Peadar Tóibín
Question:178. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the number of people who failed the practical driving test in each county in each of the past five years and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [34258/23]
View answerDriver Test
Questions (178, 179)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:179. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport if he will list the various reasons a person can fail the practical driving test; and if he will outline the number of candidates who failed on each of the various grounds, in each county in 2022, in tabular form. [34259/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 179 together.
The operation of the national driving test service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority and the information requested is held by them. I have therefore referred the Questions to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51
Question No. 179 answered with Question No. 178.
Bus Services
Questions (180)
John Lahart
Question:180. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Transport the total cost to date of the BusConnects project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34285/23]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. In both of those areas there have been significant developments since this Government came into office, with last year's publication of a new Sustainable Mobility Policy and its five-year action plan providing strong policy support to the continued expansion and enhancement of bus services. I am also delighted to say that this strong policy support has been backed up by increased levels of Exchequer funding, which is supporting the roll-out of initiatives such as BusConnects.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including BusConnects.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputys' questions to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51
Bus Services
Questions (181)
John Lahart
Question:181. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Transport the total cost to date of the BusConnects project for Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34287/23]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. In both of those areas there have been significant developments since this Government came into office, with last year's publication of a new Sustainable Mobility Policy and its five-year action plan providing strong policy support to the continued expansion and enhancement of bus services. I am also delighted to say that this strong policy support has been backed up by increased levels of Exchequer funding, which is supporting the roll-out of initiatives such as BusConnects.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including BusConnects.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputys' questions to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
Rail Network
Questions (182)
John Lahart
Question:182. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Transport the total cost to date of the Metrolink North project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34289/23]
View answerWritten answers
The total spend on the Metro North project until the end of 2014 was €166m. €67m of this expenditure can be considered as lasting value expenditure that is still required for the current MetroLink project. Of the other €99m, approximately €28m was related to Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) staff and associated expense costs.
At the end of June 2023, a total of circa €121m has been invested in MetroLink.
Rail Network
Questions (183)
John Lahart
Question:183. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Transport the total cost to date of the Metrolink Southwest project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34291/23]
View answerWritten answers
The NTA has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area. Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply on the specific issue raised. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51
National Car Test
Questions (184)
Paul Kehoe
Question:184. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Transport the reason subsequent tests are not pushed out to reflect the current delays in getting appointments for NCT; if the future due dates for tests cannot be changed, if the fee is reduced pro rata to reflect the compliance period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34313/23]
View answerWritten answers
Under European Directive 2014/45/EU on periodic roadworthiness testing, Ireland, like all Member States, must comply with the minimum specified intervals for carrying out such inspections. This is given effect in Irish law by the Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2017 (SI 415/2017), as amended.
Regulation 3(2) of the 2017 Regulations provides that the initial test due date for a vehicle is determined by its registration date and subsequent test due dates automatically fall on anniversaries of the registration date. A certificate issued for that vehicle will be valid up to the test due date after the certificate is issued and is not automatically issued for 24 months, or 12 months for vehicles over 10 years old, from the date of testing.
Permitting NCT certificates to be extended beyond the minimum test due dates would place the State in breach of our obligations under EU law and may affect road safety, should the vehicle in question be unsafe to drive. There are no current plans to amend this legislation.
Finally, the fees for tests are set out in section 6 of SI 415 of 2017, as amended, and are not affected by the date on which a test is undertaken.
Brexit Supports
Questions (185)
Thomas Pringle
Question:185. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport to provide a full list of the individual projects/schemes funded under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund spend of €0.1 million by his Department; the amount of funding allocated in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34374/23]
View answerWritten answers
Please find a full list of the individual projects/schemes funded under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund spend of €0.1 million and the amount of funding allocated in each case outlined in the table below.
|
Scheme/Measure |
2020 (€m) |
2021 (€m) |
2022 (€m) |
2023 (€m) |
Total per scheme in BAR eligible period: |
|
N25 Rosslare Europort Access Road |
€ 0.14 |
€ 0.10 |
€ 0.44 |
€ 0.50 |
€ 1.18 |
|
N25 Ballygillane Roundabout Expenditure |
€ 0.00 |
€ 0.06 |
€ 1.81 |
€0.50 |
€2.37 |
|
Parking for 10 HGVs, on a 24-hour basis, within a State Facility in Kilrane. Kilrane is 1.3km for Rosslare Europort |
€ - |
€ - |
€- |
€ 0.14 |
€0.14 |
The funding invested is to provide improved access to Rosslare Europort for HGVs, along with improved parking and rest facilities.
Local Authorities
Questions (186)
Catherine Murphy
Question:186. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide his and/or the NTAs rationale for the discrepancy in funding for active travel office staff costs across the four Dublin local authorities for 2023. [34376/23]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel. Funding is administered through the National Transport Authority (NTA), who, in partnership with local authorities (LAs), have responsibility for the selection and development of specific projects in each local authority area.
