Results 221-240 of 406 for speaker:Charlie McCreevy
- Electronic Voting: Motion (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: Returning officers will apply rigid access security procedures at all stages of the election so that only authorised staff will have access to the stand-alone voting machines and the PCs used at the election. Some security concerns have been raised about the use of PCs. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has had the arrangements for the PCs checked with experts...
- Electronic Voting: Motion (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: I wish to deal specifically with the two issues raised by some opponents of the system. The first issue is that of adding on a voter verifiable paper audit trail, or VVPAT. I have observed an increasing chorus for what has become a media catchword but I wonder do its proponents understand the system we are using or are they just accepting, uncritically, the information made available by some...
- Electronic Voting: Motion (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: We should be guided by the voting machine's past use and reliability both here and in other countries and its testing by internationally accredited testing agencies. The following matters are relevant: the US voting machines in question are generally PC-based; the Nedap voting machine is a proprietary product manufactured specifically for voting. Our counting system alone will be PC-based....
- Electronic Voting: Motion (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: The new system will ensure that the elections this June are the most accurate and, therefore, the most democratic in our history. That is something all true democrats should welcome rather than try to undermine.
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: As the Deputy will be aware, and following on my Budget Statement regarding carbon energy taxation last December, I published a carbon energy tax consultation paper prepared by my Department on 31 July of 2003. This consultation paper was designed to facilitate discussions on the introduction and design of the carbon energy tax while recognising that there are divergent views on the issue....
- Written Answers — European Court of Auditors: European Court of Auditors (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: The treaty establishing the European Community provides that members of the European Court of Auditors shall be chosen from among persons who have belonged to external audit bodies in their respective countries or who are especially qualified for the office. The treaty also provides that the European Parliament is to be consulted on appointments to the court. It is important that the court's...
- Written Answers — Tax Compliance. : Tax Compliance. (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: I have not concluded my consideration of this matter. As I informed the House previously, I received correspondence from the Standards in Public Office Commission in December about certain provisions of the Standards in Public Office Act 2001. That correspondence concerned section 21 of the Standards in Public Office Act, which provides for evidence of tax compliance on the part of ordinary...
- Written Answers — Offshore Accounts: Offshore Accounts (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that their Ansbacher review team has inquired into 289 cases to date and 60 of these cases have concluded settlements with Revenue. The 289 cases, taking account of spouses and connected companies, consist of 300 names. A total of 211 cases have been under active investigation. The remaining cases consist of 62 non-resident persons, including 17...
- Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 116, 128, 149 and 260 together. As I stated in a reply to a previous parliamentary question, the interdepartmental report of the review group on the disabled drivers and disabled passengers tax concessions scheme is under consideration in my Department. The report is a substantive one and any recommendations contained in this report need to be examined...
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: The National Pensions Reserve Fund Act provides for the establishment of a pensions reserve fund to meet as much as possible of the cost to the Exchequer of social welfare and public service pensions from the year 2025. The Act further provides that the annual contribution to the fund by the Exchequer shall be an amount equivalent to 1% of gross national product. There is no provision to...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that each year all PAYE taxpayers receive a certificate of tax credits and standard rate cut-off point setting out their entitlements. This certificate is accompanied by a detailed letter setting out a wide range of information. In 2004, this accompanying letter contained information about the main personal tax credits available for 2003-04; the tax...
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: I am aware of the concerns of certain unions regarding the impact of the changes to public service pensions for new entrants announced in budget 2004. When I announced my reform package I stated that the public service unions would be fully informed about the implementation of the changes in pension age for new entrants before their planned introduction with effect from 1 April 2004. In this...
- Written Answers — Special Savings Incentive Scheme: Special Savings Incentive Scheme (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: The specific goal of the SSIA scheme was to encourage people to save over a period of at least five years. Its effect has been to stimulate such savings over varying income ranges which is evident in the extensive take-up by many low income earners. The scheme has been a success in those terms. The scheme has a specific duration. Any proposals for new schemes either to replace the SSIA scheme...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that there are two ways in which a taxpayer may have been in breach of the amnesty, first, in making a declaration that he or she did not comply with the terms or, second, a declaration was not made. I am informed that Revenue does not have figures for the number of detected breaches of the amnesty. As a result of the confidentiality conditions built...
- Written Answers — Budget Statement: Budget Statement (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: My financial statement on budget day outlines the main taxation and spending measures proposed. The details of these measures are contained in the accompanying budget book, which is distributed to Members on budget day. The budget book also sets out in a clear and comprehensive manner the Government's overall budgetary targets and incorporates Ireland's EU stability programme update. As...
- Written Answers — Revenue Powers: Revenue Powers (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 135 and 171 together. I established the Revenue powers group, chaired by Mr. Justice Frank Murphy, to examine Revenue's main statutory powers and report to me on any changes needed. I am grateful to the group for its considerable efforts in producing the report within a demanding timescale. I have decided to allow a period for debate and public reflection...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: There is no cap on the aggregate value of special tax reliefs which can be claimed by an individual. However, as the Deputy may be aware, in budget 1998 I announced, as and from 3 December 1997, that an annual cap of â¬31,750 would apply on the amount of capital allowances that an individual taxpayer could claim against non-rental income in regard to capital expenditure incurred on certain...
- Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: I have appointed a decentralisation implementation committee to drive forward the implementation of the programme. The committee, which is chaired by Mr. Phil Flynn, will prepare an implementation plan and will report back to Government by the end of March 2004.
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: As the Deputy is aware, I took the first available opportunity in budget 2004 to deal with an unacceptable interpretation of the VAT law in this area. Developers have attempted to avoid VAT by artificial means by attempting to put themselves in a position where they are not entitled to take a deduction for VAT incurred on the development of a site and thereby claimed that they did not have to...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Feb 2004)
Charlie McCreevy: In response to a parliamentary question on 10 December 2003, I stated that I had been informed by the Revenue Commissioners that a first round of negotiations for a protocol to amend certain provisions of the Ireland-Portugal double taxation convention was held between the relevant Irish and Portuguese tax officials in Lisbon on 19 to 21 May 2003. The Revenue Commissioners have now informed...