173. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of cases before the High Court in which the payment of child benefit is being contested on equality grounds; the implications of these cases for general policy in relation to payment of child benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17789/16]
172. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the weekly family income thresholds by €5 and €10, respectively, per child for each income band; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17788/16]
171. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the age at which child benefit is paid to cover children in full-time education up to 19, 20, 21 and 22 years of age respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17787/16]
153. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number and value of mortgage loans issued under the home choice loan scheme for first-time buyers since 2011 and in 2016 to date by year and by local authority in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17860/16]
152. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the eligibility conditions that apply, by way of household income and so forth, of the local authority mortgage loan scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17859/16]
151. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the interest rate that now applies to local authority mortgage loans; the efforts his Department and individual local authorities are making to market this loan scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17858/16]
150. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number and value of new local authority mortgage loans that have been advanced in each of the years 2011 to 2014 for each local authority in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17857/16]
114. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the yield from exit tax paid on life assurance policies, in each year from 2008 to 2015; if the same rate of exit tax applies to all persons, regardless of whether they are a standard or top rate taxpayer; if this represents fair treatment of lower income households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17846/16]
113. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the meetings he or officials of his Department have had with representatives of advocacy groups on behalf of distressed mortgage holders, and persons whose mortgages have been, or may be, sold to third parties in each of the years 2013 to 2016 to date; the meetings in which he was personally in attendance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17804/16]
112. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the yield from excise duty and value added tax on the sale of alcoholic products, in each of the years from 2011 to 2015, broken down by reference to licensed premises and off-licences, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17800/16]
111. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons who were granted a personal increase in the standard fund threshold applying to their pension in 2015; the cumulative increase represented by these cases; the amount of tax foregone as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17794/16]
110. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of credit unions who have applied for an exemption from the €100,000 maximum deposit in respect of individual accounts; the number of applications which have been granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17793/16]
109. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the proportion of bank current account customers who have switched current account in each year from 2010 to 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17792/16]
108. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 224 to 227 of 17 February 2015, the status of the enforcement investigation by the Central Bank; the number of relevant customers who will be entitled to refunds; the total loss involved; when appropriate redress for those customers will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17791/16]
107. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of life loans in respect of residential properties in issuance here; the total amount owed on these loans, if such loans are still being marketed by banks, if he is satisfied that consumers are being made fully aware of the risk associated with a life loan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17790/16]
91. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his plans to review the eligibility criteria for a person to qualify for a primary medical certificate under the disabled drivers and disabled passengers (tax concession) scheme, 1994; if the medical board of appeal has any discretion regarding the application of the rules; why a person without an arm and with limited use of the other arm does not qualify under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17636/16]
66. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the process of selecting persons for judicial appointments; her plans to change this system; if further appointments will be made prior to these reforms being introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17647/16]
49. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his plans to address the inability to complain of customers who become aware of difficulties with a financial product more than six years after they initially purchased it, in particular long-term products such as endowment mortgages, certain investments and pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17528/16]
30. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he or the Central Bank has any plans to conduct a review into whole-of-life assurance policies, which have resulted in some enormous hikes in premiums payable by policyholders, in order to maintain benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17530/16]
26. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the status of the investigation into mistreatment of tracker mortgage customers by Irish financial institutions; the timetable for resolution of the matter; the interim measures that can be implemented to assist customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17531/16]
25. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the current timeline he envisages for disposal of the State’s holding in banks (details supplied); the market conditions he believes would need to be in place, before proceeding with an initial public offering, IPO, and if he expects there to be a retail element to any IPO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17527/16]
13. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if it is logistically possible to introduce a tax on sugar sweetened drinks in 2017, in the event of a decision being made to proceed with such a tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17529/16]
3. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he is concerned at the manner in which commercial loans are being offered for sale and are being actually sold by non-bank entities and the fact that commercial loans can now be bought by private citizens and by persons in business who may be competing with the borrower concerned; if he will make changes in this area to ensure that loans can only be sold to regulated entities with a banking licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17750/16]
1. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the steps he has taken to prepare for the economic implications that would arise for Ireland in the event of a possible vote by the British people to leave the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17749/16]
28. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the dedicated new court to deal with mortgage arrears, as promised in the programme for Government, will be established; if all bank and non-bank institutions that hold mortgage debt in Ireland will be subject to it; if she plans to establish a preferred hierarchy of mortgage solutions to be applied to arrears cases; if she plans to give a statutory right to mortgage holders to certain solutions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10762/16]
451. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health his plans to include a certain condition (details supplied) on the list of conditions qualifying under the long-term illness card scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17264/16]
353. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the intervention services available for a person (details supplied) who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder; in particular, to confirm whether any speech and language, and occupational therapy is available for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16676/16]
256. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 398 of 31 May 2016, the status of the steps he is taking, in respect of families that include a person with a disability, and whose bins are particularly heavy, as a result of that person's condition, in relation to the introduction of pay-by-weight charges for the collection of domestic refuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17205/16]
150. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if his Department or the Central Bank has a record of the number of commercial loans that have been sold on by the original underwriter; the details of this record; if the Central Bank must be notified when a commercial loan has been sold on; if he has concerns that a commercial loan could be sold on to a competitor of the borrowers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17265/16]
148. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of complaints the Financial Services Ombudsman received, and the number upheld, regarding the sale of whole-of-life insurance policies in each of the years from 2012 to 2015; if he is aware of widespread concern regarding very large premium increases being demanded by insurance firms when whole-of-life policies are reviewed; if he is satisfied that consumers are adequately informed of the risks associated with taking out such policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17248/16]
120. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of settlements the Revenue Commissioners reached in 2014 and 2015 with high-net-worth individuals, HNWI, that contained a clause guaranteeing that the details of the settlement would not be published; why the Revenue Commissioners enter into non-disclosure agreements; his plans to review the policy in relation to non-disclosure of large settlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16796/16]
91. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of interest applying to a judgment mortgage; if a judgment mortgage lapses after a period of time; the steps the creditor may take to enforce the asset, the subject to the judgment mortgage; the rights of the borrower; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17159/16]
71. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the convictions incurred by a person (details supplied) qualify as spent convictions under the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosures) Act 2016. [16671/16]
278. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the implementation of the Construction Contracts Act 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16503/16]
216. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the proportions of the projected cost of prescribed drugs which relate to payment to manufacturers; to wholesale distributors and to retail pharmacists under the general medical scheme and community drug scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16513/16]
156. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to set out the number of child care places provided and how this has varied in each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date, under community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16498/16]
155. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to set out the cost of providing a 50%, 75% and 100% Christmas bonus in 2016; if he has provided for a Christmas bonus in his Revised Estimates; how European Union and national fiscal rules impact on the ability to pay a Christmas bonus in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16496/16]
107. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the amount insurance companies reported to the Central Bank as having been paid out on motor insurance claims and the number of claims the payouts related to in each of the years 2011 to 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16575/16]
104. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of projects that availed of section 481 film tax relief; the number of jobs supported by the relief in 2015 and in 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16515/16]
103. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the reason for the substantial increase in exit tax paid on life assurance policies in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16514/16]
102. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the Value Added Tax generated from the sale of new residential housing and the number of cases in each of the years 2006 to 2016 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16512/16]
101. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the revenue generated from commercial stamp duty and the number of individual cases in each of the years 2006 to 2016 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16511/16]
100. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the revenue generated from residential stamp duty; and the number of individual residential cases in each of the years 2006 to 2016 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16510/16]
99. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the amount of loans outstanding from former directors of State-owned banks; if the banks are continuing to collect these loans rigorously; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16508/16]
98. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance when he will provide a definitive update on the cost of the collapse of an insurance company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16507/16]
97. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied with the pace of progress of investigations into the collapse of Irish Nationwide; when they will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16506/16]
96. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied with the manner in which banks operate the standard financial statement for customers in financial distress; if there is a commonly applied definition of necessary living costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16505/16]
95. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if Ulster Bank has made a formal application or indicated its plans to change its regulatory or legal status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16504/16]
94. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the amount of contingent convertible capital notes and preference shares that he holds in the covered banks; when he acquired these; the interest payable on each security; their maturity dates; his plans for these investments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16502/16]
93. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff that non-State-owned banks employ directly or under contract who are solely or primarily working on resolving issues relating to the Central Bank investigation of its handling of tracker mortgages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16501/16]