but understandable, suspension of the IMF’s overall surveillance in 2020 resulting from Covid which meant that Ireland’s planned 2020 Article IV review could not proceed.
As part of the 2021 Article IV consultation, the IMF held a series of constructive and engaging meetings with myself, Minister McGrath and our officials over the course of the two weeks between 26 April and 7 May. The IMF’s preliminary findings, which form the basis of the Article IV Report due to be published later this year, were made available in the form of a ‘Concluding Statement’ published on the IMF website on 12 May 2021. The Article IV process provides a valuable outside perspective on Ireland’s medium to long-term economic prospects and I look forward to receiving the IMF’s more detailed assessment in the full Article IV Report. The IMF also undertook an Article IV consultation with the euro area in 2020. This provided further opportunities to engage with the IMF Managing Director, who presented the outcome of the IMF’s consultation at Eurogroup on 30 November 2020.
In addition to participating in the Fund’s bilateral surveillance, I attended the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings 2020 last October and the recent IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings 2021 in April, both held in virtual format. As part of these events, I participated in meetings with the IMF Managing Director and European policy-makers to discuss current policy challenges. As part of these meetings, I also attended the plenary meetings of the International Monetary Fund Committee (IMFC), the body responsible for providing strategic direction to the work and policies of the Fund.
This engagement was supplemented with a series of bilateral calls with the IMF Managing Director and the Executive Director of Ireland’s Constituency at the Fund throughout 2020. Officials in my Department continue to engage with the IMF on an ongoing basis, primarily through Ireland’s representatives based in our Constituency Office in Washington D.C. This ongoing engagement and collaboration is particularly valuable as it allows Ireland to benefit from the Fund’s insights into the challenges and opportunities we face and to utilise the IMF’s extensive experience and expertise to inform our macroeconomic and financial policy-making.
With respect to the second part of your question, I understand that the IMF has been covering health risks in all its country-specific assessments. The pandemic’s impact on lives and livelihoods is clearly macro-critical and therefore falls within the Fund’s focus. Moreover, international cooperation on these efforts is critical in today’s globally integrated economy, in which the policies of one country can affect many others. I can assure you that the pandemic has been the predominant theme of the majority of my discussions with the IMF Managing Director and Fund management over the last year.
305. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance the number of data breaches suffered by his Department in each of the past five years and to date in 2021. [26098/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere were 21 data protection breaches in total identified in the Department of Finance from 2016 to 2021 (to date). See below a table containing the number of data breaches that occurred in each year:
|
Year: |
Number of Data Breaches: |
|
2016 |
Nil |
|
2017 |
Nil |
|
2018 |
1 |
|
2019 |
8 |
|
2020 |
10 |
|
2021 |
2 |
The Department has an internal personal data breach reporting protocol. All breaches must be formally notified to the Department’s Data Protection Officer for assessment.
306. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance the amount of relief that has been granted to date under section 604A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 introduced in the Finance Act 2012 which provides capital gains tax relief on property bought between 7 December 2011 and 31 December 2014, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26122/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by Revenue that the following information is available in respect of claims under s604A up to the tax year 2018:
|
Number of claimants |
Amount Claimed € |
Exchequer Cost € |
|
632 |
342 |
113 |
It should be noted that the cost shown is only in respect of claims on tax returns filed and does not include any cost associated with property not yet disposed of or included in CGT returns that may become available at a later date.
Further information is published under the Statistics section of the Revenue website in the publication 'Statistics on the Relief on Disposal of Certain Land or Buildings (Section 604A)'. An update of this publication will be available shortly, when the 2019 tax returns are fully analysed.
307. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide the briefing note from his Department on 5 May 2021 in relation to institutional investors developing new apartments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26169/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy's request to be provided with the briefing note has been passed to the relevant section within the Department to be processed. The relevant officials are currently making arrangements to provide the note to the Deputy's office.
308. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the number of settlements an association (details supplied) has made with the Revenue Commissioners in the past 10 years to date. [26321/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by Revenue that, in compliance with section 851A of the Taxes Consolidation Act (TCA) 1997, it is not permitted to disclose details relating to the tax affairs of any individual taxpayer or taxable entity, except in certain limited circumstances provided for in law, for example in the case of tax settlements meeting the criteria for publication under section 1086 of the TCA.
Revenue is, therefore, unable to provide the information requested by the Deputy.
309. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the date on which the Revenue Commissioners will adjudicate on a VAT liability in respect of organisations (details supplied). [26322/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraRevenue is not permitted to disclose details relating to the tax affairs of any individual taxpayer or taxable entity in accordance with section 851A of the Taxes Consolidation Act (TCA) 1997, except in certain limited circumstances provided for in law, for example in the case of tax settlements meeting the criteria for publication under section 1086 of the TCA.
Revenue is, therefore, unable to provide the information requested by the Deputy.
310. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons seconded to his Department from and or that previously worked for companies (details supplied) in the past 10 years to date; and the measures in place in his Department that protect it from conflicts of interest and maintain good corporate governance arrangements in respect of his Department’s operations with financial companies that officials once worked for. [26323/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that, in the ten year period from 2011 to 2021, there have been 4 persons employed in my Department on secondment from KPMG and 1 person employed on secondment from Davy Stockbrokers. A record of the former employers of staff members is not kept by my Department.
All persons employed by my Department are subject to the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour, which sets out a clear framework within which civil servants must work and the principles which should govern the behaviour of civil servants. Included under this is the requirement that civil servants may not at any time engage in, or be connected with, any outside business or activity that would in any way conflict with the interests of the Departments, be inconsistent with their official positions, or impair their ability to carry out their duties as civil servants.
For this reason, any employee of my Department intending to be engaged in or connected with any outside business or employment is required to inform Human Resources of such an intention.
Employees of my Department are also bound by the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001, which provide provide for the disclosure of interests by civil servants, and the Official Secrets Act 1993, which safeguards against the unauthorised disclosure of information.
311. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the total operating profit, profit before taxation and profit after taxation deriving from rental and related income for Irish real estate funds in each of the years 2017 to 2019. [26462/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra312. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the amount of IREF dividend withholding tax deducted for 2017, 2018 and 2019 as a proportion of total profit before and after taxation deriving from rental and related income for Irish real estate funds in each of the years 2017 to 2019. [26463/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 311 and 312 together.
Finance Act 2016 introduced the IREF regime to address the use of certain fund vehicles to invest in Irish property by non-resident investors, thereby avoiding a charge to tax on profits arising from Irish real estate. The regime provides that the profits arising to an Irish fund from Irish property remain within the charge to Irish tax.
An Irish Real Estate Fund (IREF) is an investment undertaking, or a sub-fund, which derives 25% or more of its market value from assets deriving their value directly or indirectly from real estate in the State. IREFs are subject to a 20% IREF withholding tax on distributions to non-resident investors. Irish resident individuals/corporates are separately subject to investment undertakings tax. Certain categories of investors such as pension funds, life assurance companies and other collective investment undertakings are generally exempt from having IREF withholding tax applied provided the appropriate declarations are in place.
Details of the total profits arising to IREFs for the periods 2017, 2018 and 2019 are set out in Table 1.
Table 1 Details of total profits arising to IREFs
|
|
2017 € |
2018 € |
2019 € |
|
Operating Profit |
911,833,875 |
867,739,813 |
1,159,450,861 |
|
Profit Before Tax as per Financial Statements |
690,641,103 |
498,299,253 |
724,795,840 |
Taxation is levied in respect of IREFs at the point of distribution of profits to investors. I am advised by Revenue that IREFs are required to make returns and payments of IREF withholding tax in respect of taxable events occurring during a specified period i.e. when a unit holder receives value for the accrued profits of the IREF. There are a number of situations where a taxable event arises but in most cases this will be on the making of a cash or a non-cash distribution to a unit holder or on the cancellation, redemption or repurchase of units from a unit holder. IREFs are not obliged to separately report the source of the profits attributable to the IREF taxable event on the IREF return. Given the profits of an IREF are generated from various property related activities, including for example property development, property sales, rental income and service charges, Revenue does not have a breakdown of the profits deriving specifically from rental and related income for the periods in question.
Details of the IREF withholding tax, calculated on the amount of a taxable event (for example a distribution to a unit holder) paid for each period is set out in Table 2. Additionally, investment undertaking tax (IUT) rather that IREF withholding tax may be applicable if the investor is Irish Resident.
Table 2 – Details of IREF withholding tax and income tax paid by IREFs
|
|
2017 € |
2018 € |
2019 € |
|
IREF Taxable Amount |
44,666,427 |
212,776,714 |
368,463,650 |
|
IREF Withholding Tax paid |
8,321,359 |
28,229,097 |
65,759,048 |
|
Income tax charge paid* |
n/a |
n/a |
6,211,720 |
* The Finance Act 2019 contained a number of anti-avoidance measures for IREFs. IREFs are regarded as having income subject to income tax where they have excessive debt or expenses that are not wholly or exclusively for the purpose of their business. Any excessive amounts are regarded as deemed income of the IREF and chargeable to income tax at 20%. No losses, deficits, expenses or allowances may be set off against such income for the purpose of determining the chargeable amount. For the three month period to 31 December 2019, income tax was paid as shown in Table 2.
313. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Finance if an exception will be made for the backdating of Covid restrictions support scheme payments to their start date of 13 October 2020 in the case of a small business owner (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26474/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) is a targeted support for businesses significantly impacted by restrictions introduced by the Government under public health regulations to combat the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Section 11 of the Finance Act 2020 provides the legislative basis for the scheme. The scheme is available to companies, self-employed individuals and partnerships who carry on a trade or trading activities the profits of which are chargeable to tax under Case 1 of Schedule D.
