Questions

979. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance his response to claims by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council that the planned growth rates of net spending are above an appropriate level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10691/26]

980. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will review the Living Cities Initiative to include owner occupier new builds in rural areas with high levels of disadvantage or depopulation as defined by POBAL and the CSO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17558/26]

981. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will provide a schedule of all studies and reports commissioned by his Department in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, that were composed and delivered by third parties (details supplied); the title and final cost of same; and whether the report is published and or laid in the Houses of the Oireachtas. [26852/26]

982. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will provide a schedule of all studies and reports commissioned by him in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, that were composed and delivered by his officials; the title and final cost of same, if applicable; to provide a breakdown of where costs were incurred; and whether the report is published and or laid in the House…

983. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to provide an update on Revenue's preparation for the disposal of the MV Matthew; to provide a breakdown of the full costs to date for the management, maintenance and berthing of the vessel; when he expects the disposal of the vessel to be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26883/26]

984. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to provide the web link to his Department’s Q1 2026 published report of purchase orders/payments over €20,000, in line with the FOI model publication scheme requirements; to confirm the date on which this report was published; and, if it has not yet been published, to state the planned publication date. [26908/26]

985. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance his views on the absence of a policy by the prize bond company requiring the routine issuing of annual statements of account to prize bond holders; if he is aware that executors and personal representatives may mistakenly omit wealth from an estate due to a lack of knowledge arising from this absence of regular annual statements; if he is concerned t…

986. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to outline the rationale for the Government’s recent decision to implement limited excise duty reductions on agricultural fuels; if he will acknowledge that such measures have resulted in only a marginal reduction of approximately 3% in fuel costs for farmers and agricultural contractors, which is insufficient in the context of recent price increase…

987. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the measures his Department intends to take to mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs on farmers' incomes, agricultural contractors, and the wider agri-food supply chain, particularly in circumstances where farm margins cannot absorb additional costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26959/26]

988. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to urgently review the Government's position on taxation of agricultural fuels, including carbon tax, in order to alleviate financial pressures on the farming sector, particularly in light of the current seasonal demands, including peak tillage operations, slurry and fertiliser application, and the forthcoming silage season, as well as the reliance …

989. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the steps being taken to establish a national flood insurance scheme to protect homeowners, renters and businesses increasingly exposed to flood risk; whether international models that stabilise insurance markets and cover both households and businesses are being examined; if engagement is under way with insurers, regulators and EU bodies; if he wil…

990. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will outline the way in which the excise duties collected on fuels are allocated and spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26962/26]

991. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to provide a full breakdown of the Approved Retirement Funds and Retirement Annuity Contracts that are not provided for, or regulated under the Pensions Act 1990, that pension providers are charging. [26963/26]

992. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the progress being made to promote Ireland as a leading hub for Sustainable and Green Finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26964/26]

993. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will outline when 'Right to be Forgotten' legislation will be passed through the Oireachtas; the number of people his Department expect will benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26965/26]

994. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to give favourable consideration to reviewing the 52% tax rate on short term lets/long term lets; if he will give favourable consideration to reducing this rate so as to encourage members of the public to remain in the letting business and/or encourage others to get involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17615/26]

995. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will review the current capital acquisitions tax thresholds in light of concerns that the existing regime disproportionately disadvantages individuals without children who wish to leave assets to extended family members such as nieces and nephews, or to close friends, carers or neighbours; if he will provide a rationale for the significant d…

996. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the progress made since ISIF’s funding programme was extended in December; the conditions to this financing; the number of housebuilders this has and is expected to support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17495/26]

997. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will report on the progress of the housing investment and policy impact working group. [14449/26]

998. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if, in view of the cost-of-living crisis, he will suspend the scheduled carbon tax increase on home heating oil and gas due on 1 May 2026; the estimated cost to a typical household of this increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26973/26]

999. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will extend the current excise duty reductions on petrol and diesel beyond the 31 May 2026 expiry date to prevent a price surge at the pumps; his plans to prevent a 'cliff-edge' price hike for commuters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26974/26]

1000. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to provide an update on the revised disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme; if he is committed to ensuring that the Government makes a decision on the scheme imminently, as previously advised during a meeting of the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach on Wednesday, 4 …

1001. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance for an update on the derelict sites tax to be collected by Revenue. [26999/26]

1002. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the reason his Department employ an external agency to issue press releases and another to conduct 'media monitoring' and what this monitoring entails. [27000/26]

1003. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the monies that have been given to support the accelerated capital allowance scheme for 2023-2025 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27009/26]