Results 8,261-8,280 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: My advice is that it is linked to the Central Fund. The Central Fund linkage means the Department of Finance would be the appropriate Department. The two Departments were one Department until the formation of the last Government. Effectively the Secretaries General got together and decided what duties would be allocated to which Department. Some of them are clear, such as expenditure...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: I had not thought about it all until the Deputy raised the matter.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General seems to have got what it asked for, unusually.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: It would be inappropriate for me to ask. The Comptroller and Auditor General is a constitutional officer. He is independent in the exercise of his functions. He does not report to me, he reports to the Committee of Public Accounts. The Deputy's colleagues on the committee will be in a position to raise the series of issues other than lack of resources, which may be inhibiting the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: My view is that it is a constitutional office which needs to be funded so that it can carry out its constitutional functions. Any attempt to restrain it would be an interference with a constitutional officeholder. Within reason we are very sympathetic to requests.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: In my Budget Statement I signalled an increase in Revenue reserves as one of the elements of the corporate tax reform roadmap which would reflect Revenue's role as a competent authority and recognise the many changes taking place globally in corporate tax. I fully support Revenue's proactive approach in sourcing the skilled professionals and technical expertise required to allow it to...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: The Department of Finance is responsible for the policy side and the Revenue Commissioners are responsible for the tax side. The Department of Finance has retained counsel to represent it and to advise it; it is awaiting the adjudication of the European Commission now on the Apple case. The Department has made it clear that if the European Commission find against Apple it will contest it in...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: It has said that it will issue a finding by the end of the second quarter of this year but it may be sooner than that.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: There is a new Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, who was finance Minister for Denmark for a number of years. She took up office on 1 January. One of her statements was to the effect that there would be a ruling by the end of the second quarter. I do not want to engage with her as she is in a quasi-judicial position at present. We will wait to see what happens. We have made our policy...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: Initially there was a lot of contact. There is less contact now because we are moving towards a point where the Commission has announced that it is going to make a decision. As it is quasi-judicial in nature I do not want to try to influence it. We have said what we wanted to say and we have made our formal submissions. That is the position now. We will see what happens. Apple's present...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: They are, yes.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: I will read the note:Local property tax needed to be implemented within a very aggressive timeframe due to the economic situation at the time and the priorities set by both the Government and the troika. As a result, a number of other key projects needed to be deferred. The additional €5 million spent on external resources ensured that Revenue was able to regain lost time on these...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: In 2014 a total of 16,978 internal training days were delivered to staff. In addition to that, a total of 77 Revenue students graduated from the University of Limerick; 19 students were conferred with BA (honours) in Applied Taxation and a further 56 were conferred with Diploma in Applied Taxation. Two students graduated with a corporate MBA. In addition, 46 Revenue students were conferred...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: I will check that now for the Deputy.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: On 1 January 2014 there were 5,745 staff serving in Revenue while on 1 January 2015 the figure was 5,647. There has been a significant decrease. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has authorised 5,874 Revenue staff for 2015 but on the 1 January this year there were only 5,647 staff.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: In addition to that there are approximately 180 temporary staff, which are not represented in these figures.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: I believe so, yes. I will refer to my note. Revenue is currently engaged in running open competitions at assistant principal level for a panel of tax professionals and two ICT specialists. These competitions have been advertised nationally and on the Public Appointment Service website. Recruitment competitions for principal officer, data analyst, administrative officer, compliance and...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: It is full-time staff and in addition there would be approximately another 100 temporary staff.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: It is confusing.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (18 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: The figures I have been given now is that at the end of 2014 there were 5,745 staff. On the 1 January 2014 there were 5,745 staff serving in Revenue and on the 1 January 2015 there were 5,647. There were an additional 140 temporary staff on top of that figure of 5,745. I believe the Deputy is asking whether the figure for 2015 will be bigger than that of 2014 when one takes account of both...