Results 3,041-3,060 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: As Minister for Finance, I am responsible for the legal framework governing financial regulation. In the context of this legislative framework, the Financial Regulator, which was set up in May 2003, has responsibility for consumer protection issues. I am aware that the Financial Regulator has expressed its concerns about payment protection insurance, PPI. The consumer director in the...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the information requested by the Deputy is as follows: Numbers of income earners on income tax record Year Standard Rate* Higher Rate Number % Number % 2005 641,000 31.6 666,400 32.9 2006** 663,200 32.2 658,100 31.9 *Includes relatively small numbers of income earners entitled to marginal relief. **Assuming the...

Written Answers — Benchmarking Awards: Benchmarking Awards (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: On 13 January 2006 I formally announced the establishment of the Public Service Benchmarking Body as provided for in the second public service agreement under Sustaining Progress to undertake a fundamental examination of the pay of public service employees vis-À-vis the private sector. Agreement was reached with the public service unions on the terms of reference and membership of the...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: As I indicated in my reply to Questions Nos. 303 and 304 on 21 February, I wrote to my ministerial colleagues on 20 October last enclosing a copy of my address of the same date to the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and requesting them to ensure that their Departments take all necessary steps to implement measures set out in my address. My Department has since issued a circular letter to all...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the issue of approximately 2.2 million individual tax credit certificates to PAYE customers has now been completed. Revenue has advised me that each year priority is given initially to the issue of new certificates to employers so that employees get the benefit of changes to tax credits and reliefs announced in the budget in December in their...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am not indisposed to introducing such a relief but I want to make sure any such relief can work, has a positive cost-benefit ratio, and does not open up the VAT system to other very costly demands. That examination is ongoing and I will consider it for next year's budget.

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: Inflation, as measured by annual changes in the consumer price index, CPI, rose to 3% in January from 2.5% in December. The main cause of this increase was the recent rise in interest rates by the ECB. In addition, the price of oil rose throughout most of last year and this had an input on the annual rate of inflation in January. In my recent budget, my Department forecast that CPI inflation...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Public Appointments Service estimates that a small proportion of the 10,600 applications, approximately 380, have been withdrawn from the central applications facility to date. In view of the nature of the programme and the timescales involved, individual circumstances are open to change and therefore application status can fluctuate as the programme is rolled out. The picture will become...

Written Answers — Film Industry Development: Film Industry Development (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: Section 18 of the 2006 Finance Bill provides for an overall increase to 80% in the proportion of the total cost of film production that can qualify for relief under section 841 from the existing levels, which range from 66% for films with budgets of €5.08 million to 55% for bigger budget films. In addition, the ceiling on the amount of section 481 funding that can be raised in respect of an...

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am satisfied that Ministers are aware of the responsibilities and duties of the civil servants who report to them. The Civil Service code of standards and behaviour was introduced in September 2004 in compliance with section 10(3) of the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 and I have no plans to make changes in it. The provisions of the Civil Code of standards and behaviour form part of all...

Written Answers — Credit Unions: Credit Unions (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Credit Union Act 1997 provides the legal framework for the regulation of credit unions. The Act was designed to provide the credit union movement with a regulatory structure that reflected and promoted the particular ethos and philosophy of the credit union movement, its strong tradition of volunteer service and the core objective of providing opportunities for saving and lending for...

Written Answers — Private Sector Debt: Private Sector Debt (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 114 together. The Deputy's question refers to a projection relating to overall private sector debt. In evaluating the financial position of the private sector, it is too narrow an approach to consider the level of indebtedness in isolation from the asset side of the private sector's balance sheet. A high proportion of household indebtedness in Ireland,...

Written Answers — Public Expenditure: Public Expenditure (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: Details of the provisional outturn for 2005 and estimated spending in 2006 are set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2006 published on 23 February. The estimate for total gross expenditure in 2006 is €50,643 million, comprised of €43,876 million in current expenditure and €6,767 million in capital expenditure. The gross provisional outturn for 2005 is €44,943 million...

Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy will be aware that in July 2004, the Government approved, on the initiative of the then Minister for Finance, reduced fees for legal representation at tribunals or inquiries established from September 2004, and to the then-existing tribunals and inquiries with effect from various dates set in the light of consultations between the Attorney General and the chairpersons of each...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: The pension coverage rate for all persons in employment aged between 20 and 69 in the first quarter of 2005 was 51.5%. These figures are based on a survey update module on pensions, which was included in the CSO Quarterly National Household Survey in the first quarter of 2005. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the relevant available information relates to the cost of tax relief...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: The ESRI published its most recent Quarterly Economic Commentary in January 2006. The ESRI is forecasting economic growth this year of 4.7% in GDP terms, and 4.8% in GNP terms. It is forecasting employment growth of 3.2% and an unemployment rate of 4.2%. These forecasts are broadly in line with my own Department's forecasts for 2006, which were published at budget time. On budget day, my...

Written Answers — ICT Projects: ICT Projects (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Centre for Management and Organisation Development, CMOD, in my Department developed procedures for the peer review process and agreed these in meetings with other Departments and offices late last year. A number of projects were identified for early inclusion in the initiative and the review of two of these is now under way and initial work has commenced in two more. The peer review is...

Written Answers — Special Savings Incentive Scheme: Special Savings Incentive Scheme (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that all qualifying savings managers are furnishing their 2005 SSIA annual returns at present. Revenue will shortly begin analysing these returns and it is expected that final details of this analysis will be available at the end of April 2006. All qualifying savings managers have, in advance of the annual return, provided a declaration indicating...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: The interpretation of domestic tax rules is a matter for the relevant authorities of the country concerned. With regard to the normal administration of taxes in Ireland and the US, the relevant double taxation convention between both countries allows for the exchange of information concerning the taxes covered by the convention. As I indicated in response to Question No. 129 of 13 December...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 116 together. In my role as Minister for Finance, I am responsible for the legal framework governing financial regulation. In the context of the regulatory system put in place through the establishment of the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority, IFSRA, under the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland, CBFSAI, Act 2003,...