Results 361-380 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Budgetary Process. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: The pilot project is still ongoing and an appraisal of it should be forthcoming. I will get the details for the Deputy. I read a fair amount of the supplementary information provided and it appeared the pilot project was underway. Given the multi-annual funding and the envelope system which has been applied to capital projects, and which in some respects was applied in last year's budget to...

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy will be aware, in budget 2005 I announced that my Department, in conjunction with the Revenue Commissioners, would undertake this year a detailed review of certain tax incentive schemes and tax exemptions. There are a number of elements to the review which is already underway. It will evaluate the impact and operation of certain incentive schemes and exemptions including their...

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: I set out in my Budget Statement the reason I decided to take a comprehensive approach, and I stand by that judgment. It is important to examine how we can systemically deal with the idea of high income earners being able to eliminate completely their tax burden. A number of approaches could be considered, not just putting a cap on the relief one could claim. Whatever methodology is decided...

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: That is my honest intention. Rather than considering this matter piecemeal and reacting to whatever issue is more fashionable in any given week or day I intend to consider the entire issue. It would be helpful for the ordinary taxpayer to see what role these schemes play and to see their wider benefits. Successive governments devised these schemes. They were changed and modified and they...

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: The democratic accountability is very clear. Matters are voted on in this House, the Finance Bill is enacted in this House and changes brought forward are decided in this House.

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: That does not bring into question the validity of democratic accountability within the law. One can bureaucratise this democracy out of existence if one wants, and get someone else to do our job. We must take the decisions and make the judgments. We do not have to wait for unanimity or total agreement. One must make a decision and one does so. Democratic debate is about putting forward...

Decentralisation Programme. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: In November 2004 the decentralisation implementation group submitted to me a report identifying those locations and organisations which, in the group's opinion, should be the first to relocate. All the recommendations in that report were accepted by the Government and subsequently published. The full contents are available at www.finance.gov.ie. In the November 2004 report, the implementation...

Decentralisation Programme. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: I do not accept the Deputy's contention. We have taken the decision to introduce a very ambitious programme of decentralisation to change how the Government works. As part of that process, the Government and its agencies will be moved to diverse locations. That decision has been taken and we stand by it since we believe that it was right. We are not washing our hands of the implementation...

Decentralisation Programme. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy takes both sides of the argument, depending on how he sees it progressing. There are some locations where one can see immediate movement possible, with the construction or identification of premises and people ready to relocate. There is also the question of skill sets and getting people with the necessary qualifications. That is a large and very complicated task. Some of the main...

Decentralisation Programme. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: We will have to agree to disagree. I am not abdicating my political responsibility to see this through; the Government intends doing that. The Deputy made an argument regarding my earlier point. If I made a political decision on tax exemptions for stallions, for example, the administrative decision on implementation would be a matter for the Revenue. That does not mean that I am not accepting...

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: As I announced in my Budget Statement, my Department and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners will undertake a detailed review of certain tax incentive schemes and tax exemptions in 2005. This review will evaluate their impact and operation, including their economic and social benefits, for the different locations and sectors involved and the wider community. In addition, the review will...

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: In respect of the existing schemes as they are currently constituted, they will terminate in 2006. That pipped the squeak, so to speak, and we saw what happened in the final months of last year when people finally got the message that there would not be a chance of another 12-month or two-year extension. In respect of existing schemes, the termination dates are fixed. I said we were not...

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: Those interested in making submissions may find it useful to examine the discussion documents of the tax strategy group which are available on the Department's website. Future tax strategy group documents will be available on the site also. It will be a matter for us in the first instance to examine the submissions we receive and what the review outlines. Consultants have yet to be appointed....

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy stated that the industry is already responsible for 12% of GNP. That is a high percentage and I am delighted the domestic construction industry is responsible for it.

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: No, it is because there are over 200,000 people working in the industry. These people are all working here whereas when there were downturns in the industry in the past, they were obliged to go elsewhere. I am delighted we have a buoyant construction sector and that we have twice the capital budget, in terms of a percentage of GNP, of any of our European counterparts. The latter would love to...

Order of Business. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: Progress.

Order of Business. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: That is the oldest Workers Party trick in the book.

Order of Business. (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: On the Hill of Tara.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: The tax incentive for investment in third level education buildings was introduced in the Finance Act 1997. It was provided in the 2004 Finance Act that only expenditure incurred up to 31 July 2006 would qualify for the relief provided that a ministerial certificate approving the project was issued by 31 December 2004. Three outstanding applications were under examination by my Department in...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (1 Feb 2005)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 141 together. On budget day I highlighted the evolution of the US current account deficit as one of the main risks facing the Irish economy. The main channel through which the US trade-current account position affects the Irish economy is through potential movements in the euro-dollar exchange rate. At present, this bilateral rate is at €1 equals...