Results 7,141-7,160 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: Maintaining and improving Ireland's competitive position is imperative to ensure Ireland continues to grow strongly and remains an attractive location for inward foreign direct investment. Recent IDA data shows that 2006 was another positive year with regard to new investment projects coming to Ireland. Some 71 new business projects, involving a total investment in the coming years of more...

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

Brian Cowen: The breakdown in stamp duties collected in the years 2002 to 2006, and up to the end of September 2007, is as follows: Category of Charge 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 (end Sept Provisional) €m €m €m €m €m €m 1. Land & Property* 666 1,075 1,461 2,002 2,989 1,924 Of which Residential Property 349 528 752 945 1311 831 2. Stocks & Shares 303 256 261 324 406 472 3. Companies...

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 to PAYE taxpayers is that 663,837 repayments, amounting to €418 million, were made in 2006 and 748,222 repayments, amounting to €490 million, had been made in 2007 up to 16 November last. The repayments made in 2006 refer to the years 2002 to 2006, inclusive. The repayments made in 2007...

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

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the information requested by the Deputy in relation to numbers of residential property transfers and net receipts for residential property is as set out in the table, which reflects the position up to and including 30 September 2007: Month Number of Duty Paid Transactions Net Receipts â'¬ million January 5,375 127.41 February 4,836...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The annual contribution required as a percentage of salary to notionally fund pension benefits is Principal officer, 29%; Assistant Secretary, 32%; and Secretary General, 38%. These figures show the estimated total cost of notionally funding the benefits for each grade. These costs are before any allowance is made for employee contributions which, on average, amount to approximately 5% of...

Written Answers — Rural Transport Services: Rural Transport Services (20 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 — State Property: State Property (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: Under Section 28 (2) of the State Property Act 1954, the Minister for Finance assumes responsibility for all personal property and land vested in or held in trust by a body corporate (other than personal property or land held by such body in trust for another person) immediately prior to its dissolution. Upon the dissolution of the body corporate, such property becomes State property. The...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy 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 context, these derogations allowed for reduced rates to apply to fuel used for...

Written Answers — Tax Clearance Certificates: Tax Clearance Certificates (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the tax clearance certificate issued to the individual concerned on 19 November 2007.

Written Answers — Currency Strength: Currency Strength (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: Inflation as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) is the appropriate measure of inflation as it excludes the effects of interest rate changes. Including mortgage interest rate adjustments in the measure of inflation distorts the underlying inflationary trend. Using the HICP, the purchasing power of the Irish Punt declined by 38% between November 1997 and October 2007....

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that they are not in a position to provide an estimate of the amount of unclaimed tax refunds for the years in question. This is because the Revenue Commissioners can only allow reliefs and credits on the basis of the information that is known to them. Consequently, there is no way to accurately assess underclaimed entitlements where changes in...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: Under the Dormant Accounts Act 2001 and the Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Act 2003, credit institutions and insurance undertakings are required each April to transfer to the National Treasury Management Agency, all moneys falling dormant in the previous year. Each credit institution and insurance undertaking is also required under the legislation to keep a register of their dormant...

Written Answers — Conflicts of Interest: Conflicts of Interest (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I understand that the Advisers in my Department during the period referred to have complied with the provisions of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995.

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The table that follows this reply sets out details of each consultancy contract paid direct from my Department's Vote which commenced, continued or completed in 2007. It includes the names of the consultancy firms used by my Department, the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector and the Public Service Benchmarking Body in 2007, a description of the project each worked on and...

Written Answers — Complaints Procedures: Complaints Procedures (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Department has a Complaints Procedure which deals with complaints about the quality of service provided by the Department. Two complaints were received in 2005 and one each in 2006 and to date in 2007 regarding quality of service.

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: Since 1 January 2002, the Department has spent €3,188,510 on advertising and promotional campaigns. The following table gives a breakdown of expenditure on electronic media and print media for each of the years in question: Year Spend on electronic media inclusive of television, radio and Internet Spend on printed media € € 2002 521,905* 1,251,251* 2003 67,189 206,976 2004...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: My Department has undertaken a number of reviews under the Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative. One of the key evaluation criteria for these reviews is efficiency. To date, reviews have been completed of Payments to Promoters of Certain Charities; the Change Management Fund; the Information Society Fund; the grant-in-aid to the Institute of Public Administration; the grant-in-aid...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that a full refund of tax deducted on the taxpayer's pension lump sum will issue in the coming days.

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy 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 context, these derogations allowed for reduced rates to apply to fuel used for...

Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (21 Nov 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. The disability criteria for these concessions...