Results 7,101-7,120 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Financial Stability Report 2007 published by the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (CBFSAI) last week is a comprehensive and detailed assessment of the impact of international financial market conditions on the Irish financial sector and on financial conditions in the economy generally. I welcome the CBFSAI's conclusion that the Irish financial system is well placed...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: On Budget day, 6th December 2006, my Department forecast that Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation would average 4.1 per cent this year. This forecast was based on the normal technical assumption of unchanged interest rates. In accordance with usual practice, my Department published updated inflation forecasts in the Pre-Budget Outlook in October, and the CPI was assumed to average 4.9 per...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: Using the data in the Pre-Budget 2008 income tax ready reckoner, each 1% increase in the value of the main personal credits (basic personal credit and employee credit) and the tax bands would cost about €135 million in a full year. The costs quoted are provisional, subject to revision and estimated to the nearest €5 million. The ready reckoner is available on my Department's website, at...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: One Hundred and twenty (120) staff of my Department have decentralised to Tullamore and a further three (3) have accepted offers of decentralisation. Of those in Tullamore eighty two (82) staff transferred from Dublin posts to Tullamore, twenty-four (24) were serving in various other locations in the country and fourteen (14) were recruited specifically for Tullamore. About thirty (30)...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: It is a long-standing practice of the Minister for Finance not to comment in advance of the Budget on any tax or expenditure matters that might be the subject of Budget decisions. I do not propose to depart from that practice.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I will be bringing proposals to Government in the near future on matters relating to the establishment of the proposed Commission on Taxation including its membership and terms of reference. Pending consideration by the Government of these proposals, I am not in a position to elaborate further on matters pertaining to the Commission.

Written Answers — Taxation Commission: Taxation Commission (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I will be bringing proposals to Government in the near future on matters relating to the establishment of the proposed Commission on Taxation including its membership and terms of reference. Pending consideration by the Government of these proposals, I am not in a position to elaborate further on matters pertaining to the Commission.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the information requested in relation to repayments made under the Passenger Road Services Scheme for the years 2000 to date which is as follows: Year â'¬ 2000 17,558,511 2001 16,452,762 2002 23,899,253 2003 24,385,812 2004 25,389,778 2005 29,196,361 2006 27,382,170 2007 to October 25,576,116

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Review Body is an independent standing body whose primary function is to advise the Government on the general levels of pay appropriate to those covered by its terms of reference. It makes recommendations on levels of remuneration but has no role in relation to the making of awards. It is a matter for the Government to decide whether the recommendations should be implemented. The current...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware, it is a long standing tradition that the Minister for Finance does not comment on taxation matters in advance of the annual Budget.

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: Chapter 5 of the National Development Plan sets out the existing level of co-operation with Northern Ireland across a wide range of areas and our proposals for significant Irish Government investment in North/South projects and initiatives of mutual benefit. Progress has been made on agreeing these with the British Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, since its restoration. The...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138, 141, 144, 153, 154 and 156 together. The Deputies may recall that I have answered Parliamentary Questions on this issue over the past year, including on 4 July 2007 and in recent weeks. 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...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: My Department is responsible for, amongst other things, overall policy in relation to Ireland's EU Structural and Cohesion Funds, including the full drawdown of Ireland's allocation. It also plays a central role in the development and implementation of each of the Operational Programmes underpinning the National Development Plan/Community Support Framework (NDP/CSF) through which the EU...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the position in relation to travel tickets is that where an employer provides an employee with an annual or monthly travel pass, the cost of such a pass is not taxable. In addition, where an employee foregoes salary, and such salary foregone is used by the employee to purchase an annual or monthly travel pass, then the salary foregone is not...

Written Answers — Valuation Office: Valuation Office (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I have no role in the valuation of properties, which is the function of the Valuation Office. The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the exercise of his duties under the Valuation Act, 2001 and the making of valuations for rating purposes is his sole prerogative. However, I understand there is a revision process in place under which the person concerned can apply, in writing, to...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: First-time buyers are exempt from stamp duty when purchasing either new or second-hand residential properties. However, the purchase of land, which is not connected with a contract to build a house, attracts stamp duty at normal non-residential rates, regardless of the status of the purchaser. This is a long-standing provision and recognises the fact that land is bought and sold for a...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy will be aware, it is a long-standing tradition that the Minister for Finance does not comment on possible tax changes in the run-up to the Budget.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: It is a long-standing practice of the Minister for Finance not to comment in advance of the Budget on any tax or expenditure matters that might be the subject of Budget decisions.

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: Income tax receipts in the ten months to October, at €10,322m were 12.5% above the same period last year and €296m above profile. In Budget 2006 I took the minimum wage out of the tax net and in Budget 2007 I maintained the position that a PAYE worker earning the minimum wage in its annualised form pays no tax or PRSI and keeps 100% of what he or she earns. The Agreed Programme for...

Written Answers — Debt Relief: Debt Relief (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: As I told the House on 31 October 2007, Ireland has been strongly supportive of the full implementation of debt relief and, where appropriate, cancellation. In 2002, the Department of Finance and the Department of Foreign Affairs published a joint paper on the question of debt relief which I refer to the attention of the Deputy. That set out the position in detail regarding such issues as...