Results 241-260 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — National Development Finance Agency: National Development Finance Agency (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: The National Development Finance Agency, NDFA, was established in 2003 under the National Development Finance Agency Act 2002. The role of the National Development Finance Agency is to advise State authorities on the optimum means of financing public investment projects in order to achieve value for money. State authorities, who are the decision-making bodies in regard to projects undertaken...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: A 20% tax credit was introduced in the Finance Act 2004 for qualifying incremental expenditure by companies on research and development activity. A commencement order was made by my predecessor in July 2004 bringing the measure into effect for qualifying research and development expenditure incurred on or after 1 January 2004. As the measure was only introduced this year it is too early to...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: I assume the Deputy is referring to information on the estimated cost of certain major tax incentives-expenditures recently supplied to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. It is not correct to characterise as tax avoidance the legitimate use of such provisions, most of which are well established and reflect accepted...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: The information requested by the Deputy is as follows: Number of FOI requests received at 19 November 2002 Number of FOI requests received at 19 November 2003 Number of FOI requests received at 19 November 2004 280 296 73 I have no plans to review amendments made to the Freedom of Information Act 1997.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: The two reports of the decentralisation implementation group, DIG, dated 31 March 2004 and 30 July 2004 provide detailed accounts of the progress made in implementing the decentralisation programme announced last December. An analysis of the applications registered with the central applications facility by 7 September 2004 has also been published. I also refer the Deputy to the presentations...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that arising from the Clerical Medical Insurance-NIB inquiry, 452 cases have been targeted for investigation. To date, 295 cases have been settled on payment of tax, interest and penalties amounting to a total of €48.15 million. A further 115 cases have been finalised with no additional liability arising. The remaining 42 cases are the subject of...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: It has always been the case that implementation of the Government's decentralisation programme would take a number of years. In the past year, the decentralisation implementation group has undertaken work with Departments and State agencies on the implementation programme. I have now received for consideration from the implementation group a report containing proposals on those organisations...

Written Answers — Budget Submissions: Budget Submissions (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: I confirm that I have received a pre-budget 2005 submission from the End Child Poverty Coalition. Its contents will be considered by me in the context of the forthcoming budget.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: It is understood that the Deputy is referring to the proposals made by the Irish Farmers Association and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association in their pre-budget submissions for specific tax measures to encourage land consolidation. The Deputy will appreciate that in line with normal practice in the run-up to the annual budget and Finance Bill, I do not wish to comment on the...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together. I assume the Deputy is referring to the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994 made under section 92 of the Finance Act 1989. The disabled drivers and disabled passengers tax concessions scheme is open to people with disabilities who meet the specified criteria and have obtained a primary medical...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: It has not been the practice to comment on the tax affairs of individuals or persons unless a Deputy is clearly asking a question on their behalf. However, I understand from the Revenue Commissioners that the golf club in question is included on a list published on the Revenue website of bodies which have been granted a tax exemption under section 235 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: The Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority, IFSRA, is studying the matter of endowment loan shortfalls having commenced a survey earlier this year to determine whether and to what extent there will be difficulties for customers. It would be inappropriate to reach any conclusions in advance of IFSRA's consideration of the outcome of the survey. I will continue to review the adequacy of...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: This matter has been raised on a number of occasions. The Value Added Tax (Refund of Tax) (No. 18) Order 1985, referred to by the Deputy, provides for the repayment of VAT costs incurred in respect of equipment for use only in respect of rescue or assistance at sea. The order does not extend to equipment used in rescue craft operational on bodies of fresh water. Practical difficulties in...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: Traders making supplies in the State are obliged to register for VAT where certain turnover thresholds are exceeded or are likely to be exceeded in any continuous period of 12 months. The current thresholds, which were introduced in the Finance Act 1994 with effect from 1 July 1994 are €25,500 in the case of a person supplying services and €51,000 for persons supplying goods. The first...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that there are approximately 2,500 small self-administered pension schemes in existence. Employer contributions to small self-administered pension schemes are treated as a trading expense of the employer for tax purposes. Employee contributions to such schemes are netted off as deductions from an individual's income before arriving at the definition...

Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 241 together. Net voted expenditure for each ministerial Vote group to end-October 2004, with a breakdown of current and capital spending, is set out below. The forecast outturn information is based on the latest estimates received from Departments and offices in connection with the recently published 2005 Abridged Estimates Volume. Vote Group —...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the most recent relevant information available on the exemption of certain earnings of writers, composers and artists relates to the short income tax year 2001, in respect of which some 1,323 claims for exemption were allowed at an estimated cost to the Exchequer of €23.5 million. It should be noted that as PAYE taxpayers were charged to tax...

Written Answers — Budget Submissions: Budget Submissions (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: A pre-budget submission from the persons in question has been received. This submission, as with all other pre-budget submissions, is being considered in the context of preparations for the forthcoming budget and Finance Bill.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: In my reply to Question No. 214 on 17 November 2004 I set out the range of factors that were taken into account and measured against each other in selecting locations for all the new decentralised offices. The then Minister for Finance first announced the Government's intention to embark on a new decentralisation programme in the 2000 budget. Following that announcement, the Department of...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (23 Nov 2004)

Brian Cowen: I am conscious of the need to maintain and improve Ireland's competitive position to ensure the continuation of strong output and employment growth in the future. Ireland is a highly open economy, and we must remain competitive to continue to attract investment and to allow continued export growth. On an EU harmonised basis, Irish inflation fell below the euro area average earlier this year...