Results 5,301-5,320 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Government has always said that the Decentralisation Programme is a voluntary one. We are fully cognisant of the fact that it fundamentally impacts on the staff in the organisations affected, on their career choices and their expectations. What is required therefore is both a successful business outcome and an outcome which meets the needs of the staff involved — both those who wish to...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the taxpayer in question held two employments in 2006 and that a P60, which should be supplied by her employer, in respect of her current employment is required before any assessment of arrears can be determined. Her local tax District has no record of any approach from her, and in the absence of information from her P60, they can do nothing to...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I should explain that Directive 2006/112/EC is a recast of the EU VAT Directives which replaces and repeals the First VAT Directive and the Sixth VAT Directive. There are no substantive changes to Irish VAT law arising from the recast of these EU VAT Directives, as the objective of the recast is to provide a single simplified legislative base. In this regard, I made Regulations last December...

Written Answers — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: Generally, the amount of VRT to be paid on a kit-car is determined by the Revenue Commissioners and is comparable to the amount payable in respect of a conventional car of the same size and specification. I understand that a specialist consultant is engaged by the Revenue Commissioners to assist in this determination. It is ascertained by reference to the type of kit used in the manufacture...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: Interest on borrowings is allowable as a deductible expense in calculating tax on rental income from residential property. Figures of loan interest allowable on borrowings taken out for investment in house property are not separately identified in tax statistics, and it is not therefore possible for the Revenue Commissioners to provide the information requested by the Deputy in relation to...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: Under the Dormant Accounts Act 2001 and the Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Act 2003, credit institutions and insurance undertakings are required, each April, to transfer to the National Treasury Management Agency, all monies falling dormant in the previous year. Each credit institution and insurance undertaking is also required under the legislation to keep a register of their dormant...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: The National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013 was launched by the Government on the 23rd of January, 2007 in Dublin Castle. At the present time not all of the invoices for the various services related to the production of the document and for the launch have been received. However, it is estimated that the total cost of the production of the NDP document and of the launch was some €340,000....

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the person's claim was received by them on 5 December 2006. The claim has now been processed and a cheque for the refund due will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together. Section 473 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 allows income tax relief at the standard rate for rent paid in respect of a residential premises held under a tenancy. Different ceilings apply depending on the marital status and age of the claimant. The relief applies where there is a payment in the nature of rent made in return for the...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: The 'Rent-a-Room' scheme affords relief from income tax in respect of gross receipts of up to €7,620 per annum from the letting by an individual of a room or rooms in the individual's sole or main residence. I announced in Budget 2007 that, from 1 January 2007, I intended to close off use of the scheme in the way described by the Deputy. Accordingly, the Finance Bill 2007 provides that the...

Written Answers — Official Travel: Official Travel (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I made three official trips by commercial airline during 2006. Details of these are set out in the following table. Date of outward Journey Date of Return Journey Route Travelled Destination 10/03/2006 21/03/2006 Dublin — London Heathrow — Hong Kong — Sydney — Hong Kong — London Heathrow — Dublin Australia 30/05/2006 31/05/2006 Dublin — Knock — Dublin Knock 09/10/2006...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I should explain that not-for-profit organisations are exempt from VAT under the EU VAT Directive with which Irish law must comply. This means that non-profit making organisations do not charge VAT on their services and cannot recover VAT on goods and services which they purchase. Essentially only VAT registered businesses which charge VAT are able to recover VAT. The VAT Act lists a range of...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (6 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: The following table sets out details of contracts awarded by my Department to the company, referred to in the Deputy's question, for the period 2000 to 2006. All of these contracts were properly advertised and awarded in a transparent manner. I have asked the relevant bodies under my Department for details of any contracts awarded to this company during the period 2000 to 2006, and on receipt...

Decentralisation Programme. (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy will be aware, 30 State agencies are due to relocate under the Government's decentralisation programme. Some 2,340 posts are involved, or just over one fifth of the programme. The decentralisation implementation group, DIG, did not set a specific timeframe for State agencies as it believed that it was the responsibility of the board and senior management of each agency to...

Decentralisation Programme. (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: As I said, we believe the outstanding industrial relations issues can only be dealt with in the context of a centralised discussion with ICTU, at that level rather than at individual State agency level, which has been the case up to now. The DIG, which has responsibility for moving this forward, has suggested to us, and we have agreed, to pursue proposals directly with ICTU for getting...

Decentralisation Programme. (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: We are hopeful that discussions with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions at a central level will help resolve these matters, rather than dealing with individual State agencies and unions that represent individual groups of staff. It is important to understand the process in place to manage the issue of staff remaining in Dublin. Staff will come on stream in Dublin on a phased basis as their...

Decentralisation Programme. (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: Of the 6,000 general Civil Service posts being moved out of Dublin, approximately 3,400 applicants are coming from Dublin. This is only a snapshot of the central applications facility and it is changing all the time. There is a significant turnover each year at the clerical grades and junior management grades in the general service, where the majority of staff are employed. Therefore, we...

Decentralisation Programme. (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am going through each detail. The turnover at senior levels is not as great, but the overall numbers at that level are smaller and can be managed over time. The phasing has been arranged so that the locations with the best take-up are moving early. The Department of Finance is currently analysing retirement patterns over its transition phase and has been liaising with Departments and...

Economic Competitiveness. (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am aware of the report by the Central Bank and welcome its broadly positive assessment of the Irish economy. The best measure of underlying inflation is the EU comparable measure of inflation, known as the harmonised index of consumer prices. Average HICP inflation in Ireland was 2.7% in 2006 and my Department is forecasting HICP inflation averaging 2.6% in 2007. The annual rate of...

Economic Competitiveness. (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: In ten years we have seen unprecedented economic growth, massive employment and relative price stability. Since we have come into the eurozone, there has been a divergence in inflation, which drifted to 3.2% higher than the average at one stage, but came down to zero in 2005 before going back to 0.5% in 2006. There have been recent interest rate increases which have fed into the inflation...