Dublin City Council has been allocated a higher number of Active Travel staff funded by the Department of Transport than the other three local authorities in Dublin due to the number of projects to be delivered in the city centre and the relating overall funding allocation, which is the highest of all allocations around the country. In addition, recruitment levels have varied across all local authorities, with difficulties in both hiring and retention cited as an issue for many councils, particularly in urban areas, who have struggled to meet their full staffing allocation.
The variance in funding levels for active travel staff costs across the four Dublin local authorities in 2023 reflect the reasoning outlined above. All local authorities have received assurance from my Department and the NTA that if the full staffing allocation is filled, adequate funding will be provided to maintain these staff levels until 2025 at the earliest. Ensuring delivery of safe and high quality active travel infrastructure is a key priority of Government and the additional staffing allocations should provide capacity within local authorities to achieve this aim.
Tax Code
Questions (187)
Peter Burke
Question:187. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider the deferral of the introduction of the concrete levy given the current construction inflation and the additional burden the levy will place on all construction projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33447/23]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware, arising from a November 2021 Government decision that a levy be imposed on the construction sector to contribute towards the cost of the Mica Redress Scheme, the Defective Concrete Products Levy was announced in the Budget 2023 speech.
As part of the work undertaken on the impact that the levy could have on the construction sector the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage commissioned a bottom up scientific analysis, which was carried out by an independent Construction Economics Cost Consultant, to help identify the likely impact of the levy on construction costs.
This report was carried out in September 2022 and took account of the prevailing relevant costs in the construction sector as they applied at the time they were prepared. The costs set out in the report are for the third quarter of 2022 and account for inflation up to that point in time.This report was undertaken on the impact of the levy, as was announced in the Budget 2023 speech, and so the cost assessment is based on a 10% levy on concrete products for typical dwellings. As the rate of the levy as published in the Finance Bill 2022 was subsequently reduced to 5% following consideration of feedback received from industry participants and others, the costings in the analysis should be reduced by approximately 50% to determine the impact of the new design of the Defective Concrete Products Levy on costs. This report is available on the Department's website.
Therefore, while it should be noted that costs are subject to range of variables, and based on the situation in late 2022, the levy is expected to result in an increase in hard costs of between €400 to €800 for a typical 3 bed semi-detached house and between €375 to €550 per apartment in a typical 6 floor apartment block with basement carpark. When soft costs including cost of finance, fees, risk and contingency are included the impact of the levy for typical dwelling was estimated to be €700 to €1,100 and for a typical apartment €650 to €1050.
The percentage increase in construction and development costs of the levy was therefore estimated to be approximately 0.2% to 0.45% for a typical semi-detached dwelling and 0.15% to 0.2% for a typical apartment for both hard and soft costs.
The levy is not due to be applied until 1 September 2023. The delay in its introduction was provided in order to allow time for all parties impacted by it to prepare for its introduction. I have no plans to further defer its introduction, but can confirm that its impact will be monitored once it is in place.
Tax Reliefs
Questions (188)
Colm Burke
Question:188. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if his Department would consider extending the alcohol products tax relief to small artisan distilleries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33557/23]
View answerWritten answers
Council Directive 92/83/EEC, also known as the “Alcohol Structures Directive”, lays down a harmonised approach for the application of excise duties on alcohol and alcoholic beverages in the EU. It sets out the categories of alcohol and alcoholic beverages that fall within scope of taxation and the basis on which excise duties on such products are to be established. This Directive provides that Member States may apply reduced rates of excise for small beer producers and also for small distilleries (spirit drinks producers). Ireland exercised the option to apply reduced rates of excise for small beer producers. Having regard to public health concerns, Directive 92/83/EEC set the production threshold for the application of excise relief for small distilleries at 10 hectoliters of pure alcohol per annum. Only a small number of Member States apply an excise relief for small distilleries and the commercial viability of such a scale of production was found by the European Commission to be very limited.
The Deputy should note that Council Directive 2020/1151 amends Directive 92/83/EEC and includes a new option to grant up to 50% excise relief to independent small producers of fermented beverages such as cider. The Finance Act 2022 introduced a 50% excise relief to micro producers of 'cider and perry' as defined in section 73(1) of Finance Act 2003. The scope of the relief applies specifically to cider and perry exceeding 2.8% vol. but not exceeding 8.5% vol. This relief is available on up to 8,000 hectolitres of cider and perry produced by microproducers with an annual production threshold of up to 10,000 hectolitres. On a typical pint of cider or perry, the value of the relief works out at approximately 27c per pint.
Finally, the Deputy should note that I have currently no plans to extend the alcohol products tax relief to small artisan distilleries.