The scheme is designed to help qualifying businesses meet their costs at a time when they cannot provide goods or services to their customers from their business premises, or can only do so to a limited extent, due to COVID-19 related restrictions. For the purposes of the scheme, a business premises is defined as a building or other similar fixed physical structure from which a business activity is ordinarily carried on. The legislation also provides that a claim for the CRSS cannot be made later than eight weeks from the date on which the ‘claim period’ commences.
I am advised by Revenue that the business in question applied to register for the CRSS on 3 May 2021. Once registered, the business was eligible to claim CRSS payments from 15 March 2021 (i.e. eight weeks prior to 3 May 2021), provided it was prohibited or significantly restricted in allowing customers access its premises throughout that period. Revenue has confirmed that payments have correctly issued to the business in respect of all ‘claim periods’ since 15 March 2021. It is not possible to provide CRSS payments to the business for periods earlier than this date.
314. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of allowing the cycle to work scheme to cover the purchasing of child seats or trailers annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26545/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 118(5G) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (TCA 1997) provides for the Cycle to Work scheme. This scheme provides an exemption from benefit-in-kind (BIK) where an employer purchases a bicycle and associated safety equipment for an employee.
Under section 118B TCA 1997 an employer and employee may also enter into a salary sacrifice arrangement under which the employee agrees to sacrifice part of his or her salary, in exchange for a bicycle and related safety equipment. Safety equipment includes helmets, lights, bells, mirrors and locks but does not include child seats or trailers.
Where a bicycle or safety equipment is purchased under the Cycle to Work scheme or through a salary sacrifice arrangement certain conditions must be met, for example:
- The exemption applies to the first €1,250 of expenditure incurred by the employer in obtaining a bicycle and related safety equipment. This exemption limit is increased to €1,500 for pedelecs or ebikes and related safety equipment. Employers may incur costs in excess of these limits, but any such excess will not qualify for the exemption and will be liable to tax. A salary sacrifice arrangement is subject to the same monetary limits.
- The bicycle and related safety equipment must be new and must be purchased by the employer.
- The bicycle and related safety equipment must be used by the employee or director mainly for the whole or part of their journey to or from work.
- An employee or director can only avail of the Cycle to Work scheme once in any 4 year period. A salary sacrifice arrangement is subject to the same time limits and any salary sacrifice arrangement entered into must be completed within a 12 month period.
The cycle to work scheme operates on a self-administration basis, and relief is automatically available provided the employer is satisfied that the conditions of their particular scheme meet the requirements of the legislation. There is no notification procedure for employers involved. This approach was taken with the deliberate intention of keeping the scheme simple and reducing administration on the part of employers. Therefore the cost of the existing scheme and of any potential changes can only be estimates.
The inclusion of child seats and trailers in the scheme or the extension of the scheme beyond employees would create an additional cost and that cost must be recovered elsewhere. The additional cost would depend on the marginal rate of tax of individual taxpayers benefitting from the expansion of the scheme, the cost of the seats and trailers and the effect of the cap on the amount of marginal benefit available.
For that reason, while the scheme is kept under review by officials, I have no plans at present for its expansion.
Further guidance regarding the cycle to work scheme and salary sacrifice arrangements can be found on Revenue’s website.
315. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Finance his views on providing a tax credit for parents and guardians for childcare costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26546/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI acknowledge the continuing cost pressures on parents with young children. In recognition of these pressures, a number of support measures are already in place to ease the burden on working parents. These include various tax-exempted child-care related supports provided by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and measures such as the Working Family Payment provided by the Minister for Social Protection.
With regard to taxation measures, and separate to the above:
- The Accelerated Capital Allowances scheme for Childcare Services was introduced to encourage employers to develop childcare facilities onsite for their employees.
- Individuals who provide child-minding services in their own home may claim childcare services relief each year, provided that they do not receive more than €15,000 income per annum from the child-minding income.
- Furthermore, a Single Person Child Carer tax credit of €1,650 is available as well as an additional standard rate band of €4,000. This credit and band is payable to any single person with a child under 18 years of age or over 18 years of age if in full time education or permanently incapacitated. The primary claimant may relinquish this credit and increase in the rate band to a secondary claimant with whom the child resides for not less than 100 days in the year.
In relation to taxation more generally, I note the findings of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Future Investment in Childcare in Ireland, which published their report in July 2015. Having considered the option of a tax credit that would be available to those who incur childcare costs, the Group recommended against introducing such a measure. The group had concerns that a tax credit would not be equitable, would have high possible deadweight, could end up being fully absorbed in the cost of childcare, and might not have a meaningful impact on a parent's decision on whether to join or to return to the labour market. Estimates produced at the time also suggested that the annual Exchequer cost of such a measure could be very substantial.
