Written Answers Nos. 246-261
246. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if there are any plans to prevent non-regulated entities from directing online financial services and investment advertising at Irish consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43014/24]
View answerThe Central Bank regulates firms within its regulatory perimeter, and this has evolved over recent years as the financial services landscape evolves. Regulated firms may at times undertake both regulated and unregulated activities.
The provision of unregulated products and services by regulated firms can result in customers not being aware of the nature of the product and service they are accessing, and the risks associated with them. Customers may assume products are regulated and subject to the protections afforded to regulated products.
The Consumer Protection Code is an important component of the Irish financial regulatory framework. The Central Bank is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of the Code to ensure an updated and modernised Code is in place for consumers. This will be centred on firms securing customers’ interests as the key to delivering positive consumer outcomes.
In the revised Code, under the Securing Customers’ Interests’ Supporting Standards for Business, the Central Bank is proposing to require firms to clearly distinguish between the firm’s regulated activities and its unregulated activities. These new requirements for firms will ensure that there is enhanced clarity on unregulated activities.
In the broader consumer protection framework and digital space, the EU Digital Services Act package, comprising the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA), has introduced new requirements to regulate digital services. The DSA seeks to give consumers more control over what they see online.
Users must be provided with better information on why specific content is recommended to them and are able to choose an option that does not allow profiling. Additionally, under the DSA online targeted advertising must be identified as such.
Finally, the EU Retail Investment Strategy, currently under negotiation in Brussels, seeks to build the trust of consumers in European capital markets with a view to increasing their participation. In this regard, the Commission legislative proposal contains provisions to better protect retail investors from the additional risks associated with unauthorised investment services or activities offered through digital means.
For example, the relevant European Supervisory Authorities will be required to consolidate relevant information supplied to them by national competent authorities concerning measures they have taken to prevent the offering of unauthorised investment services or activities. This information will then be published so that retail investors are better equipped to identify potential frauds, wherever it emanates from in the EU.
247. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the number of WTE tax specialists employed by the Revenue Commissioners, at the grade of HEO, in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [43124/24]
View answerI am advised by Revenue that there were 579 officers employed at the grade of Higher Executive Officer (HEO) in tax specialist roles in 2023.
As of 18 October 2024, the number of HEOs employed in tax specialist roles was 551. This is set out in tabular form below:
|
Grade |
2023 |
2024 |
|
HEO (Tax Specialists*) |
579 |
551 |
* employed in tax specialist roles.
248. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance the number of vacant properties owned by his Department; and the number of which are houses or residential properties. [43143/24]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is provided with accommodation by the OPW and does not own any properties.
250. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance the amount of revenue generated from fuel taxation from 2019 to the present; the proportion of the overall tax take this comprises; the expected revenue from fuel taxation from 2024 to 2034; the proportion of the overall tax take this comprises, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43174/24]
View answer251. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance the amount of taxes taken from fuel tax, VAT excise and carbon tax associated with petrol and diesel from 2019 to 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43175/24]
View answer252. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance the amount of projected taxes that will be taken from fuel tax, VAT excise and carbon tax associated with petrol from 2025 to 2034, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43178/24]
View answer255. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance the amount of projected taxes that will be taken from fuel tax, VAT excise and carbon tax associated with petrol in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43192/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 250 to 252, inclusive, and 255 together.
I am advised by Revenue that the Excise Duty receipts collected in respect of Fuel Taxes in each of the past five years up to 2023 are published on the Revenue website at:
www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/information-about-revenue/statistics/excise/receipts-volume-and-price/excise-receipts-commodity.aspx .
The provisional receipts for the year to September 2024 are shown in Table 1:
Table 1 : Excise Duty Receipts: January – September 2024
|
Fuel Type |
Non-Carbon Component €m |
Carbon Component €m |
Total €m |
|
Diesel |
1,020.8 |
358.4 |
1,379.2 |
|
MGO |
20.0 |
101.0 |
121.0 |
|
Petrol |
394.5 |
93.6 |
488.1 |
|
Natural Gas |
- |
100.7 |
100.7 |
|
KERO |
- |
87.4 |
87.4 |
|
Other LPG |
- |
21.6 |
21.6 |
|
Solid Fuel |
- |
17.1 |
17.1 |
|
Fuel Oil |
0.1 |
1.4 |
1.5 |
|
Auto LPG |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
|
Aviation Gasoline |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
|
Total |
1,435.7 |
781.4 |
2,217.1 |
In relation to VAT, I am further advised by Revenue that traders are not required to separately identify the VAT yield generated from the supply of specific goods and services on their periodic VAT returns. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the VAT yield on all fuel and energy related products and services using taxpayer information alone. However, using Revenue and third-party data sources, a tentative estimate of the VAT generated over each year from 2019 and to the end of August 2024 by fuel type is provided in Table 2 below.
