Results 4,101-4,120 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

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

Brian Cowen: I have no plans to introduce a tax on second homes. If any such proposal were to be made it would be necessary to consider the possible impact not only on the demand for such houses but also on the supply of new residences and on employment and output in the construction sector generally. The history of taxation intervention in the residential property market over the past ten years has shown...

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

Brian Cowen: As I indicated in my reply to question 12386/06 on 30 March I wrote to my Ministerial colleagues on 20th October last enclosing a copy of my address of the same date to the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and requesting them to ensure that their Departments take all the necessary steps to implement the measures set out in my address. My Department issued a Circular Letter to all Departments on 25...

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

Brian Cowen: The Decentralisation Implementation Group last published a report to government in June 2005. I met with the Chair of the Implementation Group recently to receive an update in relation to the progress being made in the implementation of the programme, the issues arising in the implementation of the programme, and to restate the Government's commitment to the implementation of the programme in...

Written Answers — Budgetary Process: Budgetary Process (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: In my Budget speech last December, I set out the Government's proposals for reforming the budgetary process. As I said I would on Budget Day, I subsequently wrote to the opposition Finance spokespersons and the Party Whips on 20 December last to invite them to a briefing on the Government's proposals for reform. A briefing session on the reform process for all the Opposition Finance...

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

Brian Cowen: The officials in my Department are in the process of examining this report. The findings will be taken into consideration among other things, as part of the ongoing review of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.

Written Answers — Special Savings Incentive Scheme: Special Savings Incentive Scheme (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: The SSIAs were introduced in the 2001 Finance Act and give a credit to all SSIA investors of 25%. The aim of the SSIA scheme was to encourage savings. This aim has been successfully achieved with over 1.1 million persons availing of the special scheme. It is widely acknowledged that one of the reasons for the success of the SSIA scheme was its simplicity. It was clearly stated from the very...

Written Answers — Policy Proposal Costings: Policy Proposal Costings (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy will be aware, for many years and with the agreement of successive Ministers for Finance, the Department has made available a facility for costing proposals of political parties on a confidential basis. The arrangements were reviewed following the last General Election and a report on the matter is now on my Department's website. The recommendations contained in the Report are...

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

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the relevant available information relates to the cost of tax relief on pension contributions by employers, employees and self-employed and the exemption from tax of income and gains in the pension funds. This information, together with the numbers of employee and self-employed contributors, is provided for the ten income tax years 1993-94 to...

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

Brian Cowen: Interest rates are currently very low in historical terms, and the recent increases would appear to have had a limited impact on the economy so far. Future impacts depend on the scale of any further increases and on the state of the EU and world economy generally at the time.

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

Brian Cowen: Interest rates are currently very low in historical terms, and the recent increases would appear to have had a limited impact on the economy so far. Future impacts depend on the scale of any further increases and on the state of the EU and world economy generally at the time.

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

Brian Cowen: The following are the number of staff in general service grades from Principal to Clerical Officer in my Department who have resigned each year from 2002 to date: Department of Finance 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Principal Officer 0 0 0 0 0 Assistant Principal 0 1 0 0 0 Higher Executive Officer 0 0 0 0 0 Administrative Officer 2 1 1 1 0 Executive Officer 1...

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

Brian Cowen: The Government's policy on property taxation is reviewed as part of the annual budget and Finance Bill cycle, taking into consideration circumstances of the housing market and economy as a whole. In Budget 2006, I announced the termination of a range of property-based tax schemes, in light of a comprehensive review of this area conducted in 2005. The policy consideration referred to by the...

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

Brian Cowen: My Department monitors expenditure on its programmes on an ongoing basis throughout the year. In addition, my Department has completed a procurement improvement project in the last 12 months. As regards formal evaluations, the Department has, in the last 12 months, completed and published two evaluations under the Expenditure Review Initiative (ERI), of the Change Management Fund and the...

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

Brian Cowen: In the case of the sale of farmland stamp duty is payable on the purchase price. Where the purchase price exceeds the exempt threshold of €10,000 stamp duty is payable at rates ranging from 1% to 9% on the amount of the purchase price as set out in the attached table. The 9% rate applies where the purchase price is over €150,000. A lease of farmland is chargeable to stamp duty on the...

Written Answers — Revenue Commissioners' Audits: Revenue Commissioners' Audits (28 Jun 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the details in relation to the audits settled under their random audit programmes from 2000 to 2005 are as follows: Year of Programme Number of Cases Selected Number of Cases Settled Number of Cases Providing Extra Yield Yield € 2000 402 437 95 626,564 2001 1,000 740 230 3,381,890 2002 1,000 720 229 2,879,121 ...

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

Brian Cowen: A person who holds a credit card account with a credit card provider pays stamp duty on that credit card account once for each 12 month period ending on 1 April each year. Where a person cancels a credit card account within a 12 month period he/she pays the charge at the time of cancellation. This means that, in respect of any credit card account, an individual will only pay once for the year...

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

Brian Cowen: The following table sets out the Exchequer Stamp duty receipts in each of the last five years. Year Stamp Duty €m 2001 1,227 2002 1,167 2003 1,688 2004 2,088 2005 2,725 The large increases in Stamp duty receipts over the last number of years are due primarily to the continued buoyancy of the property market.

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

Brian Cowen: The following table sets out the Exchequer capital gains tax receipts in each of the past five years. Year CGT €m 2001 880 2002 627 2003 1,443 2004 1,516 2005 1,960 The Budget day target for capital gains tax in 2006 is €2,035 million. While it is now expected that capital gains tax receipts will come in ahead of target this year, it is not possible to say...

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

Brian Cowen: The following table sets out the Exchequer capital acquisitions tax receipts in each of the past five years. Year CAT €m €m 2001 169 2002 150 2003 214 2004 190 2005 249 The Budget day target for Exchequer receipts from capital acquisitions tax in 2006 is €260 million.

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

Brian Cowen: Since 2003, expenditure profiles for all Departmental Vote Groups for the year ahead are published in January and my Department monitors expenditure against these profiles. Each Department and Office reports projected net current and net capital expenditure figures on an issues basis immediately prior to the end of each month. These figures are also included in the Exchequer Statement which...