Results 4,161-4,180 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: The capital envelope for the Finance Group of Votes (other than the OPW, who will reply separately) for the period 2006-2010 is €20 million per annum, as published in the 2006 Public Capital Programme. This broadly comprises €10 million each per annum for the Finance Vote and the Revenue Commissioners Vote, though this distribution may vary over the period according to their respective...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: My Department has no definite plans for software procurement in the second half of 2006. If any requirements emerge, they will be sought through normal procurement exercises. My Department has recently issued a Request for Quotes for PCs to be procured during the second half of 2006, to the five suppliers who qualified under the Public Service wide PC Framework Agreement. My Department does...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 308, 309 and 311 together. The information technology purchasing policy of my Department is to ensure that all procurements comply with procurement law, provide value for money and fitness for purpose, and to comply with all applicable standards. My Department procures, where appropriate, from Public Service-wide framework contracts. However, no categorisation...

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: The total number of information technology procurement contracts put in place by my Departments in 2005 was eleven. The total of these contracts was 259,957 Euro. The average was 23,632 Euro; and the median was 8,929 Euro.

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: It is understood from recent media reports that the US authorities as a means of identifying terrorist financing have had access to information from a financial industry owned co-operative based in Belgium that transmits electronic messages among banks worldwide to facilitate financial transactions. My Department was not aware of this data transfer until these press reports were published in...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: The seafarer's allowance, which is provided for under section 472B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, applies to the shipping industry and under EU rules constitutes a State Aid. The allowance of €6,350 at the marginal rate applies to seafarers who are at sea on a voyage to or from a foreign port for at least 161 days in total in a tax year on a passenger or cargo ship which is registered...

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Government in mid 2004 decided to reform construction procurement so as to help achieve greater cost certainty, better value for money and more cost effective delivery of public works projects. My Department, with the assistance of the Government Contracts Committee for Construction (GCCC), specialist legal drafters and external technical expertise, has now developed a suite of Standard...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: As I pointed out in my reply to Question No. 311 of 21 February, 2006, it is not the normal practice of my Department to make statements on former or current members of staff of the Department. In relation to the letter referred to, this was forwarded by my Department to the Public Accounts Committee on 5 July, 1995 to assist the Committee in its consideration of a number of matters that had...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: I have received this letter and am preparing a detailed response. The issue of bye-laws for the control of dogs at heritage properties in State care is a matter for the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government, who hold the policy function for Heritage Properties, and the Office of Public Works who administer these properties. Both bodies are jointly considering how best to...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: I have no plans to introduce a new tax break for the provision of community facilities. As I have indicated previously, while I am a supporter of properly focused, clearly defined specific tax reliefs, reliefs narrow the tax base. A broad tax base is the price that must be paid to keep tax rates low. Any proposal for new tax reliefs would have to be considered in this context. Nonetheless, a...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: I would like to explain that charities and non-profit groups engaged in non-commercial activity are exempt from VAT under the EU Sixth VAT Directive, with which Irish VAT law must comply. This means they do not charge VAT on the services they provide and cannot recover VAT incurred on goods and services that they purchase. Essentially only VAT registered businesses which charge VAT are able...

Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: My Department has been informed by the Financial Regulator that the position in relation to the PIPS scheme remains unchanged since the subject was raised in the House earlier this year. Under legislation giving effect to Directive 93/22/EEC of 10 May 1993 (the Investment Services Directive) and other relevant EU legislation, the sale of investment products and the provision of investment...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that each year all PAYE workers receive in the post a tax credit certificate setting out their entitlements to tax relief according to Revenue's records. A leaflet accompanying the certificate contains information about the main tax credits/reliefs available to PAYE workers (including medical expenses, rent relief and refuse charges) and how to go...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that in the absence of a claim from a taxpayer, Revenue has no way of knowing that an individual is entitled to an additional tax credit. There is, therefore, no basis on which the monetary value of unclaimed tax reliefs can be determined. I would add, however, that procedures for allowing some of the more significant credits/reliefs to PAYE workers...

Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: A Primary Medical Certificate is required by a person to benefit from the car tax concessions under the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme. The Primary Medical Certificate (from the Senior Area Medical Officer of the appropriate local Health Service Executive administrative area) certifies for the purposes of the scheme, as set down in the 1994 Regulations, that...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: Stamp duty is a tax on certain documents, generally legal documents, used in transferring property or in creating rights for the parties concerned. The stamp duty code generally does not provide exemptions based on an individual's particular circumstances and introducing such a provision would represent a significant departure from normal stamp duty rules. However, I have been advised by the...

Written Answers — Motor Fuels: Motor Fuels (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the information to be furnished on VAT returns does not require the yield from particular sectors of trade to be identified. However, it is estimated that the amount of VAT received on auto diesel and petrol in each of the past five years is as shown in the table below: 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 €m €m €m ...

Leaders' Questions. (5 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: Except the Opposition.

Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: It is a pity that when such debates are held, we do not have a two way debate but rather considerable interjection and heckling from the Members opposite, as I observed last night and tonight. It is a tactic which continues to be employed. Presumably, the consultants from the United States reckon it is the getting them somewhere.

Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)

Brian Cowen: As far as the Government is concerned, we will defend our record of solid achievement. The country is in a different position from the one it was in in 1997 when we took office and since 2002, significant progress has been made. It is not clever or true to say every problem is solved or that every Government solved every problem.