Results 6,961-6,980 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (14 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 107 together. The Deputies may recall that I have answered Parliamentary Questions on this issue over the past year, including on 4 July 2007. The 2003 EU Energy Tax Directive incorporated special derogations which allowed specific excise duty reliefs to be applied in a number of Member States. In the Irish context, these derogations allowed for...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (14 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the Business Expansion and Seed Capital schemes provide tax relief to investors in respect of investments in companies operating certain approved tourism facilities, including equestrian centres. Following an extensive review of the schemes in 2006, Finance Act 2007 extended the schemes to 31 December 2013 and increased the aggregate amount that...

Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (14 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that since 1 January 2000 no investigations have been concluded or are currently underway into individual security breaches or alleged breaches by staff. Since the same date there have been seven investigations concluded and one investigation is currently underway into staff conduct involving the inappropriate accessing of information. The...

Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (14 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they have written to the taxpayer to ascertain details of the actual wages received by him for each year that he was employed by the company in question. On receipt of this information the Revenue Commissioners will investigate the matter and will advise the taxpayer of the outcome without delay.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Order of Business today shall be as follows: No. 18, the Charities Bill — Second Stage (resumed); and No. 17, Statements on Transport 21 (resumed).

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Bill was discussed with the whips and has been on the Order Paper for some time. There was no objection to it being taken next week. The contentions of the Opposition are without foundation. The idea that bringing forward amending legislation in respect of a tribunal of inquiries Act that dates back to 1924 should in some way represent "potential intimidation" of existing tribunals is...

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: That assertion is without foundation.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The enactment of this legislation in no way affects the hearing of any evidence at any existing tribunal, now or in the future.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: They are the facts.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I understand the former Chairman of that committee, Deputy Ardagh, is continuing with the committee's deliberations on the work that has been done in regard to that matter. It is intended that the Bills referred to will be published during the course of this session.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The arrangements for the budget are based on reforms I have been introducing in recent years. As the Deputy pointed out, there will be a unified budget on this occasion where items of expenditure and taxation will be dealt with on budget day. This was something which had been recommended by committees of the House in the past and in previous reports. The benefits of the new arrangements are...

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: What we will get from the Opposition is the usual; we will have some spokespersons talking about what should be the macroeconomic position while other spokespersons will say we are not spending half enough.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am sure the usual incoherence of the Opposition will be repeated this year, as in previous years. I note the Opposition has never yet published an alternative budget, unlike Fianna Fáil in Opposition.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The output statement has made it very clear; it will go before the committees.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Ministers will be giving them.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: A couple of inaccurate statements have been made by Deputy Bruton which I wish to clarify. He failed to point out that the increases from the higher remuneration body are being paid in three phases. Five per cent is being paid back to the date of the report's presentation in September. It is not a question of a payment of €16 million coming out of this year's Estimate at all, as the...

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: ——the press release.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The payments will be made in three instalments of approximately one third. One third of 16 is not eight either.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: Before we get into the millions and the billions of the budget, I am afraid we are not starting off on a very good footing if Deputy Bruton cannot divide 16 by three yet. Not all of that €16 million relates——

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: What I have noticed in the House is that Deputy Bruton is great at asking questions and being listened to in silence but immediately when he gets a response that is accurate he starts shouting down the Government. I have noticed that is the tactic here the whole time. When Deputy Bruton puts his assertions in the House, I want to clarify them for the purpose of accuracy since he is someone...