Results 3,081-3,100 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

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

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

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

Brian Cowen: The Revenue Commissioners' study, Effective Tax Rates of the Top 400 Earners: Report for the Tax Year 2001, was published by my Department in March last year. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that their report on a study of the effective tax rates of the top 400 earners in 2002 is near completion. This will be published by my Department in due course.

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

Brian Cowen: I refer the Deputy to my reply to a similar Parliamentary Question from Deputy Costello on 9 November 2005 which set out the background to this issue with regard to ongoing contacts with the European Commission. With regard to the future of the tax exemption for stallion fees, I announced in my Budget Statement of 7 December 2005 that this provision will be discontinued from 31 July 2008, the...

Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: I presume that the Deputy means to refer to an extension of the persons eligible for the disabled drivers and disabled passengers tax concessions according to their disability status. The disability criteria for eligibility for the tax concessions under this scheme are set out in the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994. A person must be severely and...

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

Brian Cowen: During the course of 2004 and 2005 the tax relief for stallion stud fees as provided for under section 231 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 was the subject of ongoing discussions between the Irish authorities and the European Commission, with particular regard to the State aid aspects of the relief. In that context, the policy background to the tax scheme was considered extensively. No...

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

Brian Cowen: The latest figures from the central applications facility show there is very substantial interest in the programme. To date there have been over 10,600 applications made to the central applications facility. Of these, over 50% are from Dublin based staff. New applications for decentralisation continue to be received and over 1,300 new applications have been received since September 2004....

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

Brian Cowen: As outlined to the Dáil on 1 June 2005, I asked the chairman of the Revenue Commissioners to monitor the application of the current non-resident rules through examination of cases handled in the Revenue's large cases division and to provide me with a report once this examination was complete. The chairman has recently advised me that the Revenue's large cases division has finalised its...

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

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the Ansbacher review team has been carrying out detailed investigations since October 1999. The investigation has essentially two elements, Ansbacher type arrangements and other cases involving offshore funds and deposits. Revenue has advised that the review team has inquired into 289 cases and, to date, 201 of these cases have been finalised....

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

Brian Cowen: I am satisfied that good progress continues to be made on this ambitious programme. I am particularly pleased with the continuing popularity of the programme among public servants. There are about 10,600 applications on the central applications facility to date and new applications are being received each week. I refer the Deputy to the decentralisation implementation group's July 2005 report...

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

Brian Cowen: The national pensions reserve fund commission is independent of Government in the exercise of its functions. Under the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000, it controls and manages the fund with discretionary authority to determine and implement the fund's investment strategy. This investment strategy is based on a commercial investment mandate with the objective of securing the optimal...

Written Answers — Budgetary Process: Budgetary Process (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: I announced the Government's proposals for budgetary reform in my Budget Statement in December 2005. I have written to the Opposition finance spokespersons to invite them to a briefing on these proposals for reform, as I said I would on budget day. I have received a number of replies to my invitations and I am considering how best to advance this matter taking account of those replies.

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

Brian Cowen: Lack of financial knowledge, particularly on initiating the transaction, and the need to provide suitable identification documents in order to open an account are frequently identified as the main obstacles faced by those on lower incomes when attempting to access financial services. Financial institutions are obliged under the Criminal Justice Act, 1994 to take reasonable measures to...

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

Brian Cowen: When the decentralisation programme was announced by my predecessor he appointed a decentralisation implementation group to drive the process forward. The group's terms of reference include the examination of how decentralisation might enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service. The implementation group asked that all organisations participating in the programme prepare...

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

Brian Cowen: I have no plans to change the scale or scope of the decentralisation programme. In line with the timeframes set out by the decentralisation implementation group in its June report I expect that up to 1,000 people will have decentralised to 11 locations by end 2006 or early 2007. I do not accept the Deputy's view that there has been a poor response to the programme. On the contrary, the...

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

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the amount of tax either repaid or credited against other tax liabilities of the taxpayer, in respect of the main taxes, for each of the years 2002 to 2005 is as follows: Year PAYE Income Tax (employees) PAYE Income Tax (employers) Non-PAYE Income Tax Corporation Tax VAT â'¬million â'¬million â'¬million ...

Written Answers — Civil Service Code of Standards: Civil Service Code of Standards (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Civil Service code of standards and behaviour was drawn up and promulgated in September 2004 pursuant to section 10(11) of the Standards in Public Office Act 2001. It applies only to civil servants and forms part of their terms of employment. Before the promulgation of this code the Civil Service was governed by a set of principles and standards known as the personnel code. The personnel...

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

Brian Cowen: As the details of any compensation package have not yet been finalised for those farmers who have grown beet in the past, in respect of the cessation of this activity it is not possible at this stage to give a definitive view of the matter. This position is being kept under ongoing review and, as soon as the matter is finalised, Revenue will issue a statement about the tax treatment of any...

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

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners the number of income earners expected to be on the income tax records in 2006 with gross incomes in excess of €200,000 is projected at 17,800. It is assumed the Deputy wishes to ascertain the amount of income tax directly attributable to the top rate of income tax, which is currently set at 42%. As the application of the tax rates in a tax...

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: The amount spent on advertising by my Department in national newspapers in each of the last five years is shown in tabular form. Year Cost of Advertising in National Newspapers â'¬ 2001 1,904,500 2002 1,070,500 2003 82,200 2004 301,900 2005 93,700 The national newspapers in which this advertising was placed include the Evening Herald, the Irish Examiner, the Irish...

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

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners they became aware in 2005 that VAT was being inconsistently applied in the private waste management sector. Indeed, compliant members of the trade wanted the Revenue Commissioners to ensure consistency of treatment across the industry. There was a lack of clarity on the part of some private operators about the application of VAT to the landfill levy....