Results 2,681-2,700 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: The question of dividend payment is a matter for the board of each company. I would 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 relating to dividend receipts vary from company to company depending on the company's financial position generally, its capital investment...

Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Tribunals of Inquiry Bill 2005, which is being brought forward by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to consolidate and reform the legislation relating to tribunals of inquiry, was published on 25 November last. This Bill will provide a statutory basis for the regulation of tribunal and third party legal fees payable by the State.

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that to date payments totalling €381 million have been made in tax, interest and penalties by approximately 5,000 taxpayers who have come forward voluntarily. The Revenue Commissioners are conducting their investigation into the use by taxpayers of life assurance investment products for the purposes of tax evasion in two stages. In the first stage...

Written Answers — Departmental Reviews: Departmental Reviews (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: My Department accepted an invitation from the Health Service Executive to participate in the review of the PPARS computer system and, in this regard, assigned a senior ICT staff member. I understand the terms of reference of the review have been agreed and include, inter alia, establishing the current position relating to the development and implementation of PPARS, identifying the options...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: The main contributors to economic growth this year are personal consumption and investment, with a weaker performance by exports compared with previous years. The composition of economic growth will vary over time and from year to year. As an economy matures, the part played by consumption will tend to increase. The significant growth in investment is a positive development as it enhances the...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: As I indicated in my recent Budget Statement, an extensive consultation process on the National Development Plan 2007-2013 will commence shortly under the aegis of my Department. This will involve consultation with key stakeholders, including the social partners and regional interests.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: As I pointed out in my reply to a similar parliamentary question from Deputy Timmins on 9 November 2005, Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty prohibits, in general terms, the granting of aid by the state which distorts competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods, in so far as the aid is liable to affect trade between member states. There are a number of...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that figures for the yield since 1 January 2005 from various special investigations and initiatives by the Revenue Commissioners, updated to 30 November 2005, are set out in the following table. Heading Total yields â'¬m Bogus non-resident accounts 44.0 Offshore assets 64.15 Single premium policies 381.0 Ansbacher 8.8 ...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: A list of tax reliefs in respect of which costs are not currently quantifiable or are negligible or are not identifiable within total aggregates is attached to table IT 6 on pages 16 to 22 of the Statistical Report of the Revenue Commissioners for 2004, which is accessible on the Revenue Commissioners website at www.revenue.ie/pdf/sr04eng_it.pdf. Provisions were included in the Finance Act...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the amounts repaid to PAYE taxpayers for the years 2002 to 2005 inclusive, as at 23 September 2005, are as follows: 2002 —€242 million; 2003 —€265 million; 2004 —€278 million; 2005 —€282 million to 23 September 2005. The figures for 2001 and prior cannot be produced in the time available but will be forwarded to the Deputy as...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: Many people who have applied to decentralise have now moved into their new decentralised posts. Concurrently, individuals in decentralised posts who did not wish to decentralise transferred to the vacated posts scheduled to remain in Dublin. Such transfers, which have been taking place for some time now, are accomplished on a voluntary basis with the individuals concerned applying to transfer...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the following information is the up to date position on court prosecutions initiated for tax evasion. In 1997, there was one prosecution and one conviction. A fine of €635 was imposed with no custodial sentence. In 1998, there were six cases and eight convictions; fines totalling €42,854 were imposed. There were two custodial sentences, one...

Written Answers — Public Service Staff: Public Service Staff (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 217 together. The terms of contracts of employment of staff of the Health Service Executive are primarily a matter between the executive and its staff. I will, accordingly, confine my reply to matters relating to my Department's exercise of its statutory role in approving terms and conditions of HSE staff. The remuneration of the director was, in common...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the total tax debt outstanding at 31 March 2005, as reported in Revenue's annual report and in the recent report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, was €1.2 billion, not €2.5 billion as quoted by the Deputy. As with any tax system, there will always be people who pay late, people who try to avoid paying and people who cannot pay. In this...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: Preparatory work has commenced on the National Development Plan 2007-2013. A high level steering group chaired by my Department and comprising senior officials of relevant Departments has been established to oversee the drafting of the plan. To provide an independent assessment, the Economic and Social Research Institute has been engaged to carry out an ex ante evaluation of the investment...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: This is an issue that has been raised on a number of occasions in recent years. When this issue arose on Committee Stage of the Finance Bill 2005, I undertook to examine it in the context of this year's budget and Finance Bill. In my Budget Statement, I announced changes to the current VAT registration thresholds for small businesses. These thresholds are being increased from €25,500 to...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: I have been informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the tax compliance testing programme was rolled out in November 2004 and is used as a random case selection tool in 2005 to test compliance on a number of fronts. It tests payment compliance, filing compliance and reporting compliance. Some 400 cases were allocated to the various regions and to large cases division. Most of these cases...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: I have already issued a press statement regarding the end of November Exchequer returns, which is available on my Department's website. The results for the first 11 months of the year indicate that the public finances remain in a sound position. Tax Revenue, at €36,879 million, was just over €1.7 billion or 4.9% ahead of profile at end November. Year on year tax receipts were up 10.7%...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that arising from the Clerical Medical Insurance-NIB inquiry, 465 cases have been targeted for investigation. To date, 306 cases have been settled on payment of tax, interest and penalties amounting to a total of €53.65 million, of which €4.95 million was paid during 2005. A further 121 cases have been finalised with no additional liability...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (13 Dec 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am broadly satisfied with the rate of both financial and physical implementation of the national development plan, NDP. The monitoring committee for the national development plan and the community support framework meets this week to consider progress on the NDP overall to end June 2005. It is estimated that approximately €39 billion or some 88% of the profiled expenditure for the period...