I have no plans, at present, to introduce a specific income tax relief for parents to assist with childcare costs. As the Deputy will appreciate, I receive numerous requests for the introduction of new tax reliefs and the extension of existing ones. In considering these, I must be mindful of the public finances and the many demands on the Exchequer given the current budgetary constraints and the equitable treatment of all tax-payers. Tax reliefs, no matter how worthwhile in themselves, reduce the tax base and make general reform of the tax system that much more difficult.
316. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Finance if the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme will be expanded to provide a range of tax reliefs linked to the purchase and use of specially constructed or adapted bikes and ebikes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26547/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Disabled Drivers & Disabled Passengers Scheme provides relief from VRT and VAT on the purchase and use of an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant. The Scheme is open to severely and permanently disabled persons as a driver or as a passenger and also to certain organisations.
In order to qualify for relief the applicant must hold a Primary Medical Certificate (PMC) issued by the relevant Senior Area Medical Officer (SAMO) or a Board Medical Certificate (BMC) issued by the Disabled Driver Medical Board of Appeal. Certain other criteria apply in relation to the vehicle and its use, including that the vehicle must be specially constructed or adapted for use by the applicant.
The terms of the Scheme set out the following medical criteria, and that one or more of these criteria is required to be satisfied in order to obtain a PMC:
- be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs;
- be wholly without the use of one leg and almost wholly without the use of the other leg such that the applicant is severely restricted as to movement of the lower limbs;
- be without both hands or without both arms;
- be without one or both legs;
- be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost wholly without the use of one leg;
- have the medical condition of dwarfism and have serious difficulties of movement of the lower limbs.
A Supreme Court decision of June last year found that the medical criteria set out in the Regulations (Statutory Instrument 353 of 1994) did not align with the regulation making mandate given in the primary legislation to further define criteria for ‘severely and permanently disabled’ persons. While the Regulation was not deemed to be invalid, nevertheless it was found to be inconsistent with the mandate provided in Section 92 of the Finance Act 1989. Accordingly, I brought forward an amendment to the Finance Bill to provide for the existing medical criteria in primary legislation.
Following approval of the Finance Act 2020, a comprehensive review of the scheme, to include a broader review of mobility supports for persons with disabilities and the criteria for qualification for the Scheme, will be conducted this year. On foot of that review new proposals will be brought forward for consideration. There are no current plans to extend the scheme to adapted bicycles.
Further information on supports available to persons with disabilities can be found at
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/reference/guides/guide_to_entitlements_for_people_with_disabilities.html
318. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a matter (details supplied) in relation to damage caused by a river will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25536/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the maintenance of Arterial Drainage Schemes completed under the Arterial Drainage Act of 1945. The location referred to by the Deputy does not form part of an Arterial Drainage Scheme. Therefore, the OPW has no maintenance responsibility at that location, nor the authority to carry out any works there.
319. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount the NGO and charity sector receive in funding from his Department per annum. [25731/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra320. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a record will be provided of the annual funding received by the NGO and charity sector from his Department in each of the years 2000 to 2020. [25732/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra321. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the funding allocated to each NGO and charity in each of the years 2010 to 2020 by his Department. [25733/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 319, 320 and 321 together.
Since its establishment in 2011, my Department funded three non-governmental organisations for the periods of time set out in the tables below.
|
The Leuven Institute |
Funding |
|
2012 |
€18,000 |
|
2013 |
€18,000 |
|
2014 |
€10,000 |
|
Transparency International Ireland |
Funding |
|
2013 |
€23,900 |
|
2016 |
€300,000 |
|
2017 |
€220,000 |
|
2018 |
€220,000 |
|
2019 |
€220,000 |
|
2020 |
€220,000 |
|
Benefacts |
Funding |
|
2015 |
€350,000 |
|
2016 |
€650,000 |
|
2017 |
€950,000 |
|
2018 |
€950,000 |
|
2019 |
€950,000 |
|
2020 |
€950,000 |
My Department has funded Transparency International Ireland since 2013 to support the Department’s role in the implementation of the Protected Disclosures Act. My Department provides this funding in order to help workers raise concerns regarding potential wrongdoing that has come to their attention in the workplace across the public sector.
Since 2015, my Department has also provided grant assistance to Benefacts. The funding allowed Benefacts to expand its free online database of annual regulatory and financial information on non-profits, and to help pilot the provision of data services with public bodies, in order to make grant administration and oversight more effective.
My Department previously funded The Leuven Institute for Ireland in Europe which is a non-governmental body established in Belgium. Funding was provided to help research, design and deliver high quality, customised, residential programmes for all sectors in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The aim of the programme was to maximise the opportunities presented by membership of the European Union.
