Results 6,061-6,080 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: The accrued pensions liability in respect of all current public servants is estimated at €45 billion. This figure represents the present value of the liability to make future superannuation payments to serving employees and their dependants in respect of service to date. The National Pensions Reserve Fund was set up under the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000. The Act provides for...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am aware of the contents of the recently published Annual Report of the Information Commissioner. The Freedom of Information Act, which covered 67 public bodies when it commenced in April 1998, now applies to over 500 bodies across the public sector. My Department is involved in an ongoing programme of FOI extension and is actively engaged with Government Departments about a number of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: In relation to the totality of public capital programmes and projects, as the Deputy will appreciate, primary responsibility for managing capital projects and the evaluation, planning and execution of such projects rests with line Departments and the relevant implementing agencies. There were no projects proposed, or approved, by my Department in 2007, the value of which exceeded the €30...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Programme for Government signals that a carbon tax/levy will be introduced over the lifetime of this Government. The matter of the introduction of a carbon tax is one of the issues to be considered by the new Commission on Taxation to be established under the Programme. Consequently, at this stage, the precise design of such a tax has yet to be determined. This will, of course, form an...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that 402 cases were selected for random auditing in 2006. As of 31 March 2007, 187 of these audits have been concluded. 215 cases are ongoing. I am advised that 410 cases were selected for random audit in 2005. 6 cases are still ongoing. Revenue's approach to random compliance testing changed significantly for their 2005 programme. The new...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware, the Governments of which I have been a member have done a good job in ensuring strong economic growth over the past decade. Part of this success has been due to the ability of these governments to identify and address any issues under their control that might have put that growth at risk. It is my intention that this good work continue into the future. Of course, as a...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I understand from the Revenue Commissioners that the information requested by the Deputy is not currently available. The compilation of tables showing the cost of each of the income tax deductions, reliefs and tax credits by income cohort would be an extensive task and could not be undertaken by the Revenue Commissioners at this time.

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that it is not possible at present to estimate the number of Irish domiciled individuals claiming to be non-resident for tax purposes as such information has not been captured from tax returns in the past. Information which will assist in such estimation was however requested on the 2005 Return of Income. The processing of these returns is currently...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: A major part of the €184 billion 7 year investment under the National Development Plan 2007-2013 is aimed at increasing the productive capacity of the economy, improving competitiveness and creating the conditions for high levels of quality employment. In particular, I would refer the Deputy to investment in the following key areas: €bn Economic Infrastructure 54.66 Enterprise,...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 103 together. Inheritance tax is part of the capital acquisitions tax (CAT) code, which includes both gift tax and inheritance tax. It was first introduced in 1976 and replaced estate duty taxation. The Finance Act 2000 introduced a package of measures specifically designed to reduce the impact of CAT where assets are transferred. These measures...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Programme for Government contains certain commitments in the area of taxation policy including a commitment to the establishment of a Commission on Taxation which will have a wide remit to consider the structure of the taxation system. The Commission will be specifically charged with considering and making recommendations on the following: Examine the balance achieved between taxes...

Written Answers — Public Service Staff: Public Service Staff (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Government has, over the last number of years, followed a policy under which growth in public service employment has slowed overall. The Government will continue to control and regulate numbers employed in the public service within agreed ceilings. The number employed is kept under constant review given the importance of striking an appropriate balance between the need, on the one hand,...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: The commitment in the Programme for Government is "to instigate a review of the entire economic regulatory environment." The purpose of the review is to ensure that "the existing regulatory regime is operating efficiently, is balancing the needs of users with the requirements of producers and is not imposing excessive costs on the economy." The details of how it is intended to conduct this...

Written Answers — Personal Debt: Personal Debt (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: The role of the Consumer Director in the Financial Regulator includes monitoring the provision of financial services to consumers. In that context the Financial Regulator has prioritised the provision of information for consumers about the potential risk of excessive credit card debt. Credit card cost surveys have been undertaken by the Financial Regulator and are available to help...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: Using the data in the income tax ready reckoner, each 1% increase in the value of the main personal credits (basic personal credit and employee credit) and the tax bands would cost about €120 million in a full year. If the Deputy wishes to estimate costs for future years, he could apply this indicative figure to the pay increases set out in Towards 2016 or to forecasts for wages growth...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 110 together. I would like to confirm the Government's commitment to the Decentralisation Programme and to re-iterate that this Government's policy on the programme is unchanged. To date over 10,600 have applied to decentralise through the Central Applications Facility and despite consistent negative commentary, no political spokesperson has said that...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: The arrangement mentioned in the question arises where the developer obtains a licence from the landowner that entitles the developer to enter onto the land and erect buildings. The usual way of achieving this is for the landowner to grant the developer or his bank or both a power of attorney, which allows them to execute a conveyance or transfer of the legal title to the ultimate purchaser...

Written Answers — Public Investment Projects: Public Investment Projects (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I would stress that the efficient management and implementation of capital projects is a matter for implementing Departments and Agencies. My Department has set out an elaborate Value for Money framework dealing with such areas as appraisal, implementation, procurement etc to assist Departments and Agencies in delivering projects in a Value for Money way.I recently established a small...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: Exchequer tax receipts to end-May were, at €18,603 million, just €19 million or 0.1 per cent below profile. They were up 9.6 per cent on the same period last year. This compares with a Budget day target of an increase of 7.8 per cent for 2007 as a whole. While overall tax receipts are almost exactly on target at end-May there are some variations under particular tax heads. Corporation...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: In the period up to the end of May this year, the Exchequer received €1,438 million in stamp duties, which is just €16 million or 1.1 per cent below profile. The end-May figure represents an increase of 11 per cent on the same period last year. The target for the year as a whole is for an increase of 5.6 per cent. While there may be some variation in the individual tax heads, on the...