Results 3,741-3,760 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Special Savings Incentive Scheme: Special Savings Incentive Scheme (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: My Department has been analysing the potential effects of the maturing of the SSIA scheme on the economy. The impact will crucially depend on how the savings and the monthly subscriptions are used. Unfortunately, projecting the likely spend-save ratio is a difficult task, not least because it is not possible to draw on previous domestic experience as a basis for anticipating the effect....

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: I have no proposals for the Information Commissioner to be consulted in relation to the merits of extending the FOI Act to the bodies mentioned by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: I would like to state the Government's full commitment to the decentralisation programme. The Decentralisation Implementation Group chaired by Mr. Finbarr Flood was established to drive the process forward and to oversee its effective delivery. The Group, recognising that it would not be feasible for all organisations to move at the same time, proposed phasing arrangements and revised...

Written Answers — Social Partnership: Social Partnership (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware talks on a new national partnership agreement to follow Sustaining Progress are ongoing and it would be imprudent to make any detailed statement at this stage about these talks which cover a wide range of issues. However, I might reiterate what I have said recently and that is that we can only pay ourselves what productivity allows if we are to maintain our...

Written Answers — Social Finance: Social Finance (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: As I set out in my reply to Question No. 60 on 30 March 2006, the aim of the initiative is to give an impetus to the development of, and make a real contribution to expanding, Social Finance provision in Ireland. The Social Finance initiative will, therefore, complement the wide range of measures that are currently in place to promote and assist community infrastructure and local development,...

Written Answers — Insurance Products: Insurance Products (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: My Department received correspondence on this issue yesterday from the Department of Social And Family Affairs and will be arranging discussions on the issues raised in relation to income continuance plans. The Deputy may be interested to note that Insurance Undertakings providing income continuance policies are regulated by the Financial Regulator. As such the provisions of the proposed...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 126 together. The one parent family tax credit is a credit that can be claimed by a single parent (whether widowed, single, deserted, separated or divorced) who has a dependent child resident with him/her for the whole or part of the relevant tax year. A child includes a child of the claimant, a stepchild, a formally adopted child, an informally...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Government is firmly committed to ensuring openness and transparency in relation to information held by public bodies, consistent with the right to privacy and the public interest. These principles are enshrined in the Freedom of Information [FOI] Act and have been central to the modernisation programme of the last decade and more. Since April 1998, FOI has been extended from 67 bodies to...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: Exchequer receipts for VAT to end-April 2006 amounted to €4,409 million. This was 11.6 per cent ahead of the same period last year but 2 per cent below the target for end-April published by my Department on 1 February last. Details of the Exchequer VAT receipts to end-April (to the nearest € million) for each of the other years specified by the Deputy are as follows: Year €m ...

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: It may be appropriate for certain commercial State Bodies to advertise as mentioned, having regard to their commercial remit. The same reasons might not generally apply in relation to non-commercial State or Statutory Bodies. However, the activities of such Bodies are a matter for the relevant body itself, taking account of its statutory remit, its governance structure and the Code of Ethics...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: Exchequer returns showed that net capital spending by Departments and Offices at end April 2006 of €941m inclusive of €240m in capital carryover was €103 million or 10% behind profile. The Departments which mainly account for this underspend are: Health Service Executive — an underspend of €43m, Environment — an underspend of €34m, both due to timing factors; OPW — an...

Written Answers — Consumer Credit: Consumer Credit (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: Under the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Act 2003 the Financial Regulator exercises important consumer protection powers under the Consumer Credit Act 1995, including the licensing of money lenders. The Act also provides for monitoring by the Regulator of the provision of credit to consumers. The Financial Regulator is committed under its Strategic Plan 2006 to...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Decentralisation Implementation Group was established to drive the Decentralisation Programme forward and to oversee its effective delivery. In 2005 the Group, recognising that it would not be feasible for all organisations to move at the same time, proposed phasing arrangements and revised timeframes out to 2009 for civil service organisations. These arrangements were accepted by...

Written Answers — Special Savings Incentive Scheme: Special Savings Incentive Scheme (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that based on preliminary declarations by all qualifying savings managers, the total number of active accounts at 31 December 2005 was 1,082,265 and the average monthly subscription was €196. This is the latest date for which figures are available. The Revenue Commissioners are currently processing SSIA details supplied by financial institutions in...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the additional revenue likely to accrue to the Exchequer arising from the increase in the price of petrol and other oil products relates to the VAT portion of the increased price since the start of the year. The revenue collected from mineral oil excises does not fluctuate with price changes. The estimated yield of additional VAT over and above...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: Firstly I would like to state the Government's full commitment to the decentralisation programme. There has been a substantial amount of media coverage in recent times in relation to the decentralisation programme. Much of that coverage has been speculative and most of it has been misinformed. This Government is working towards full implementation of the decentralisation programme and I am...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 139 together. I attended the Council of Economics and Finance Ministers of the EU, or Ecofin as it is popularly referred to, in Brussels on 5 May 2006. The meeting was attended by representatives of all 25 EU Member States and of Bulgaria and Romania. The Council agreed its comments on the economic aspects of the EU's sustainable development strategy....

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (23 May 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). Maintaining a moderate rate of inflation remains a key priority of economic policy because of its importance in restoring competitiveness. The Government is doing...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Government's policy on completion of the programme is unchanged. I have no plans to change the scale or scope of the Decentralisation programme. Over 10,600 civil and public servants have applied to the Central Applications Facility. The figures confirm that this is a popular programme among staff. To date some 1,500 people have been assigned to posts destined for new locations and are...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (23 May 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that preparations for the movement of staff to Listowel are on target. Actual movement to Listowel, however, is dependent on the Office of Public Works (OPW) providing suitable accommodation. The OPW are in negotiations with a developer for a suitable property at this time and it is envisaged that the indicative timescale set out in the...