Results 5,661-5,680 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan

Written Answers — National Asset Management Agency: National Asset Management Agency (9 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: Constant with its overriding commercial mandate as set out in Section 10 of the National Asset Management Agency Act 2009, NAMA has demonstrated its commitment and contribution to the achievement of wider social and economic policy objectives in line with Section 2 of the Act. This includes NAMA's policy to give first option to public bodies on the purchase of property which may be suitable...

Written Answers — Central Bank Investigations: Central Bank Investigations (9 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: In 2011, the Central Bank carried out an initial review of the suitability of sales of payment protection insurance to customers who took out loans to determine if the sales were in compliance with the requirements of the Consumer Protection Code. The Director for Consumer Protection in the Central Bank indicated that, arising from this initial review there were concerns in relation to...

Written Answers — European Financial Stability Facility: European Financial Stability Facility (9 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: Access to funds under the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) can be granted following an application to the EFSF for financial assistance. This assistance will be granted on the basis of a Financial Assistance Facility Agreement. Such an agreement, will be conditional upon the relevant euro-area Member States entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the European...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: The engagement and remuneration of staff of semi-State companies is a matter for those companies. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that it is long established in tax legislation that the remuneration arising from employments under any public institution, any public foundation or under any public corporation or local authority is fully chargeable to income tax and fully within the...

Written Answers — Motor Fuels: Motor Fuels (9 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: Ireland, as with other countries, has experienced an increase in the cost of petrol and auto-diesel. This is an international phenomenon driven by a number of factors including the price of oil on international markets, exchange rates, production costs and refining costs. The rise in oil prices over recent periods reflected additional factors such as geopolitical uncertainty in Northern...

Written Answers — Personal Debt: Personal Debt (9 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: The Expert Group on Mortgage Arrears and Personal Debt ("the Expert Group"), in its final report, recommended that lenders should implement its deferred interest scheme or a variation of it. The Central Bank quarterly residential mortgage data for end December 2011 showed that 82 mortgage holders were participating in Deferred Interest Schemes (DIS) offered by lenders. It should be noted that...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (9 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: Since my appointment as Minister for Finance on 9 March 2011, the following staff have been appointed to my private office: GRADE SALARY SCALE (per annum) Wholetime Equivalent 1 Private Secretary €33,247 - €58,294 1.00 2 Executive Officers (EO) €29,024 - €47,379 1.00 1 Clerical Officer (CO) €23,177- €37,341 1.00 2 Clerical Officers (CO) €23,042 - €36,267 ...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (9 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: The Household Charge is an annual charge introduced by the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and is payable by owners of residential property. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is responsible for the administration of this charge. The Household Charge does not currently come within the scope of the taxes and duties that are covered by the existing...

Written Answers — National Asset Management Agency: National Asset Management Agency (9 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: NAMA is prohibited, by the legislation that established it and by the normal rules of banking confidentiality, from disclosing the identity of debtors or details of their properties. I am therefore unable to comment on the cases referred to in the details supplied. However, I am advised by NAMA that it has exposure to 121 of the over 900 operating hotels in Ireland and has exposure to 20 golf...

Written Answers — EU-IMF Agreement: EU-IMF Agreement (9 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: The most recent Exchequer deficit estimates for the years 2013-2015 were presented in the April 2012 Stability Programme Update. They are also set out in the table below. The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) advises me that a list of outstanding Irish Government bonds can be accessed on its website. Outstanding Irish Government bonds due to mature over the period 2013-2015, as well...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that in the case of the person named, the Revenue Commissioners wrote to him on 25th April 2012 and requested him to complete Returns of income for the years 2008 to 2011 inclusive. He was advised to include all sources of earnings, including pensions, on his Return in respect of himself and his late wife. The Revenue Commissioners do not...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (10 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: The amount on which VAT is chargeable, in accordance with section 37(1) of the Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010, is the total consideration receivable by the supplier, "including all taxes, commissions, costs and charges whatsoever" but not including the VAT itself. VAT is governed by the EU VAT Directive, with which Irish VAT law must comply. Article 78 of the VAT Directive provides...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (10 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: My Department, when releasing records under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 & 2003 provides a schedule of relevant documents. Any documents released by my Department under Freedom of Information Legislation are held in the Department.

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (10 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: The Deputy is referring to a proposal from the European Commission to amend Council Directive 2003/49/EC of 3 June 2003 under which interest and royalty payments made between associated companies of different Member States are exempt from withholding taxes and other taxes in the source Member State. The purpose of the Council Directive is to prevent double taxation by ensuring that such...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (10 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: In Finance (No. 2) Act 2008, the previous Government facilitated the introduction of a car parking levy in urban areas. The enabling of the measure would require a Ministerial Order. Such an Order has not been made to date and consequently there has been no revenue collected nor any employees levied.

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (10 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: In my replies to earlier questions, I have stressed that our commitment is to get the deficit below 3 per cent of GDP by 2015. In terms of the structural deficit, addressing this does not necessarily involve taxation and expenditure adjustments. For instance, the ambitious programme of micro-economic reforms that is already underway is expected to help reduce the structural element of the...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (10 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: As I stated in my previous reply the decision to apply the debt-to-GDP ratio of 60% in the Intergovernmental Treaty is to ensure consistency with the debt provision of the Stability and Growth Pact. Indeed, the 60% debt reference value has been around for some time. The debt and deficit limits contained in the Pact are designed to prevent spill-over effects from fiscal policies in...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (10 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that for reasons of taxpayer confidentiality they cannot discuss the tax affairs of specific bodies or individuals. However, on a wider note, whether an individual is engaged under either a contract of service (i.e. an employee) or a contract for service (i.e. self-employed) is not a choice but rather a question of fact and of general law....

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (10 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: Both instruments mentioned in the question - the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and the proposed amendment to Article 136(3) of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) - are separate and contain their own requirements for entry into force. The ESM Treaty, was signed by Euro Area Member States on 2 February 2012 and this is the Treaty that will come into force when...

Written Answers — Debt Collection: Debt Collection (10 May 2012)

Michael Noonan: I, as Minister for Finance, have no statutory function in relation to the issues raised by the Deputy. The Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, which addresses the issue of debt collection, is the responsibility of the Minister for Justice and Equality. Under Section 11 of this Act, it is an offence to demand payment of a debt in a way designed to alarm, distress or humiliate. If...