Results 1,141-1,160 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: The Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners, among his other responsibilities, has responsibility for the Customs services. If Deputy Doherty is talking about the free movement of goods, it is an issue for Customs; whereas the free movement of people is more of an issue for the immigration authorities, with the chain of responsibility going back to the Department of Justice and Equality. I...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: I do not know whether the reports Deputy Doherty has referred to are accurate. The information I am giving is drawn from a lengthy conversation and discussion I had with the Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners two weeks ago. I have no wish to say anything to give the committee a wrong steer. I would invite the Deputy to put down a written parliamentary question to me and I will find out...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: This is being discussed far and wide now. I have had various discussions, but they have been informal and without any policy status. Let us suppose goods come in to Dublin Port, they follow the colour coding I have described and there is a physical check on 2% at Dublin Port. Then let us suppose the lorry drives north and crosses the Border. Effectively, the technical people have said to...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: There are issues around the Border but I do not think that is the most practical issue, though it might be. That would be a criminal activity and it would be a matter for the gardaí. Where the issue arises along the Border domestically would be, for example, the man from the bakery with the bread van delivering to shops on both sides of the Border, so that he would be up and down and...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: The Chairman spoke about-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: -----a boot-load of valuables.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: I do not know anyone who goes around with a boot-load of valuables unless they are involved in criminal activity. That is not where we are at. If the Deputy is talking about someone going in to Lifford or Strabane for the messages and bringing them home in the boot of the car-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: These are issues that have to be worked out.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: There is whole of Department involvement as necessary in Brexit. The four people the Deputy is speaking about should be seen as co-ordinating the efforts of everybody else and being the point of contact in the Department. There is a whole of Government approach to Brexit, there is a cross-departmental approach to Brexit and then there are some designated officers who are the point of contact.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: There are 25 in total, from the information I have here. That is, six assistant principal officers, 12 administrative officers, two higher executive officers, two executive officers and three clerical officers, which brings us to a total of 25. I saw some publicity which suggested there were only four people in the Department of Finance involved in this very important issue, Brexit. I am...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: The matter is still being discussed by the Public Accounts Committee. I volunteered at the PAC's request to appear before it. I gave five hours of evidence and my officials and I were there for three days with innumerable hours of evidence. The matter which the newspapers are now saying will be the basis of an adverse finding against me was never raised with me in five hours of evidence....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: The commission of inquiry will be under the authority of the Department of the Taoiseach. When the terms of reference are developed I presume they will include the Department of Finance and the Minster for Finance. As always, we will co-operate fully and provide everything we have that is relevant. We have already done so with the PAC anyway so all the relevant documents are already posted...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: At the budget time the forecast for growth in the Irish economy was 3.5%. We are maintaining that as the forecast even though there are some signs of variations on it. In January, the Central Bank marked the forecast down to 3.3% while Davy's Stockbrokers marked it up to 5% on the basis of recent data showing that domestic demand continues to be strong. I think there would be agreement...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: Yes, but it is better than negative growth. On investment, like Ireland, Europe experienced a crisis but its impact was uneven across the Continent. It impacted more strongly on one set of countries than others. As a general observation, Europe is underinvested in infrastructure. Ireland is underinvested, in my view, in both social and economic infrastructure. In terms of economic...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: Yes. I am speaking about the large projects from which we could expect a revenue flow.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: In terms of the motorway approaching it, there are two contracts under way, one starting in Tuam and the other in Gort, which is hoped will meet half way. If they do not, we will have two motorways. People will driving on that motorway at the back end of this year. There are other large projects in the pipeline. I agree with the general principle behind Deputy Sherlock's question, namely,...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: Impaired banks all over Europe have been disposing of impaired loan books. The sale of 25% of AIB and what it might do with its impaired loan books is not connected. I am aware that AIB is examining the possibility of selling a loan book but my understanding is that loan book is in the main buy-to-rent rather than private mortgages. The big problem with vulture funds is their names. The...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: I understand that the Committee of Public Accounts has generated a document that is now the subject for discussion among its members, starting later this afternoon. As that is two steps away from a report, we will see where it lands. I have no knowledge of where it might land at the end of the discussion. In respect of the leaked document reported in the newspapers that suggests an...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: I meet people every week. I meet investors every week. It is my job. On this occasion the chairman of Cerberus came in from America. He requested to meet me. He was John Snow. He was a former Secretary of the Treasury in one of the Bush Administrations.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: 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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Noonan: No. The Chairman should not watch "Game of Thrones" as it clouds his judgment. I meet people all of the time and I bring a note taker with me. Usually it ends up as a public document because we put most stuff up on the Internet and everything else is looked for under freedom of information, as this was. If the Deputy wants to check, the minute of that meeting has been up on the Internet...