Results 2,001-2,020 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: The most recent notification issued to staff of my Department was Office Notice 20/2009, which concerned lobbying NAMA on behalf of another. A copy is included for the Deputy's information. It is expected that central guidelines on the handling of lobbying will be issued by my Department in the coming months. Further instructions issued to the staff within the Department will, of course,...

Written Answers — Ministerial Meetings: Ministerial Meetings (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: On Tuesday 12 April 2011, I, together with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, met with Messrs. Szekely and Langedijk from the European Commission Services, Messrs. Chopra and Beaumont from the IMF and Messrs. Masuch and Fell from the ECB. The Secretary General of the Department of Finance, Mr. Kevin Cardiff, and a number of other senior...

Written Answers — National Asset Management Agency: National Asset Management Agency (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: All officers of NAMA, including the Chief Executive Officer, are employees of the National Treasury Management Agency. I am advised by the NTMA that the remuneration packages of all NTMA staff are negotiated on an individual contract basis and are confidential. During the appearance of the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer of NAMA before the Committee of Public Accounts on 13 January...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that under EU and domestic VAT rules traders who are registered for VAT collect VAT on the goods and services that they sell. In turn such traders are entitled to recover the VAT they incur on their business inputs used in the purchase or production of goods or delivery of services. VAT is a tax on the value added to a supply and the collection and...

Written Answers — International Meetings: International Meetings (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: I am aware that a meeting of the Euro area member states who are also members of the G20 group took place in Luxembourg on Friday, 6 May 2011. This meeting was not notified in advance to Eurozone members who are not members of G20. The following statement, which was issued after the meeting by the President of the Eurogroup, Mr. Juncker, explains its purpose. "In the follow-up of the...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Jobs Initiative, announced in the Dáil in early May, included a range of expenditure measures designed to help in getting people back to work. Investing in public infrastructure was a substantial component of the overall Initiative. Public capital investment can play an important role in promoting employment. It can stimulate economic activity as well as providing direct employment....

Written Answers — National Lottery: National Lottery (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: The current licence to operate the National Lottery expires at the end of 2011. Arrangements for the future licensing are being considered and a decision on this will be taken following such consideration.

Written Answers — State Assets: State Assets (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: Following publication of the Report of the Review Group on State Assets and Liabilities in April, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Mr. Howlin, asked Departments to give their considered views on the Group's recommendations. Departments are reverting now with their views. After considering these submissions, Minister Howlin intends to bring proposals to Government on the matter....

Written Answers — State Assets: State Assets (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: I do not concur with that view. The Government is considering the State assets review group report as part of its overall consideration of State assets and in the context of the commitments made in the Programme for Government.

Written Answers — State Assets: State Assets (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: I understand that following the recent publication of the report of the Review Group on State Assets and Liabilities, my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform intends to bring proposals to Government on the matter. This will be done in the context of the commitments made in the Programme for Government to fund investment in key networks of the economy through the sale of...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: A derogation under EU Directive 2003/96 on energy taxation allowed the application of a reduced rate of Mineral Oil Tax to fuel used for the purposes of certain road passenger services. That derogation has expired and the arrangement was, therefore, terminated by the Finance Act 2008. It would not be possible, having regard to the relevant provisions of EU law, to reintroduce a scheme of...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Finance (No. 3) Bill 2011 will be published on Thursday 9 June 2011. It will provide for the necessary taxation changes to the various Taxation Acts arising from the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010. I expect the Bill to be enacted before the summer.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: The position is that the Universal Social Charge, which came into effect on 1 January 2011, is a tax payable on gross income, including notional pay, after any relief for certain trading losses and capital allowances, but before pension contributions. All individuals are liable to pay the Universal Social Charge if their gross income exceeds the threshold of €4,004 per annum (€77 per...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Department of Finance commissioned an Economic Impact Assessment of the proposed CCCTB from Ernst and Young in the US during 2008 and 2009. The purpose of the study was to analyse the budgetary and economic implications for the European Union and individual member states of the introduction of a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base. The potential impacts were estimated for three...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that it has noted the matter raised by the Deputy but, for reasons of taxpayer confidentiality, it is unable to comment further on an individual case.

Written Answers — Government Debt: Government Debt (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: The figures for National Debt and General Government debt for the years 2006-2010 as well as the latest estimates of each for 2011 are set out in the following table. National debt is defined as the total outstanding amount of principal borrowed by Central Government and not repaid to date less liquid assets available for redemption of those liabilities at the same date. General Government...

Written Answers — Budget Deficit: Budget Deficit (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: The figures for the Exchequer Balance for the years 2006-2010 as well as the latest estimate for 2011 are set out in the following table, along with nominal GDP figures for the years 2006-2010 as well as the latest estimate for 2011. The Deputy may wish to note that the Exchequer Balance figures for the years 2006-2009 are available from the September 2010 edition of my Department's...

Written Answers — Economic Growth: Economic Growth (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: At our regular meetings, my fellow European finance ministers and I discuss the economic situation in the eurozone and in individual Member States. Such discussions draw on the work of the various technical and policy committees that feed into the Council. At these meetings, we explore all available avenues that will accelerate economic recovery across the Euro zone. An example of this is...

Written Answers — Economic Growth: Economic Growth (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Irish economy is expected to return to growth this year. On the back of a strong export performance, my Department is forecasting that GDP will grow by around 0.75% in 2011 and 2.5% in 2012. In the second half of 2010 we witnessed some easing in the annual rate of decline of GDP activity. Exports are expected to continue supporting economic activity over the medium-term, with a gradual...

Written Answers — Banking Sector: Banking Sector (7 Jun 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Central Bank of Ireland published the findings of its review of remuneration policies and practices in a number of Irish retail banks on its website on 1 December 2010. The review assessed whether banks have changed how they remunerate employees, particularly those in senior executive positions, to reflect incoming regulatory standards and the lessons of the financial crisis. In...