Table 2: Estimated VAT Yield by Commodity Type
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
Jan-Aug 2024 |
|
|
Petrol |
276 |
195 |
231 |
322 |
318 |
241 |
|
Diesel |
294 |
257 |
334 |
423 |
370 |
259 |
|
Gas |
69 |
70 |
69 |
111 |
158 |
67 |
|
Kerosene |
43 |
67 |
108 |
90 |
75 |
45 |
|
MGO |
39 |
32 |
42 |
71 |
56 |
40 |
|
Solid Fuels |
30 |
31 |
47 |
57 |
77 |
56 |
|
LPG |
14 |
12 |
14 |
16 |
16 |
6 |
|
Total |
765 |
664 |
845 |
1,090 |
1,070 |
714 |
I am advised by Revenue that the proportion of the overall tax revenue generated from fuel taxation is shown in Table 3 below.
Table 3 : Proportion of Overall Tax Revenue Generated from Fuel Taxation
|
Year |
Revenue from Fuel Taxes €billion* |
Total Net Receipts €billion** |
Proportion of Net Receipts |
|
2019 |
3.4 |
58.8 |
5.7% |
|
2020 |
3.0 |
56.7 |
5.2% |
|
2021 |
3.4 |
68.1 |
5.0% |
|
2022 |
3.4 |
82.9 |
4.1% |
|
2023 |
3.6 |
87.8 |
4.1% |
|
2024*** |
2.7 |
67.7 |
4.0% |
*This includes estimated VAT
** Total Net Receipts are taken from Revenue’s Annual Report
*** Provisional YTD August 2024
I am advised by Revenue that the projected receipts from VAT and Fuel Taxes associated with petrol in 2024 are shown table 4 below.
Table 4 : Projected 2024 Petrol Receipts
|
Tax Type |
€ millions |
|
Mineral Oil Tax (Non-Carbon Component) |
523 |
|
Mineral Oil Tax (Carbon Component ) |
122 |
|
VAT |
360 |
|
Total |
1,005 |
With regard to multiannual projections, as the Deputy will be aware in July 2023 my Department published a paper examining the Potential Fiscal Impacts of the Transition to a Lower Carbon Economy in Ireland. The paper examined the potential fiscal impacts of current domestic climate action policies including commitments in the Climate Action Plan 2023 and the Programme for Government. The analysis provides an overview of the potential exchequer revenue which may be impacted either negatively or positively by current domestic climate action policies and is available online: www.gov.ie/en/publication/dd671-potential-fiscal-impacts-of-the-transition-to-a-lower-carbon-economy-in-ireland/.
Building on this work, my Department published a further paper in September 2024 focussing on carbon tax ; Carbon Tax Projected Exchequer Revenue Estimates 2024-2030. This paper examines trends in carbon tax exchequer yields in Ireland over the last decade, and provides forward projected estimates of carbon tax yields over the next six years to 2030, in order to provide timely analysis of estimated trends and levels of expected exchequer receipts from carbon taxation. This paper is also available on my Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/8e2d0-carbon-tax-projected-exchequer-revenue-estimates-2024-2030/.
It should be noted that both papers contain analysis which is a point in time exercise and forecasted revenue is estimated using forward projected estimates of energy use from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Any changes to projected energy use will impact forecasted revenue.
254. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance whether he has met with a group (details supplied) since being appointed to his position; if not, when he intends to meet the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43181/24]
View answerNo meeting has taken place with Fuels for Ireland since my appointment as Minister for Finance.
256. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the average wait times for complaints with the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman to be actioned and a decision reached for each year since 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43202/24]
View answerThe Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) is an important part of the robust consumer protection framework in place in Ireland to support consumers of financial products and services.
It is an independent and impartial statutory body that helps to resolve complaints from consumers, including small businesses and other organisations, about the conduct of regulated financial service providers and pension providers.
Complaints brought to the FSPO are investigated in accordance with the circumstances of the complaint and can vary in terms of their complexity.
