Results 2,341-2,360 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Centre for Management Organisation and Development is part of the organisation management and training division of my Department and its role is to provide a number of advisory and support services to the Civil Service in the areas of information and communications technology, staff development and management, and common systems development. It also manages delegation arrangements for ICT...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: The current position remains as set out in my response to the Deputy's Question No. 93 of 5 October, 2005. As I indicated in my reply, in July last year the Government approved, on the initiative of the then Minister for Finance, reduced fess for all legal representation including that of third parties at tribunals or inquiries established from September 2004, and to existing tribunals and...

Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I have been examining proposals for reform of the Estimates and budgetary process in conjunction with my Government colleagues on foot of my budget 2005 announcement that I intended to consider options for reform in this regard. These deliberations are still ongoing and I will also take into account the recent Committee of Public Accounts report. As I indicated in my reply to a previous...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: VRT provides significant revenue to the Exchequer —€946 million in 2004 — which is used to fund vital public services. The European Commission has published a proposal for a directive in relation to car taxes which supports the gradual abolition of registration taxes which would be replaced by circulation taxes which would have a CO2 element. However, discussion on this proposal is at...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: It has been a basic feature of our corporation tax code that resident companies are chargeable to tax on their worldwide income and capital gains, with credit for tax paid in countries with which we have a double taxation agreement given against Irish tax payable. Unilateral credit relief may also be available in respect of tax paid in a country with which Ireland does not have such an...

Written Answers — Budget Submissions: Budget Submissions (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I have received a pre-budget submission from the organisation concerned and the contents will be considered in the context of the forthcoming budget and Finance Bill. As Deputies are aware it would not be appropriate for me to comment in advance of the budget on possible budget decisions.

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: As outlined by my Department in Economic Review and Outlook, published in August 2005, while the outlook for the Irish economy is one of growth, there are significant downside risks which could alter this picture. One of the risks identified is the pace at which new housing output adjusts downwards to more sustainable levels given that sector's importance in terms of real growth in the...

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: The question of dividend payment is a matter for the board of each company. I expect the board would give due consideration to the views of the shareholder on the issue of dividends in the context of its deliberations on that matter. Expectations in relation to dividend receipts vary from company to company depending on the company's financial position generally and its capital investment...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware, it is not the practice for the Minister for Finance to announce the income tax or other changes he intends to make in forthcoming budgets. However, I might remind the Deputy that it was this Government that introduced the minimum wage to protect low paid workers and it was this Government which over the last eight budgets removed a record number of about 465,000...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I have no plans to establish an investigation into the costs of decentralisation. While I am aware from media reports of the claim referred to by the Deputy, I am not aware of the basis of or the assumptions underpinning the claim and consequently I can offer no further comment on this claim.

Written Answers — Departmental Consultations: Departmental Consultations (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Government announced last August that, as part of the preparation of NDP 2007-2013, it would undertake a full consultation process. This consultation process will involve the social partners, regional interests and other concerned interest groups. The consultation process will commence in the near future.

Written Answers — Capital Expenditure: Capital Expenditure (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: At end October, Departments indicated a net capital underspend against profile of €514 million. When account is taken of the €237 million spend of capital carryover from 2004 net voted capital spending actually increased year on year by 8.8%. The main areas of underspend as compared with profile at end October were: Department of Transport, €196 million; Department of Health and...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: Section 50 of the Finance Act 2004 provided for the introduction of a limited scheme of relief from excise tax, for biofuels. The purpose of the provision was to allow qualified and conditional relief from excise of biofuel used in approved pilot projects for either the production of biofuel or the testing of the technical viability of biofuel for use as a motor fuel. As the Deputy may be...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that cheques in payment of vehicle registration tax are only accepted from persons authorised under section 136 of the Finance Act 1992, that is, authorised dealers, distributors etc. in the motor trade. Persons not so authorised are required to pay VRT by way of bank draft, money order, cash or laser debit card, subject to a transaction limit of...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 220 together. I have no proposals to apply the Freedom of Information Acts to the Garda Síochána at this time, either on a full or on a partial basis.

Written Answers — Budget Submissions: Budget Submissions (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I have received a pre-budget submission from the organisation concerned and the contents will be considered in the context of the forthcoming budget and Finance Bill. As Deputies are aware, it would not be appropriate for me to comment in advance of the budget on possible budget decisions.

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that they received tax returns for the years 1988-89 to 2003 from the taxpayer and that assessments were issued for all years in accordance with those returns. A claim has also been received to amend the years 1998-99 to 2000-01 so that the farming income would be apportioned between the taxpayer and his wife in accordance with their ownership of...

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I take it that the Deputy's interest is in contracts of a significant size, say €100,000 or more, awarded by my Department in the relevant period. He will appreciate that in the time available for answering his question, it has not been possible to examine all such contracts for the period 1995 to 2004 to identify which, if any, over-ran financially as a result of jobs being incorrectly...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 to 227, inclusive, together. My Department is aware of the programme in question. No official of my Department is a member of this programme nor have any officials of my Department attended the conference in question as VIP guests. Consequently, the other questions raised by the Deputy do not arise. Because of its central advisory role and research remit,...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that PAYE balancing statements for the years 2003 and 2004 will issue shortly, together with cheques in settlement for refunds arising. The income tax affairs of the taxpayer are now up-to-date, based on all information available to the Revenue Commissioners at this time.