Parliamentary questions

Carer's Allowance Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

109. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to outline the position regarding a carer's allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1677/15]

Insolvency Payments Scheme Payments

Brendan Griffin

110. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if any progress has been made on the review of eligibility for the insolvency payments scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1714/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Tom Fleming

111. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the total cost of rent supplement and the number of recipients in each county in tabular form for the years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1725/15]

Social Insurance

Michael McGrath

112. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form details of all loans received by the Social Insurance Fund in each year from 2011 to 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1738/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Seán Kyne

113. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress of introducing new revised rent supplement limits which would better reflect the current rental accommodation market; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1754/15]

Departmental Offices

Brendan Smith

114. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will reverse the decision to close the social welfare branch office in Clones, County Monaghan; if her attention has been drawn to the serious concerns of the local community regarding the difficulties that such a closure would cause to persons in Clones and its catchment area; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the closure of the Clones office would necessitate persons having to travel long distances to the nearest social welfare offices in Monaghan, Castleblayney or Cavan and would cause additional financial pressures for many persons transacting business with her Department; if she will provide an assurance that this decision will be reviewed with a view to retaining the branch office in Clones; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1761/15]

EU Directives

Brendan Smith

115. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the number of EU directives which remain to be implemented within her Department; the name of these directives; the timeframe for the implementation of these directives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1799/15]

Legislative Programme

Micheál Martin

116. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the number, name and date of Bills initiated in her Department that have been subject to the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure in the Oireachtas. [1820/15]

Legislative Programme

Micheál Martin

117. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the number, name and date of Bills initiated in her Department since September 2013. [1835/15]

Departmental Staff Careers

Barry Cowen

118. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to set out the number of secondments from her Department to external private firms in 2010 to 2014, inclusive, and to date in 2015; the firms involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1849/15]

Departmental Staff Careers

Barry Cowen

119. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to set out the number of secondments based in her Department from external private firms in 2010 to 2014, inclusive, and to date in 2015; the firms involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1863/15]

Departmental Staff Careers

Barry Cowen

120. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her Department has a policy regarding secondments from and within her Department to external firms; when the policy was initiated and last updated; and to outline the details of the policy. [1877/15]

VAT Exemptions

Clare Daly

121. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if water bills will be subject to VAT. [49611/14]

Corporation Tax Regime

Thomas P. Broughan

122. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance to provide details on the beneficiary companies and the cost in tax expenditure of the operation of the tonnage tax in each year since 2011. [49741/14]

Property Tax Data

Róisín Shortall

123. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a copy of the full local property tax and household charge payment history in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; and the reason for the arrears owed by this person. [49765/14]

Property Tax Rate

Michael Healy-Rae

124. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance if he will ease the burden of the property tax levy (details supplied) by putting a ceiling on it for several years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1047/15]

Tax Collection Forecasts

Seán Kenny

125. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Finance to forecast the amount of revenue that would be generated if a 5% tax rate was applied on all lotto winnings in excess of €750,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1384/15]

Energy Prices

Seamus Kirk

126. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has endeavoured to quantify the benefit to the economy of the reduction in cost of Brent crude oil; and if he will provide figures for same. [49434/14]

Revenue Commissioners Powers

Sandra McLellan

127. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Finance if there is a time limit on how far back the Revenue Commissioners can go with investigations to claim unpaid tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49435/14]

Tax Collection Forecasts

Eoghan Murphy

128. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 11 December 2014 and incorporating the taxation model outlined in that question if he will provide comparisons of the tax liabilities for individual PAYE workers between the current system, as per budget 2015, and the proposed model, for the following incomes: €20,000, €30,000, €35,000, €45,000, €55,000, €70,000, €75,000, €100,000 and €150,000. [49451/14]

Inflation Rate

Colm Keaveney

129. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance to outline the assessment he has made of the risk that deflation may pose to the economy and if he is seeking to take action to counteract it; his views on whether deflation is of benefit to consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49458/14]

Bank Charges

Pearse Doherty

130. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the obligations a bank has to inform customers of changes to fees or the introduction of fees. [49484/14]

Bank Charges

Pearse Doherty

131. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the obligation a bank has to customers who may move abroad in informing them of what will happen to their account. [49485/14]

Bank Charges

Pearse Doherty

132. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the reason banks can take maintenance fees from dormant accounts that are unusable by the customer; and his plans to rectify this matter. [49486/14]

Income Data

Derek Nolan

133. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Finance the estimated number of individual income taxpayers, total income and the total universal social charge paid for each of the gross income ranges (details supplied) based on the most recent data available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49489/14]

Income Data

Derek Nolan

134. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Finance the estimated number of individual income taxpayers, total income and the total tax paid for each of the gross income ranges (details supplied) based on the most recent data available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49497/14]

Fiscal Policy

Colm Keaveney

135. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance the way he assesses the progress, made since 2011, of the eurozone towards being an optimal currency union; the policies he is pursuing to achieve this goal; the deficiencies he believes still exist in this respect; the risks this poses to the Irish economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49513/14]

Fuel Prices

Colm Keaveney

136. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Irish economy of the lag by the market in wholesale and retail markets in passing on the recent falls in crude oil prices; if this failure to pass on the full fall in crude oil prices continues at its current magnitude the effect that this will have on our GDP and GNP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49559/14]