The table below shows the number of complaints received and closed by the FSPO for each year from 2020 to 2023 and the average time from receipt to closure:
|
Complaints Received |
Complaints Closed |
Average time from receipt to closure (months) |
|
|
2020 |
5,395 |
6,193 |
10 |
|
2021 |
4,658 |
5,010 |
10 |
|
2022 |
4,781 |
4,647 |
10 |
|
2023 |
6,182 |
5,184 |
9 |
In 2023:
• The FSPO received 6,182 complaints in 2023 representing an increase of 29% on the previous year and 5,184 complaints were closed.
• 85% of complaints were closed within 12 months of the complaint being made. This was mainly through resolution via the Dispute Resolution Services (mediation) and early-stage assessments and interventions by their Customer Operations and Information Management department. This includes when a complaint was resolved directly between the parties, or if a complaint fell outside the jurisdiction of the FSPO.
• For all complaints that closed in 2023, including tracker mortgage complaints, the average time from receipt of complaint to closure, was 9 months.
• For non-tracker mortgage complaints that closed in 2023, the average time from receipt to closure, was 7 months.
• Certain more complex complaints, including those requiring a formal adjudication process or formal jurisdictional assessment, or both, take longer to resolve. This reflects the fact that adjudications by the FSPO are legally binding and accordingly, it is important that due process is followed and that both parties are allowed to make submissions and offer observations on the evidence and on the other party’s submissions, as appropriate.
In December 2023, the Minister for Finance sanctioned a significant increase in additional staff for the FSPO under its Workforce Plan 2024-2026. This increased the sanctioned staff complement from 90.2 to 128, a 42% increase in FSPO staffing.
The implementation of this Workforce Plan will increase the FSPO’s resources and the capacity of the organisation to resolve cases promptly. The FSPO has been actively recruiting and training these additional staff throughout the year.
257. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a schedule in respect of the number of instances in which the Revenue Commissioners placed tracking devices on vehicles as part of investigations into smuggling; whether these trackers left the jurisdiction, and on how many occasions per tracker, in the past ten years to date; the jurisdictions in which the tracker visited, and whether it returned to this State; and the value of items intercepted and or seized as a result of these surveillance engagements, in tabular form. [43234/24]
View answerI am advised by Revenue that the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act 2009 authorises a small number of public bodies, including Revenue, to undertake surveillance of persons, places or vehicles using surveillance devices.
It provides that Revenue’s powers under the Act may be used in respect of a Revenue offence, that is an arrestable offence, under section 14 of the Customs Act 2015; section 1078 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997; section 102 of the Finance Act 1999; section 119 of the Finance Act 2001; section 79 of the Finance Act 2003 (inserted by section 62 of the Finance Act 2005); or section 78 of the Finance Act 2005. Examples of Revenue offences include tax or duty evasion, fuel fraud, supply or sale of illicit tobacco products, drug and cigarette/tobacco smuggling.
Because of the intrusive nature of the powers which it confers, the Act delimits clearly the circumstances in which they may be used and lays down the authorisations and approvals which must be obtained before they may be utilised. I know that Revenue is committed to ensuring that the powers conferred by the Act are used only in appropriate circumstances and in full conformity with the provisions and requirements of the Act.
Tracking device means a surveillance device that is used only for the purpose of providing information regarding the location of a person, vehicle or thing. The table below provides a breakdown of the total number of tracking devices deployed by Revenue in accordance with the provisions of section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act 2009 over the last 10 years, including those deployed on vehicles.
|
Year |
No. of tracking devices deployed |
|
2014 |
17 |
|
2015 |
14 |
|
2016 |
26 |
|
2017 |
23 |
|
2018 |
32 |
|
2019 |
15 |
|
2020 |
26 |
|
2021 |
24 |
|
2022 |
14 |
|
2023 |
19 |
I am advised that, during this period, 7 tracking devices either did not return to this jurisdiction or could not be retrieved for other operational reasons. In all instances, tracking and monitoring of such devices only takes place within the State.
Section 9 of the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act 2009 provides that documents obtained as a result of tracking devices used under the Act can only be retained for the later of three years after the end of monitoring and when they are no longer required for any prosecution or appeal to which they are relevant. In addition, section 13 of the Act prohibits the disclosure of any information in connection with the operation of the Act, unless the disclosure is to an authorised person for specified purposes. As a result, I am advised by Revenue that it cannot provide the additional details requested by Deputy Murphy.
