Results 4,061-4,080 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: This Government has already taken measures that seek to address problems faced by first time buyers. The situation is kept under review each year at budget time. Fiscal measures which support first-time buyers include preferential stamp duty rates for first-time owner-occupiers of second-hand houses, who are exempt from stamp duty on properties valued at €317,500 or less with reduced rates...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (28 Jun 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 — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the most recent relevant information available is in respect of income tax relief allowed for contributions to "retirement annuity contracts" for the income tax year 2002, which are available to the self-employed and to employees not in occupational pension schemes. Obviously the capacity to avail of a tax relief depends on one's income and...

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

Brian Cowen: The primary mechanism for placing general service civil servants who are in posts which are due to decentralise but wish to remain in Dublin is by way of bilateral transfer. As staff who have applied to decentralise continue to be transferred into decentralising organisations, the posts they vacate become available to those wishing to remain in Dublin. It is expected that a significant number...

Written Answers — Public Service Staff: Public Service Staff (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: The following is a breakdown by gender of the staff in each category/grade at Principal level and above in my Department and offices/agencies under the remit of my department: Department of Finance Male Female Secretary General 5 0 Chief Medical Officer 1 0 Assistant Secretary 11 0 Deputy Chief Medical Officer 0 1 Director* 2 1 Principal 44 14 *The Head of...

Written Answers — Economic Growth: Economic Growth (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: My Department is projecting GDP growth of 4.8 per cent this year with broadly similar growth rates in the following two years. Recent stock market changes have not altered this view to any significant degree.

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

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 112 together. As the Deputy will be aware, within the implementation of the overall legislative framework, private sector credit growth and debt levels are, in the first instance, a matter for the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland. This follows from its role as part of the European System of Central Banks and its functions, as the...

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

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that they are not aware of any significant abuses of the so-called "Section 50" scheme of relief for the construction of student accommodation. However, Revenue have noted recent newspaper reports of claims made by the Union of Students in Ireland that some Section 50 apartments are being let to non-students during college terms. I am informed that...

Written Answers — Illegal Imports: Illegal Imports (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that manning levels at points of entry into the State and enforcement strategy generally are continuously monitored and reviewed in line with the perceived threat or risk of evasion. This applies to all areas that the Revenue Commissioners have responsibility for policing including excisable products that include tobacco products and prohibited goods...

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

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the net receipts from stamp duty on credit cards, cash cards and cheques in 2005 were as follows: €m Credit card account and charge card 63.8 ATM card without a 'Laser' function 22.4 'Laser' card without an ATM function 3.3 Combined ATM and 'Laser' card 12.2 Cheques 16.5 Total...

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

Brian Cowen: Over ten and a half thousand civil and public servants applied on the Central Applications Facility to relocate under the government's Decentralisation Programme. Over 9,000 of the applications are from civil servants and over 1,000 are from public servants. Over 50% of the applications are from staff currently based in Dublin. 1,700 civil servants have already been assigned to posts which...

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

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 98 together. Performance indicators at programme and priority level are included in the Operational Programme documents and at measure (and sub-measure) level in the programme complement documents. The monitoring indicators allow progress to be measured in terms of reaching objectives and targets, the impact and results of expenditure and the progress...

Written Answers — Revenue Investigations: Revenue Investigations (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am assuming that the Deputy's question relates to individuals rather than companies. I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that enquiries relating to residence are a feature of the risk-based audit programmes operated by Revenue in 2005 and 2006. I am further advised that in 2005 the Revenue Large Cases Division conducted audits on the income tax returns of 9 individual taxpayers who...

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

Brian Cowen: The goal set for the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) under its establishing legislation, the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000, is to secure the optimal return over the long term, having regard to (a) the purpose of the Fund as set out in section 18(1) of the Act, and (b) the payment requirements of the Fund as provided for under section 20 of the Act, provided the level of risk...

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

Brian Cowen: The National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission is independent of Government in the exercise of its functions. It controls and manages the Fund with discretionary authority to determine and implement the Fund's investment strategy in accordance with the Fund investment policy set out in the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000. This investment policy is effectively a commercial investment...

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

Brian Cowen: The 80% target in An Agreed Programme for Government, which refers to "earners" rather than to "taxpayers", is given in the context of a broader economic and budgetary strategy which provides, among other things, that the public finances will be kept in a healthy condition and that personal and business taxes will be kept down in order to strengthen and maintain the competitive position of...

Written Answers — Public Expenditure: Public Expenditure (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 155 together. On the basis of the end May figures (end June are being prepared and will be published on the 4th of July) the outturn for Voted expenditure in 2006 is expected to be broadly in line with the allocations set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services published on the 23rd of February 2006, except for the reimbursement of long-stay...

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

Brian Cowen: The following table details the Exchequer stamp duty yield in each of the years 2000 to 2005 and in the first five months of 2006 also. Year Stamp Duty €m 2000 1,107 2001 1,227 2002 1,167 2003 1,688 2004 2,088 2005 2,725 2006 (to end-May) 1,293 The large increases in stamp duty receipts over the last number of years are due primarily to the continued...

Written Answers — Public Service Employment: Public Service Employment (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: The CSO Quarterly National Household Survey does not purport to be an indicator of public service employment. The CSO classification of "Public Services" includes sizable private sector elements in the Health and Education sectors including work without a public sector parallel. For example the health sector figure includes private sector health practitioners and providers and also private...

Written Answers — Interest Rates: Interest Rates (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: Interest rates in Ireland remain low in both historic and real terms. House prices are underpinned by fundamentals and modest interest rate changes are generally considered by commentators as unlikely to result in a sharp price reversal. My Department continually monitors developments in the housing market from the point of view of analysing economic and fiscal developments.