European Investment Bank

Tom Fleming

137. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Finance if he will include the Shannon LNG project on the Government's submission for European Investment Bank funding as the proposed LNG terminal in Tarbert, County Kerry would substantially increase security and diversity of energy supply and provide direct access to competitive gas supplies which are crucial for our economic recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49560/14]

Personal Insolvency Act

Dan Neville

138. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Finance regarding the personal insolvency legislation, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some credit unions are not co-operating with this; his views that the credit union movement (details supplied) should be encouraged to become involved in the insolvency process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49564/14]

European Central Bank

Colm Keaveney

139. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance in view of the significant role that inappropriately low set interest rates by the ECB played in the recent economic crisis here, causing an inappropriate positive output gap in the economy and being a consequence of the deficiency of the eurozone as an optimal currency area, the way he assesses the future risk of inappropriately set interest rates to the economy; the way that these risks may be addressed; the actions he has taken in that respect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49572/14]

Departmental Investigations

Michael McCarthy

140. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to an illegal scam involving the European central register for the collection and publication of VAT registration numbers; if an investigation has been conducted into this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49576/14]

Insurance Industry

Joe Carey

141. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Finance the conditions a company must adhere to in order to enter the home insurance market and the legislation which underpins these conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49625/14]

Government Bonds

Michael McGrath

142. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 230 of 16 December 2014 whether he will address the issue of the gains made by the European Central Bank on the holdings of Irish Government bonds; his views on whether a case exists for the profit on these holdings to be repaid to the Irish State on maturity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49633/14]

Tax Code

Robert Dowds

143. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Finance the financial supports available for persons who are in negative equity who need to let their mortgaged homes and rent alternative accommodation themselves in order to provide for a growing family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49635/14]

NAMA Portfolio

Finian McGrath

144. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding renting; if the National Asset Management Agency is currently in the housing rental sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49638/14]

Personal Injury Claims

Pearse Doherty

145. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding persons who have applied to an insurance company (details supplied) for a personal injury claim; when they can expect to be compensated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49640/14]

Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme

Bernard Durkan

146. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance if he will review eligibility for a primary medical certificate in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49704/14]

Departmental Bodies Data

Patrick O'Donovan

147. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Finance the number of agencies, quangos or other bodies within, funded by or established by his Department which have been scrapped, merged or reduced since this Government was formed; the amount saved in each case; the reduction in staff as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1014/15]

Decentralisation Programme

Patrick O'Donovan

148. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Finance the agencies or sections from his Department that were decentralised during the period 1997 to 2011; and the travel costs and expenses incurred by decentralised personnel travelling to their base Department in that period. [1029/15]

Mortgage Lending

Michael Healy-Rae

149. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance his views on the Central Bank of Ireland proposal to restrict mortgage lending with the introduction of a 20% deposit requirement for borrowers; his further views that this proposal runs the risk of locking the present and future generations out of home ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1043/15]

Economic Growth Rate

Tom Barry

150. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Minister for Finance the worth in monetary terms to the Irish economy of each percentage point in growth in terms of GDP. [1086/15]

Universal Social Charge Application

Tom Barry

151. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Minister for Finance the worth to the economy of a 1.5% rate of universal social charge to higher earners, that is over €100,000. [1087/15]

VAT Rebates

John McGuinness

152. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Finance if a full VAT return has been paid in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and the reason for the delay. [1090/15]

Tax Yield

Dara Calleary

153. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide in tabular form the total amount of money collected by the Revenue Commissioners in 2014 from self-employed persons; and the total amount of penalty interest collected by the Revenue Commissioners in that time. [1127/15]

Consultancy Contracts Data

Dara Calleary

154. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance the total moneys paid by his Department to external consultants, professional companies or advisers in relation to the jobs action plan in each year since and including 2012; if he will provide in a tabular form the list of those organisations who received money; his Department's procurement policy regarding this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1137/15]

Tax Collection

Jack Wall

155. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Finance if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare has paid their proper income tax payments; if not, if they are owed arrears regarding their payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1339/15]

Property Tax Exemptions

Brendan Griffin

156. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance the reason a disabled person (details supplied) in County Kerry has not qualified for the maximum valuation band reduction in the chargeable value of their sole residence which has been adapted considering the house prices in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1370/15]

Inniúlacht sa Ghaeilge sa Státseirbhís

Éamon Ó Cuív

157. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Airgeadais bunaithe ar an treoir a thug an Roinn Caiteachas Phoiblí agus Athchóirithe do gach Roinn, cad é líon agus cad iad gráid na bpost dá mbeidh státseirbhísigh atá inniúil sa Ghaeilge agus sa Bhéarla ag teastáil; cad é líon na bpost sin a bhfuil duine leis an gcumas cuí Gaeilge agus Béarla iontu cheana féin, arna bhriseadh síos de réir gráid; cén cháilíocht Ghaeilge atá riachtanach do na poist sin; i gcás nach bhfuil an treoir ón Roinn Caiteachais Phoiblí agus Athchóirithe comhlíonta, cad é údar na moille agus cén uair a dhéanfar an scrúdú; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [1431/15]

Mortgage Interest Relief Application

Michael McGrath

158. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the reason the mortgage interest relief TRS has been reduced in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1481/15]