Tax Code
Questions (189)
Colm Burke
Question:189. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if his Department would consider exempting from VAT all new buildings at the Near Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) Standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33558/23]
View answerWritten answers
Under the EU VAT Directive, with which Irish VAT legislation must comply, it is not possible to apply a VAT exemption to the construction of new buildings, including those at the Near Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) Standard.
Tax Code
Questions (190, 194)
Colm Burke
Question:190. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if his Department would consider reducing tax charged from the marginal to the standard rate and removing PRSI liability from rental income as an interim measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33559/23]
View answerColm Burke
Question:194. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if he will give due consideration to extending "the rent a room relief scheme" to landlords whose total rental income does not exceed the current threshold of €14,000 per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33640/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 194 together.
The Rent a Room scheme was introduced in Finance Act 2001 as an incentive to encourage individuals to let rooms in their principal private residence as residential accommodation in order to bring about an increase in the availability of rental accommodation. In accordance with section 216A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, an individual who lets a room or rooms in her or his sole or main residence as residential accommodation may be exempt from income tax, PRSI and USC in respect of income from the letting where the aggregate of the gross rents and any sums for meals or other services supplied with the letting does not exceed the threshold for the year in question, which is €14,000 for 2023. Although the relief applies automatically, the amount of exempt rental income must be included in the individual’s tax return for the year in question. The upper income threshold of €14,000 would allow an individual to receive income of up to €1,166.66 per month over a 12 month period under the scheme, without it giving rise to a tax liability.
It is important to note that a wide array of tax reliefs and exemptions are already available for landlords and the property sector. The combined cost of these, in tax receipts forgone, is significant. Tax reliefs, no matter how worthwhile in themselves, may serve to narrow the tax base and can make general reform of the tax system that much more difficult. While the use of tax measures to retain landlords in the rental market, or increase supply may be well-intentioned, Ireland’s history shows the issue of property-based tax expenditures should be approached with caution, even in the case of an interim measure.
With that said, my Department continues to monitor all aspects of the property market, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in Government to ensure that any further interventions in the housing market are appropriately calibrated, represent the best use of scarce public resources and boost the supply of housing in both the public and private sectors.
Finally, and as the Deputy will appreciate, decisions regarding tax incentives and reliefs are normally made in the context of the annual Budget and Finance Bill process. Such decisions must have regard to the sound management of the public finances and my Department's Tax Expenditure Guidelines.
Departmental Staff
Questions (191)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:191. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Finance to provide the names and contact information of all special advisers to Ministers and Ministers of State within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33582/23]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that the list of special advisers to the Minister and Minister of State are;
Minister for Finance; Grant Sweetman and Kevin Barrett
Minister of State; Stephen Foley
Queries for Special Advisers may be addressed to pressoffice@finance.gov.ie and 01 6045875
A list of Special Advisers to the 33rd Dáil, is published on the gov.ie website.
Departmental Data
Questions (192)
Catherine Murphy
Question:192. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the number of bilateral loans Ireland has with the UK; the amount outstanding per loan; the original principal sum per loan; the interest rate per loan; the way in which these loans with be settled in the context of Brexit; the preparedness of the State regarding Brexit in the context of outstanding bilateral financial commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33624/23]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland has no bilateral loans with the UK. By 26 March 2021, Ireland repaid, on schedule and in full, the bilateral loan with the UK which was linked to the EU/IMF programme of financial assistance. Ireland borrowed a total of £3.23 billion pounds from the UK under this bilateral loan agreement. The loan was disbursed in eight equal tranches of £403 million pounds over the period October 2011 to September 2013, with each tranche becoming repayable 7.5 years after disbursement. To allow for budget certainty for both Ireland and the UK, interest was paid at a fixed rate that represented the UK’s cost of funding plus a service fee of 0.18 percentage points. The UK's decision to leave the European Union was not a factor in the repayment of this loan, which is now repaid in full in accordance with the agreed schedule.
Departmental Data
Questions (193)
Catherine Murphy
Question:193. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the number of bilateral loans Ireland has with other states in the EU and non-EU; the amount outstanding per loan; the original principal sum per loan; the interest rate per loan; and the number of loans settled in the past ten years to date. [33625/23]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland has no bilateral loans with other states in the EU or outside EU.
In the past ten years, Ireland has repaid three bilateral loans. The Irish financial assistance programme, which ran from 2010 to 2013, included bilateral loans from Sweden of €0.6 billion, from Denmark €0.4 billion and, from the United Kingdom, €3.8 billion. On 20 December 2017, the NTMA completed the early repayment of the bilateral loans from Sweden and Denmark. In March 2021, the NTMA also completed the repayment of Ireland’s bilateral loan from the UK, in accordance with the agreed schedule.