Results 6,721-6,740 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen
- Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: What is intriguing is that the requirement to apply within six months does not apply to any other public service pension. If a person other than a Minister were to apply for a pension after the initial six month period, he or she would not be disbarred from receiving the pension back to the date of entitlement. For some reason it was felt in previous legislation that we should be treated...
- Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: This led to the anomaly being pointed out to me so it can be rectified as quickly as possible.
- Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: I move amendmentNo. 16: In page 17, line 44, after "union," to insert the following: "or 40 per cent of the total gross loan book balance outstanding at that time in respect of all loans made by the credit union where written approval is received from the Bank,". Section 17 of the Bill as published amends section 35(2) of the Credit Union Act 1997 so as to allow a practical interpretation of...
- Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: I agree there is always a need to strike an appropriate balance between allowing the credit unions to expand the range of services as they would wish while at the same time ensuring members' savings are not put at undue risk â that is the balance we are attempting to strike. As progress was not being made on long-running issues, since I became Minister for Finance I have instigated a...
- Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: I move amendmentNo. 17: In page 18, line 7, to delete "union, or" and substitute the following: "union, or 15 per cent of the total gross loan book balance outstanding at that time in respect of all loans made by the credit union where written approval is received from the Bank, or".
- Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: As I indicated, the guidance note was issued in October 2006 because the regulator is mindful of all these issues. The note is subject to regular review and consultation with the credit unions. Each individual credit union is answerable to its membership through its board. Annual meetings are held, financial reports are examined and approved and properly run credit unions confirm that they...
- Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: It may not have been a problem but it has become an issue. A common approach must be adopted to ensure all parties are satisfied. This is an ever-changing financial environment. The reason the guidance was issued by the registrar in the first instance was that credit unions need to find an outlet for loans for the savings lodged with them, while ensuring the investments entered into are...
- Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: I move amendmentNo. 18: In page 18, after line 15, to insert the following new section: 18.â(1) The Insurance Act 1936 is amended by repealing sections 9 and 10. (2) The European Communities (Non-Life Insurance) Regulations 1976 (S.I. 115 of 1976) are consequentially amended by revoking paragraph (5) of Regulation 4. (3) The European Communities (Life Assurance) Regulations 1984 (S.I. 57 of...
- Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: Yes. We are repealing sections 9 and 10 of the 1936 Act, the rest of which remains intact.
- Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: I move amendmentNo. 19: In page 18, after line 15, to insert the following new section: 19.âThe Central Bank Act 1997 is amendedâ (a) in section 28, by adding the following definitions: "'credit' includes any deferred payment, cash loan or other form of financial accommodation, such asâ (a) consumer credit, hire purchase or mortgage credit, (b) factoring, with or without recourse, (c)...
- Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: Yes.
- Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (17 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 Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal, National...
- Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: The tables outline the information requested by the Deputy. Table A provides information on bodies which receive funding from the exchequer. Table B provides information on bodies which do not receive Exchequer funding and as such information on budgets is not included. Table A Name of Body Date Established No of Board Members Budget in each of the past 10 years Staff Numbers Credit...
- Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: As the Deputy may be aware, the poverty proofing exercise was reviewed last year by the Office of Social Inclusion. This led to an updating and re-titling of the process as Poverty Impact Assessment. A Poverty Impact Assessment is required for significant policy or programme proposals. One area where my Department has been to the forefront of progress in relation to poverty impact...
- Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme provides relief from VAT and Vehicle Registration Tax (up to a certain limit) on the purchase of an adapted car for transport of a person with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities, as well as relief from excise on the fuel used in the car, up to a certain limit. As the Deputy will be aware, there was an...
- Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: I understand that the figure of 2,800 refers to the number of civil servants assigned to decentralising posts at end June 2007. At end June my Department had assigned one hundred and thirty-one (131) staff to posts decentralising to Tullamore and Kildare. Of these, thirteen (13) transferred with their posts from Dublin, nineteen (19) transferred on promotion and eighteen (18) were...
- Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 172 on 10th October 2007, which sets out the background to the operation of the arrangements in place for civil service general service staff who do not wish to decentralise with their existing or another department. The primary mechanism for placing Civil Servants who are in posts which are due to decentralise but wish to remain in Dublin is...
- Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: My Department is currently examining the implications of the recommendations in the latest report from the Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG), including those relating to recruitment and promotion. Quantification of the posts and costs involved will form part of that examination, which is expected to be concluded over the coming weeks.
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: The mid-Shannon Corridor Tourism Infrastructure Investment Scheme was introduced in the Finance Act 2007. It is a new pilot tax based scheme for tourism facilities in the mid-Shannon area. The scheme is aimed at encouraging the development of new tourism infrastructure, or the refurbishment of existing tourism infrastructure, in that area. Projects wishing to avail of relief must get...
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 Oct 2007)
Brian Cowen: As part of the work on the Green Paper on Pensions, a review was carried out of the current regime of incentives for supplementary pension provision with a view to developing more comprehensive and reliable estimates of the cost of reliefs in this area. The review examined, among other things, the current reliefs and incentives for investment in supplementary pensions and the data available...