Results 6,621-6,640 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Programme for Government states that the Government will continue to move ahead with decentralisation, ensure that no public servant is obliged to accept decentralisation against their wishes and that promotions opportunities remain available. A progress report by the Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG) was submitted to me and published on 8th October last. The Group reported that...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: My legislative priorities for the 30th Dáil 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 my legislative priorities for the current Dáil session:— Bills Published: Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007 — While the Markets in Financial Instruments...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 155 together. One Hundred and nineteen (119) staff of my Department have decentralised to Tullamore and a further six (6) have accepted offers of decentralisation. Of those in Tullamore, eighty-three (83) staff transferred from Dublin posts to Tullamore, twenty-three (23) were serving in various other locations in the country and fourteen (14) were...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The transfer of a site from a parent to a child for the purpose of building a private residence is, subject to certain conditions, exempt from capital gains tax, capital acquisitions tax and stamp duty. One of the conditions for relief is that the value of the site does not exceed €254,000. This is still a very generous exemption and I have no plans to change it.

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: At Budget time, based on the latest available economic and fiscal information to hand, my Department prepares its forecasts for the coming years. At the time of the last Budget some commentators suggested that my tax projections were too cautious. At the end of September tax receipts were €490 million or 1.5% below profile. Income Tax and Corporation Tax are performing well and when taken...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: An Agreed 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 €8,000 to €10,000 for single people and from €16,000 to €20,000 for couples or widowed persons. The estimated cost of this measure is about €10 million in a full year. I would...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Revenue Commissioners are dealing in a very determined way with tax evasion and are very effectively using the additional powers they have been given in recent years. For example, Revenue special investigations, capitalising on the powers given in the Finance Act 1999 and subsequent legislation, have yielded a total of €2.4 billion to date. Revenue's normal audit programme each year...

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: Government recognises the important business opportunities that public service contracts represent for business enterprises in the local and national economy and encourages participation to the greatest extent possible. My Department is currently involved in an initiative to improve access to public procurement for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The National Public Procurement...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Programme for Government contains 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 collected on income, capital and spending and report on it Review...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Government's commitments in relation to taxation are contained in the Programme for Government. All income tax provisions are reviewed regularly, particularly in the context of the annual Budget. The Budget is less than eight weeks away. It has been the practice of successive Ministers for Finance not to comment on tax changes in the run up to the annual Budget and I do not propose to...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: State occupied buildings have been exempt from rates since before the enactment of the Valuation Act 1852 and was specifically continued and provided for under Section 15(3) of the Valuation Act 2001. Schedule 4 of the Valuation Act, 2001, sets out several categories of property which are not rateable. I have no plans at present to amend the existing legislation.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: I would like to draw the Deputy's attention to a dedicated scheme I introduced in the 2007 Budget and Finance Act which allows deductibility of VAT on conference related accommodation expenses. This measure recognises the importance of tourism to our economy and will help Irish hotels to compete more favourably for international conference business where significant opportunities are...

Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The initial application for a Primary Medical Certificate under the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994, is made to the Senior Medical Officer of the relevant local Health Service Executive administrative area. If the Primary Medical Certificate is refused, the person may appeal the refusal to the Medical Board of Appeal, National Rehabilitation...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: To avail of first-time buyers relief, all the parties to the purchase must be first-time buyers. A first-time buyer is a person (a)who has not on any previous occasion, either individually or jointly, purchased or built on his/her own behalf a house (in Ireland or abroad) and (b)where the property purchased is occupied by the purchaser as his/her only or principal place of residence and...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: Bets placed with bookmakers in the State are liable to betting duty at 1%. However, an exemption applies to bets accepted by on-course bookmakers at horse-race or greyhound race meetings but the exemption does not extend to bets accepted by on-course bookmakers by any means of telecommunications. Bets placed with the Tote are also exempt from betting duty. Bets placed with bookmakers...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The number of advertisements for the filling, through open recruitment, of positions in these grades in the past 12 months is set out in the Table; it should be noted that in the case of the HEO, A.P. and the P.O. grades, the recruitment process will establish panels from which a number of appointments will be made. Position No. of open competitions advertised No. of posts filled HEO...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the stamp duty relief for first time buyers is provided for in section 92B of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 and that the term "first time purchaser" is defined in the section. In the definition, a first time purchaser is referred to as a person who has not previously purchased a house or a part of a house or previously built a house...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174 to 177, inclusive, together. The National Development Plan/Community Support Framework (NDP/CSF) 2000-2006 has made a major contribution to our economic growth and employment levels and has significantly enhanced Ireland's competitiveness. The benefits of projects and programmes in areas including child care, housing, rural development, training and...

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: My Department uses various communications media as part of advertising and public awareness campaigns. Where it is deemed appropriate to the needs of the campaign local media are used. I have had details of the organisation concerned forwarded to the relevant officials in my Department for consideration where appropriate in any future advertising or public awareness campaigns.

Written Answers — Benchmarking Awards: Benchmarking Awards (16 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The cost of the full increase to the Exchequer of the interim payment recommended by the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector is about €33m a year. The greater part of this cost relates to the Health Service Executive because of the numbers of hospital consultants who constitute a majority of those covered by the Interim Report. The cost of the payment made to craft...