Results 4,041-4,060 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Industrial Disputes. (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy asks me to get into a high level of detail. The problem is that we have a stand-off whereby we have not been able to get down to the business of ascertaining the number of staff who want to move as distinct from those who have been told to stand back from the situation until they see where the industrial relations process is bringing them. We are moving to a situation beyond having...

Industrial Disputes. (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy is aware of how this process works. As a former Minister for Enterprise and Employment, when a dispute or issue arose, he took the proper advice to stay out of the individual situation and let the parties sit down——

Industrial Disputes. (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: With respect, we are trying to proceed with an implementation of a programme which has these complexities attaching to it. There was a stand-off but an IR process is proceeding. The parties should be allowed to discuss those issues in the next two months. If the issues are unresolved, let them go to the Labour Court. We should await the recommendations that come from that process so we can...

Industrial Disputes. (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: The decentralisation implementation group has identified early movers and bodies that can proceed with some degree of speed and in which one can see how the matter can be progressed in the context of property solutions and the staff being trained and transferred to other Departments. It is not a question of everything stopping until everything goes. Some bodies are less problematic and can...

Industrial Disputes. (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: Other Deputies have been able to listen to my response without interrupting. It is very irritating. I do not know why the Deputy keeps interrupting me. A parallel agreement in respect of professional and technical grades similar to the general grades is being discussed. As I stated with regard to the State agency sector, promotions must take account of the reality of decentralisation. We must...

Written Answers — Tax Incentive Schemes: Tax Incentive Schemes (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: This relief was introduced in Finance Act 2001 and came into effect in May 2002. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that for the tax year 2003 and earlier years claims for the relief mentioned in the question were aggregated in tax returns with other claims and could not be distinguished from the reliefs claimed in respect of different schemes. Accordingly, the specific information on...

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

Brian Cowen: There are no precise details on the numbers claiming such status although it is considered that the numbers are relatively small. The Revenue Commissioners audited nine such claims in 2005 and found nothing amiss. The Revenue Commissioners tell me that a fuller picture of such claims will be available from October next when information on non-residence now required on tax forms since 2002...

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

Brian Cowen: The issue of allowing businesses to deduct VAT on conference related business expenses has been raised on a number of occasions in recent years. The Government's tourism action plan implementation group has recommended a change in the VAT rules to allow for the deductibility of VAT incurred by businesses on conference related expenditure, that is, hotel accommodation and meals. In this...

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

Brian Cowen: I have no plans to carry out a formal review of the decentralisation programme under the value for money and policy review process. As the Deputy will be aware, my predecessor announced in his Budget speech in December, 1999 that the Government intended to proceed with a new, more radical, programme of decentralisation. Since that announcement, my Department received submissions,...

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

Brian Cowen: This Government acknowledge the continuing cost pressures on parents, particularly those with young children. The Government have substantially increased Child Benefit since coming into office in 1997. From April this year Child Benefit payments have increased to €150 per month for the first and second children and €185 for the third and subsequent children. Overall expenditure on Child...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35, 42, 54, 83, 94 and 111 together. As I indicated when I addressed the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance and the Public Service on June 14th last on the issue of the new NDP, the next Plan will be a high level strategic document setting out at Programme level Government investment priorities over the period to 2013. These priorities will be informed by...

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

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that landlords are liable to Income Tax on their net rental income, which is calculated by reducing gross rents by allowable deductions such as mortgage interest, repairs, maintenance and insurance. By virtue of a provision of this year's Finance Act, from 2006 onwards the deductibility of mortgage interest is dependent on the landlord meeting the...

Written Answers — Ethical Investment Guidelines: Ethical Investment Guidelines (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: Under the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000, the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission controls and is responsible for the investment of the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF). It has discretionary authority to determine the Fund's investment strategy in accordance with the Fund's statutory investment policy of securing the optimal total financial return provided the level of...

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

Brian Cowen: In the new National Partnership agreement "Towards 2016", the Government has agreed, as part of the pay, workplace and employment rights and compliance elements of the agreement, to engage with employers and trade unions in the context of its formulation of a comprehensive approach to future pensions policy. This overall review of pensions policy, which will be facilitated by the Department...

Written Answers — National Pensions Reserve Fund: National Pensions Reserve Fund (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: The National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission, which controls and is responsible for the investment of the National Pensions Reserve Fund, publishes Fund values on a quarterly basis. The latest published figure is for 31 March 2006 when the Fund's value was €16,612m. The equivalent figure for 31 March 2005 was €12,309m. I understand that the Commission will publish figures for 30 June...

Written Answers — Tax Compliance: Tax Compliance (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware I cannot, for reasons of taxpayer confidentiality, comment on the tax affairs of individual cases. I can however confirm that the details of a settlement with a building company, in the sum of €22,169,642, were published yesterday in the latest quarterly list compiled by the Revenue Commissioners in accordance with the provisions of Section 1086 of the Taxes...

Written Answers — Housing Market Regulation: Housing Market Regulation (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: I noted the ECB president's comments. As I have said in previous replies to questions, the Government is doing its part by continuing to run a prudent, stability-oriented budgetary policy which gives us room for manoeuvre in the event of an economic downturn, whatever the cause. We are not borrowing to fund our planned major infrastructural investment programme and this investment will help...

Written Answers — Social Partnership Agreements: Social Partnership Agreements (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: Pay — The public service pay agreement under Towards 2016 provides for a pay increase of 10% over a twenty-seven month period with an initial five months' pay pause. This increase is to apply as follows: ∙3% from 1 December 2006 ∙2% from 1 June 2007 ∙2.5% from 1 March 2008, and ∙2.5% from 1 September 2008. It is estimated that the cumulative cost of implementing these increases is...

Written Answers — State Bodies: State Bodies (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: The level of the fees payable to the non-executive chairpersons of State bodies was revised by Government at its meeting on 20 June 2006. The revised fees are payable with effect from 1 January 2006. The Government decided to increase the fees payable to ordinary board members and directors of State bodies by roughly the amount of the increase payable to senior civil servants in the period...

Written Answers — Home Reversion Products: Home Reversion Products (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: Home reversion products primarily involve the sale of a part of the interest in a property. Unlike Equity Release Mortgages they do not constitute a financial service that would be subject to supervision by the Financial Regulator. At present it is understood that there are two companies who offer this product on the Irish market. Since this activity involves selling part of a home, as...