Results 25,301-25,320 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (11 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: As I indicated in my response to the Deputy's previous question from last Wednesday re cost of consultancy for stress tests, the consultants concerned were engaged by the Central Bank and the Minister does not have a role in this area. The matter raised in the Deputy's question is a matter for the Central Bank. However, I understand from the Central Bank that the contracts with the...

Written Answers — Bank Guarantee Scheme: Bank Guarantee Scheme (11 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I understand from previous statements that the principal advisers to the Government on the night of the 29 September 2008 were the official agencies. The company referred to in the Deputy's question was, therefore, assigned the task of consolidating the range of options being developed by all the State agencies in a paper for consideration by the Government. The Deputy may wish to note that...

Written Answers — Credit Availability: Credit Availability (11 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: There is no Banking Credit Review Group. I assume the Deputy is referring to the Credit Review Office. The Office was launched on 1 April 2010 and its function is to accept applications from SMEs, sole traders and small and medium-sized farm enterprises that have had their application for credit refused or reduced or have had credit facilities withdrawn by banks participating in the NAMA...

Written Answers — Mortgage Arrears: Mortgage Arrears (11 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: On the question of the availability of tax relief in relation to interest paid in respect of mortgages, the Deputy will be aware that Mortgage Interest Relief was refocused in Budget 2009 to assist first-time buyers. The rates were increased from 20% to 25% for first-time buyers in years 1 and 2 of their mortgage and to 22.5% for years 3, 4 and 5. There is also a commitment in the Programme...

Written Answers — Civil Service Staff: Civil Service Staff (11 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Department of Finance Circular 26/2006 sets out details of the confined competition for promotion to Executive Officer in the Civil Service. The terms of the Circular did not envisage appointments being made from the competition after 30 June 2008. For operational reasons this panel was extended until 30 June 2009. In the context of the implementation of savings measures on public...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Deputy will be aware that the Construction Contracts Bill 2010 was introduced by Senator Feargal Quinn and passed Committee and Remaining Stages in the Seanad on 8 March 2011. It is now placed before the Dáil. In relation to the exemption of contracts below €200,000 from the Construction Contracts Bill 2010, I understand that the Senator pointed out in the Seanad that this threshold...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The position is that all Department of Social Protection payments are exempt from the Universal Social Charge (USC). As the individual in question is aged greater than 70 the following rates are applicable to his private pension: - 2% up to €10,036 - 4% income above €10,036 It is assumed that the person in question does not have income from self-employment in excess of €100,000. In...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Central Bank's Consumer Protection Code requires that a regulated entity must ensure that, in all its dealings with customers and within the context of its authorisation, it acts honestly, fairly and professionally, in the best interests of its customers the integrity of the market, and acts with due skill, care and diligence in the best interests of its customers. Any breach of the...

Written Answers — Tax Relief: Tax Relief (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme provides relief from VAT and Vehicle Registration Tax (up to a certain limit), and exemption from motor tax, on the purchase of an adapted car for transport of a person with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities. The disability criteria for these concessions are set out in the Disabled Drivers and Disabled...

Written Answers — Tax Relief: Tax Relief (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: There is a commitment in the Programme for Government to help homeowners in distress to weather the recession. One of these proposals relates to increasing mortgage interest relief to 30% for First Time Buyers who bought between 2004 and 2008 and to finance this in part by abolishing mortgage interest relief for new buyers from June 2011. When this proposal has been thoroughly examined and...

Written Answers — Tax Relief: Tax Relief (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Biofuel (Mineral Oil Tax) Relief scheme that was operated by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources provided for excise relief for 16 companies selected by means of an open competitive process. The scheme ran for around five years and ended on 31 December 2010. Consequently, with effect from 1 January 2011, all biofuels, including E85, are subject to full mineral...

Written Answers — Sports Grants: Sports Grants (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that there are two instruments in this particular case and, as is standard practice in cases of this type, the stamp duty liabilities on both instruments were subject to the adjudication process. This process has been completed and the Commissioners have stamped one instrument and will be in a position to stamp the other instrument on receipt of a...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: In order to protect policy holders in the event of their insurer becoming insolvent, money can be raised by the Central Bank through the placing of a levy of up to 2% of an insurance company's aggregate income under Section 6 of the 1964 Insurance Act. A levy of 2% of gross premium income was introduced on 1 January 1984 following the collapse of PMPA in October of the preceding year. The...

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 93 together. The Deputy will appreciate that there would be serious obstacles to be addressed to allow for publication of the individual details of the contracts of employment of senior management in financial institutions of the covered institutions and I am not convinced that this would serve, at this stage, the public interest. The Deputy will also...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that, under section 1041 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, a tenant who pays rent on property located in the State directly to a person whose usual place of abode is outside the State and who has not appointed an agent in the State to collect the rent, is required to deduct tax from the gross rent at the standard rate of income tax, which is...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: Under the terms of the moratorium posts may only be filled by recruitment or promotion with the sanction of the Minister for Finance but this does not preclude public service organisations from internally reorganising work or redeploying staff internally to accommodate changes in work priorities. The deployment and management of staff in a Government Department or Office is primarily a matter...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No 2) Act 2009 provides for the reduction in the pay rates of all persons employed by public service bodies, as defined under the Act, with effect from 1 January 2010. Such reductions apply irrespective of whether a particular post is funded in whole or in part through non-Exchequer funds or income. The non-teaching staff referred to...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008 will significantly extend the remit of the Ombudsman to a much wider range of public bodies including third level institutions. The Bill completed all stages in the Dáil in June 2010 and is currently awaiting second stage in the Seanad.

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The individual who is the subject of the Deputy's question was appointed on 01/01/2008 following an open public competition by the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) to the position of Assistant Secretary in the Public Expenditure Division (PED), later the Sectoral Policy Division (SPD) in my Department. Subsequently, he was appointed by the Government to the position of Secretary...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (10 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 97 together. The Government decided that Ministers and Ministers of State, the Attorney General and the Ceann Comhairle can appoint two civilian drivers on a contract of employment that is co-terminus with their period of appointment as Office Holder. Alternatively, Office Holders have the option to appoint civilian drivers to a twelve month contract...