It should be noted that the deployment of tracking devices in accordance with the provisions of the Act is not always directly linked to a seizure during the period of deployment and can be used for intelligence purposes as part of Revenue’s operations or investigations concerning arrestable Revenue offences, in strict accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Revenue’s operation of the Act is overseen by a High Court Judge designated by the Government. The designated Judge has access to all official documents or records associated with authorisations under this Act. The Judge ascertains whether Revenue and other agencies are complying with the provisions of the Act and reports annually to the Taoiseach on any matters that are considered relevant.
258. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when a reply will issue to correspondence regarding lodges in the Phoenix Park (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42783/24]
View answerI wish to confirm that a response to the Deputy's correspondence will issue shortly.
Lodges like those in the Phoenix Park are considered intrinsic to the historic estates, parks and gardens in the care of the Office of Public Works (OPW) and are retained for State use. A number of these properties are located within secure areas of the Park e.g. Áras and Uachtarain and as such are not accessible to members of the public. These lodges are primarily allocated to staff in a specific post, such as Park Ranger, Deer Keeper, etc. where there is a requirement for officials to be present on the ground as part of their employment.
I am advised by my officials that of the 41 lodges in the Phoenix Park, there are 12 currently vacant primarily due to their poor condition and/or location which makes them unsuitable for modern occupation.
There is an ongoing programme to refurbish a number of lodges on a phased, basis subject to resources.
259. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when works will be carried out at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42373/24]
View answerThe Office of Public Works, (OPW), is responsible for the maintenance of Arterial Drainage Schemes and Flood Relief schemes completed under the Arterial Drainage Acts, 1945 and 1995 as amended.
Some of the locations referred to by the Deputy form part of the Feale Arterial Drainage Scheme, within the townlands referenced (Causeway, Ballinorig, Banemore, and Ballymacquin). The OPW engineering staff in the South West Drainage Maintenance Section have confirmed that maintenance has been undertaken in this area in 2023 and 2024.
A number of channels at the location concerned form part of the Akeragh Lough Drainage District (DD) for which the Local Authority, Kerry County Council, has maintenance responsibility. The extent of the DD’s is available on www.floodinfo.ie under View Drainage Map tab.
Full details of the OPW’s 2024 Arterial Drainage Maintenance Programme is available on the OPW website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/3cc45-maintaining-certain-river-channels/.
260. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he or his officials have met with the commissioners or senior staff of the Standards In Public Office Commission to discuss data breaches by the organisation and inappropriate or illegal disclosures to the media of personal information by the organisation to media organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42445/24]
View answerThe Standards in Public Office Commission is independent in its function and neither I nor my officials have met with the commissioners or senior staff of the Standards In Public Office Commission to discuss the matters raised in this Parliamentary Question.
261. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the measures being taken to address the enforcement of speed limits in areas with high pedestrian traffic, such as the Phoenix Park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42512/24]
View answer262. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide an update on any correspondence with Dublin City Council regarding the enforcement of speed limits in the Phoenix Park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42513/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 261 and 262 together.
Following an extensive public consultation process, the Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study Report was published, post consultation, in 2021.
This report included a number of key recommendations including that commuter traffic be reduced, that cycling and pedestrian infrastructure be increased and that opportunities for the provision of public transport be fully explored.
The introduction of a one-way system on the North Road and the provision of a cul-de-sac on the Upper Glen Road were also priorities. The report also recommended that a Parking Strategy be developed and the Park byelaws be reviewed. In relation to speed limits the report recommended the reduction of the speed limit in the Park from 50 kilometres per hour to 30 kilometres per hour.
The lower speed limit was introduced for public safety. Studies have shown that a reduction in the speed limit to 30 kilometres per hour reduces the risk of fatalities. The 30 kilometres per hour speed limit has been adopted in many other urban areas across Europe including cities in, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden, not only for safety reasons, but to reduce noise, air pollution and CO2 emissions. Dublin City Council also implemented a 30 kilometres per hour speed limit for large parts of the city in 2020, including in the areas immediately outside the Park Gate Street entrance to the Phoenix Park.
Dublin City Council is not involved in the enforcement or management of the speed limits within the Phoenix Park. An Garda Síochána continues to work with the OPW in relation to all aspects of the management and operation of the Phoenix Park.
It is important to note that under Section 5(k) of the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023, dangerous driving (including speed) in any place, not just public, is an offence and, on conviction, a person is liable to a class A fine and/or a term of imprisonment for up to 6 months. If a person is convicted of dangerous driving causing death or serious bodily harm, they can be fined up to €20,000 and imprisoned for up to 10 years, or both.
