Results 3,121-3,140 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

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

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the taxpayer was telephoned by his local tax office directly on Friday 24 September 2006. All his inquiries have been addressed and revised tax credit certificates for him, his employer and his pension provider are being issued.

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

Brian Cowen: Irish legislation on money laundering is set out in the Criminal Justice Act 1994, as amended. Primary responsibility for legislation in this area rests with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. This legislation and relevant regulations made by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform implemented the EU money laundering directives of 1991 and 2001 in Ireland. The...

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

Brian Cowen: Inflation here is running at close to historically low levels. The level of employment is at an all-time high and the unemployment rate is the lowest in the EU. The Deputy's concerns therefore are misplaced. Nonetheless, it is vital to retain competitiveness and this Government's policies are aimed at this, via correct fiscal policies, no excise increases and the progressive removal of...

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

Brian Cowen: The Director General of the Central Statistics Office, CSO, has sole responsibility for and is independent in deciding the statistical methodology and professional standards to be used in compiling the consumer price index, CPI. The CPI is designed to measure the change in the average level of the prices paid by consumers for goods and services. It measures in index form the monthly changes...

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

Brian Cowen: To date, more than 1,150 civil servants have been assigned to decentralising posts. This represents 16% of the overall number of approximately 7,200 Civil Service posts earmarked for decentralisation. Many of them are located in Dublin for a transition period to enable effective transfer of skills and knowledge and to ensure quality customer service continues to be delivered as...

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

Brian Cowen: A special interdepartmental review group reviewed the operation of the disabled drivers scheme. The terms of reference of the group were to examine the operation of the existing scheme, including the difficulties experienced by the various groups and individuals involved with it, and to consider the feasibility of alternative schemes, with a view to assisting the Minister for Finance in...

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

Brian Cowen: The director general of the Central Statistics Office has sole responsibility for and is independent in deciding the statistical methodology and professional standards to be used in compiling the consumer price index. Maintaining a moderate rate of inflation remains a key priority of economic policy because of its importance in restoring competitiveness. I made no changes to indirect taxes in...

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

Brian Cowen: I am aware of the concerns of the person referred to by the Deputy and have received representations from others regarding the inclusion of the donations scheme in the list of specified reliefs to be covered by the new restriction on the use of tax reliefs, which is due to come into effect on 1 January 2007. The issue was also raised during Committee Stage of the Finance Bill last week and...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (28 Feb 2006)

Brian Cowen: Each Department is replying individually regarding to the North-South Implementation Bodies under its aegis. This Department has responsibility for the special EU programmes body. Employment procedures are a matter for the body but I understood that there have been no complaints in this regard.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (1 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that it is not possible to supply a complete listing of all food items which are subject to the 21% rate of VAT. In general, under paragraph (xii) of the Second Schedule to the Value Added Tax Act, 1972, most food sold by retail shops is liable to the zero rate of VAT. This includes most basic foodstuffs, for example, bread, butter, tea, sugar, meat,...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (1 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: Stamp duty is a charge on documents, which are mostly legal documents, used in the transfer of property. Where a property is purchased or swapped, stamp duty is charged on the conveyance or transfer effecting change of legal ownership of the property concerned. Under the stamp duty code, a builder or developer can obtain a licence from a vendor to build on land owned by the vendor without...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (1 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the number and value of drug seizures made by customs officers at Dublin, Shannon and Cork Airports in each of the past five years is as follows: Year No. of Seizures Value â'¬ 2001 361 3,532,700 2002 274 4,173,500 2003 381 5,157,000 2004 1,302 4,725,100 2005 1,110 5,507,700 In total, Customs have made 3,428 drug...

Written Answers — Customs Staff: Customs Staff (1 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that there are 71 customs officers based at Dublin Airport. This figure includes officers engaged on both enforcement and trade facilitation work. Additionally, for special enforcement operations, the Dublin Airport resource is supported by enforcement officers from locations within the Dublin region. There are 26 at Shannon Airport, which also...

Written Answers — Customs Staff: Customs Staff (1 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: Revenue's Customs service is continuously engaged in the analysis and evaluation of seizure trends, routes and smuggling risks and consequential resource deployment. In the past five years Revenue has relaunched its drugs watch programme and increased its use of drug detector dog teams with the introduction of dog units. X-ray technology is also deployed to detect concealments in baggage and...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (1 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the overall percentage of incorrect tax credit certificates, TCCs, that issued in 2006 was relatively small. Where errors have arisen these have now been corrected and employers have been notified of the revised credits due for the majority of affected employees. Any remaining amended notices will have issued to employers by the end of this...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (1 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I take it that the Deputy is referring to public relations and media advice services in the years 2003 to 2005. My special adviser did not engage such services.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (1 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I have no current plans to change the scheme in the way suggested, having just reviewed it. As regards the areas mentioned, there are already very significant supports for the arts and film industries through the tax and public expenditure systems. I believe that demands for changes in any scheme should take account of the overall context.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (2 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: The numbers of self-assessed income earners whose main source of income is from non-PAYE sources are set out as follows. Year Self-Employed income earners 2001 208,100 2002 207,000 2003* 210,000 2004* 212,000 2005* 215,000 * Provisional and subject to revision. The numbers above have been rounded to the nearest 100 as appropriate. The numbers of income earners for the...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (2 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: The current scheme for tax relief on donations to approved bodies, which includes donations made to charities, is governed by section 848(a) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The scheme was introduced in the Finance Act 2001 and claims under the scheme arose from 2002 onwards. Arrangements for allowing tax relief for donations depend on whether the donor is a PAYE taxpayer or an individual...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (2 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: The following table lists the names of all board appointments made by me or my predecessor since March 2001. Name of State Body Name of appointee Central Bank of Ireland (Replaced by CBFSAI on 1 May 2003 Mr. Tom Considine Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (CBFSAI) established 1 May 2003 Mr. John Hurley Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority Mr. Brian...