Results 6,081-6,100 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen
- Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: Under the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000, the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission controls and is responsible for the investment of the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF). The NPRF joined a group of the world's largest institutional investment funds in signing the UN-sponsored Principles for Responsible Investment when they were launched in April 2006. The aim of the...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: The information requested by the Deputy in a format which presents the data in terms of the effective tax rates actually paid by taxpayers is set out in the table. This is the same format as used for the presentation of pre-Budget 2007 and post-Budget 2007 distributions of earners in the 2007 Budget booklet. Tax Year Exempt(1) Paying at 20% or less(2) Paying at greater than 20% Total...
- Written Answers — Public Service Staff: Public Service Staff (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: Labour Court Recommendation 18912 related to the engagement of agency workers by the Health Service Executive West region. The Court found that the lack of prior consultation by management with the union (IMPACT) in relation to the engagement of agency workers was in breach of the provisions of Sustaining Progress and Towards 2016. The Court further recommended that the HSE-West should...
- Written Answers — Social Finance Foundation: Social Finance Foundation (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: On 8 February 2007 I launched the Social Finance Foundation to implement the Social Finance Initiative announced in Budget 2006. The Foundation has been established on a not-for-profit basis to act as a wholesale supplier of social finance for on-lending by specialist social finance lenders to support social and developmental projects and social enterprise in local communities. The...
- Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: As the Deputy may be aware, the monthly Exchequer Returns are available on my Department's website, as are my Department's tax receipts, expenditure and debt service profiles for 2007. The Exchequer Balance to end-May 2007 showed a surplus of â¬266 million compared to a surplus of â¬1,841 million for the same period last year. The Budget day forecast is for a deficit of â¬546 million for...
- 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 Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they are not in a position to provide information on the volume of complaints in relation to tax-free allowances and tax credits. If a taxpayer requests an amendment to a Tax Credit Certificate this is not recorded as a complaint. Revenue have further advised that by the 9th February last, they had completed the bulk issue of 2,194,174 Tax...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: In Budget 2006 I announced the introduction of a limit, with effect from 1 January 2007, on the use of tax reliefs, including certain exemptions, by some high-income individuals. Section 17 of Finance Act 2006 gave effect to this announcement. This measure was designed to address the issue of a small number of individuals with high incomes who, up to now, have been able to reduce their...
- Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: My specific legislative priorities will be formulated in the context of the implementation of the Programme for Government over the coming years. It may be helpful, however, to set out a list of current legislative priorities for my Department:â Bills Published Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007 This Bill provides for the amendment of Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999. This Bill has been...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)
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...
- Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the tax debt outstanding at 31 March 2007 and as reported in its annual report was â¬1,107million. This represents 1.8% of gross receipts, a level which is exceptionally low by international standards. The amount under appeal was â¬315million leaving the remainder, â¬792million, available for collection. The debt of â¬792m represents a...
- Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: As the Deputy will be aware, less than 1,000 of the 7,200 Civil Service posts covered by the Decentralisation Programme or 10% of the overall programme is composed of professional and technical posts. While the take up from the professional and technical staff has been low to date, in the region of 140 professional and technical personnel have already been assigned to posts that are...
- Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: The Government have already made clear that renewable energy will be a critical and growing component of Irish energy supply to 2020 and beyond. Renewable energy is an integral part of our climate change strategy and sustainability objectives. The additional diversity which renewables bring to Ireland's energy demand will also make a direct contribution to our goal of ensuring secure and...
- Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 157 together. I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the Office of Public Works (OPW) has signed a lease for the premises in Listowel and has entered into a contract for the fit-out of these premises. The programme of works is now nearing completion. The handover of the building to the OPW will take place following certification of these...
- Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: I am aware of the report of the Consultative Consumer Panel referred to by the Deputy and the recommendation that more analysis of overcharging by financial institutions should be provided by the Financial Regulator. My Department has been advised by the Financial Regulator that it has implemented a set of General Principles to deal with issues of charging, which were published in the...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that section 86 of the Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Act 2003, subject to conditions, grants exemption from Capital Acquisitions Tax in respect of a house comprised in a gift or inheritance. The conditions require that the donee or successor must occupy the house for the period of 3 years ending with the date of the gift or inheritance. Where...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to increase in Budget 2008 the ceiling on mortgage interest relief for first-time buyers and those who bought a house in the past seven years, from â¬8,000 to â¬10,000 for single people and from â¬16,000 to â¬20,000 for couples or widowed persons. The estimated cost of this measure is about â¬10 million in a full year in 2007 terms....
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: While the promotion of biofuel is primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that in the Finance Act 2006 I provided for significant tax measures to promote biofuels in Ireland. This scheme, which received the necessary EU State Aid approval, commenced in November 2006 and will: provide for excise...
- Written Answers — Construction Sector: Construction Sector (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: Investment in construction has been driven by strong activity in the residential, commercial and infrastructural sectors. The residential sector has been particularly strong, with the high demand for housing being underpinned by strong economic fundamentals and a rapidly growing population. A gradual easing back of housing output is envisaged in the coming years, with output levelling off at...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jun 2007)
Brian Cowen: The Programme for Government sets out clearly the Government's guiding economic and fiscal principles for the next five years. We are fully committed to a responsible fiscal policy, including keeping the budget in broad balance. Within these broad principles, our first priority in the tax area will be to continue to support low and middle income earners, via the tax credits, bands and the...