Results 6,381-6,400 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Carbon Allowances: Motion (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: We are all creatures of EU law.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: While the promotion of biofuel is primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, the Deputy will be aware the Finance Act 2006 provided for significant tax measures to promote biofuels in Ireland. Under the scheme, biofuel produced under projects approved by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources are exempt from...

Written Answers — Household Indebtedness: Household Indebtedness (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy may be aware, within the implementation of the overall legislative and policy framework for financial services, household credit growth and debt levels are, in the first instance, a matter for the Central Bank and the Financial Services Authority of Ireland (CBFSAI). This follows from its role as part of the European System of Central Banks and its functions as the Financial...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware the Carbon Tax issue is being examined by the Commission on Taxation. The Commission are due to report by September 2009, at the latest. It is open to the Commission if they wish to report prior to that date. However it seems reasonable to assume that there is unlikely to be legislation introducing a carbon tax in 2008. Notwithstanding that, as Minister for...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I want to assure the House that the Government's position on our corporate tax regime is unambiguous. It is clearly stated in the Programme for Government that the 12.5 per cent rate of corporation tax will remain. Corporate taxation matters are and will remain within the competence of Member States. Our corporation tax system is protected, in an EU context, by the principle of unanimity in...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Section 110 of the Finance Act 2007 made provision for a charge to stamp duty where license agreements and other such arrangements are used when land is purchased for development without conveyance or transfer. The provision ensured that these arrangements will incur a Stamp Duty charge where a landowner receives a payment amounting to 25% or more of the market value or consideration...

Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have no plans to alter the process for the 2009 Estimates at this stage. The wide-ranging reforms introduced by my predecessor in 2008 seem to have worked well and I would like to see them bedded down before embarking on further change. In addition, the priority for next year will be on further controlling the rate of increase in spending rather than on the process.

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I would like to reassure the Deputy that my Department monitors inflation developments on an ongoing basis. As measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), annual inflation in Ireland was 3.3% in April 2008. Using the domestic measure — the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — the annual inflation rate was 4.3%. The pick-up in inflation in recent years has been driven primarily by...

Written Answers — Public Private Partnerships: Public Private Partnerships (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I presume the Deputy is referring to the comments that Mr. John Purcell, the former Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), made during his recent appearance on a television programme. Speaking after his retirement, Mr. Purcell noted that Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are not a panacea for all of our infrastructure requirements and that PPP procurement suits appropriate projects. In...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 101 together. The arrangements for appointments to the boards of State bodies are normally set out in the legislation establishing the bodies in question and are designed to ensure the efficient management of the organisation. Appointments to the boards are generally made by the Minister with responsibility for the body in question, subject to the...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I assume the Deputy is referring to a recent newspaper report attributing this view to an unpublished National Economic and Social Council (NESC) Economic Report. Given that NESC have not published this report, I do not intend to comment as to its content. The implementation of the National Development Plan is key to enhancing Ireland's competitiveness. However it was prudent management of...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In line with my predecessor's Budget 2008 announcement, the Department of Finance has engaged in the efficiency review exercise on the same basis as all other Government Departments, with a view to identifying possible savings on administrative spending. The exercise has included the bodies within the aegis of my Department. I am now considering the various responses my Department has...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: At Budget time, an Exchequer deficit of €4,866 million was projected for this year. At end-April, my Department published information which showed that overall tax receipts for the first four months of the year were €736 million, or 5.3 per cent, behind target. At the time it was indicated that it was not expected that the tax shortfall would be recouped. Later today, as is the norm, my...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The relevant projections for the public finances in the run-up to last year's election were the three year projections published in Budget 2007 on 6th December 2006. Based on GDP growth of 4.6% for 2008 and a projected stronger fiscal position in 2007 than materialised, an Exchequer deficit of €1,559 million was anticipated for 2008. Since then revised projections were published on 5th...

Written Answers — Programmes for Government: Programmes for Government (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Programme for Government is a five year programme in which a number of guiding principles in relation to economic and budgetary matters have been set out. As the Deputy is aware, the first instalment of the delivery of this five year Programme for Government — Budget 2008 — was published in December last. Budget 2008 announced all new spending and taxation measures in a single,...

Written Answers — Credit Union Regulation: Credit Union Regulation (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) has since 1989, operated a savings protection scheme (SPS) for credit unions. The SPS aims to protect the individual savings of members by ensuring that credit unions are financially and administratively sound and provides for savings protection for each individual credit union member. It is important to note that under the SPS regime no member of a...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the only monthly information available as a basis for estimating the extra VAT generated as a result of the rise in international oil prices is the monthly clearances of Oil Products on which Mineral Oil Tax has been paid to the end of April. The estimates of the additional VAT yield, provided below, are based on the monthly indicative prices...

Written Answers — Gambling Regulations: Gambling Regulations (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Casino Regulation Committee, established in 2006 by the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, in undertaking its work examined the issue of gambling. As the Deputy will be aware, in my previous capacity as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I informed the House on 17 April that the whole issue of regulating gaming in Ireland was best addressed through the...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Carbon Tax issue is being examined by the Commission on Taxation. The Commission is due to report by September 2009, at the latest. The Deputy will appreciate that how the Commission organises its work is a matter for the Commission itself. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a carbon tax/levy over the lifetime of the Government and that remains the position.

Written Answers — General Election Expenses: General Election Expenses (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There are no outstanding claims to hand in respect of the expenses for the 2007 General Election. My Department has completed examination of most of the accounts submitted by the Returning Officers. As a result of this examination, in a number of instances Returning Officers were asked to repay outstanding balances, being the difference between the amount advanced and the actual cost. Most of...