Results 7,561-7,580 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Banking Sector Regulation. (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Financial Regulator has various powers which involve reimbursement and ensuring that these issues do not recur. In addition, if anything beyond the civil code has taken place, information will be passed on to the Garda and the fraud squad for follow-on investigation. We have in place a Financial Services Ombudsman who has proven effective in individual cases in which he used his...

Banking Sector Regulation. (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have not yet reached a decision. Part of my consideration will be to discuss this personally with the ombudsman to find out his views on what should be done.

Renewable Energy Resources. (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: I stated previously that taxation can play a part in attaining environmental objectives, including the promotion of energy efficiency and the reduction of emissions. Using taxation as a mechanism to subsidise activity that yields overall benefits to the economy is a tool that has been used by successive Administrations, often delivering very positive results. To promote the development of...

Renewable Energy Resources. (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have not read the report to which the Deputy refers but will have it examined. The European Commission strongly supports the use of these fuels and recently the commissioner with responsibility for this area highlighted the need to support bio-fuels because they are the most immediately feasible way of slowing the growth in greenhouse emissions in the transport sector and reducing our...

Renewable Energy Resources. (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: The White Paper on energy policy, which is the blueprint for the development of Ireland's energy sector, provides for looking at renewables, bio-fuels and alternative sources of fuel for a more competitive energy sector in Ireland. I made the point that with the big switch of grain to bio-fuel production in the United States and the drought in Australia grain prices are rising again after...

Written Answers — Programmes for Government: Programmes for Government (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: As I have indicated in previous responses, the Programme for Government is a five year programme in which a number of guiding principles in relation to economic and budgetary matters have been set out. In October 2007 I published the Pre-Budget Outlook which set out the cost of providing for the existing level of services over the medium term. As the Deputy is aware, the first instalment of...

Written Answers — Property Repossessions: Property Repossessions (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy will appreciate that reports of a higher level of court proceedings for property repossessions need to be interpreted with caution, given the variety of circumstances that give rise to such cases and the fact that not all of the proceedings relate to residential property. It should also be noted that even where the orders are secured some are not enforced. The number of orders...

Written Answers — Airport Customs Controls: Airport Customs Controls (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: Persons arriving in Ireland from another country may be liable to pay duties and tax on goods purchased abroad. The amount, if any, of duty and tax to be paid depends on whether: The goods were purchased in an EU Member State or in a country outside the EU — a third country. The goods are for personal or commercial use. In the case of alcohol and tobacco products, Revenue have set...

Written Answers — Commission on Taxation: Commission on Taxation (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos 89, 130 and 138 together. The "Agreed Programme for Government 2007-2012" contains a commitment to establish a Commission on Taxation. The purpose of the Commission is to review the structure, efficiency and appropriateness of the Irish taxation system. The work of the Commission should help to set the framework within which tax policy will be determined for...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90, 108, 117 and 158 together. As I have informed the House on previous occasions, the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 already allows the Standards in Public Office Commission to carry out investigations on its own initiative, where it considers it appropriate to do so, on breaches of the provisions of the Ethics legislation, by persons in the...

Written Answers — Customs Service: Customs Service (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that Revenue's Customs Service currently has a total of nine x-ray scanners. One is a high-energy x-ray mobile container scanner which is deployed at the main container and ferry ports to scan containerised and vehicular traffic. A further eight low-energy x-ray scanners are used to scan smaller packages at ports, airports and postal depots, three of...

Written Answers — Benchmarking Awards: Benchmarking Awards (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: Public service pay must develop in a manner that is consistent with competitiveness, price stability and budgetary policy. Government policy on public service pay is that the public service should be in a position to attract and retain its fair share of good quality staff at all levels. It should neither lead the market nor trail it. The current public service pay agreement under Towards 2016...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: The proposals published by the Commission begin the process which will lead to an agreement on the contributions of individual Member States towards meeting the EU targets agreed at the 2007 Spring Council. The Commission's proposals require Ireland to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, based on 2005 emissions figures, and achieve an overall target of 16% of final energy...

Written Answers — Public Service Accounts: Public Service Accounts (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: As Deputy O'Dowd is aware, there are two forms of accounting in the public service. The accounts of Government Departments and Offices are prepared on a cash basis while Local Authorities and Commercial State-Sponsored Bodies, for example, prepare their accounts on an accrual basis which includes the charging of depreciation. As the Deputy is aware, the Appropriation Accounts for central...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: Budget 2008, presented to the house last month, was framed on the basis of new house completions amounting to around 55,000 units this year. The forecasts have not been changed.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy will recall that projections of future pension liabilities were published in the Government's Green Paper on Pensions last October. These indicate that the cost of Social Welfare pension provision will increase from around 31⁄2% of GDP to over 10% by 2050. This primarily follows from the ageing of our population. The National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) was established under...

Written Answers — Departmental Projects: Departmental Projects (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: The responsibility for undertaking project appraisals rests in the first instance with the individual Departments and Agencies. They are prepared to facilitate and inform the internal decision making process. It has not been the practice to publish these appraisals as they generally contain commercially sensitive information, the publication of which could be prejudicial to the State's...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: The collection and recovery of tax and the specific circumstances in which tax may be the subject of write off is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners. I am advised by Revenue that its primary focus and priority is the collection of tax. Inevitably, however, cases do arise where, because of the particular circumstances, collection of the tax is not possible or the tax cannot be collected...

Written Answers — Economic Growth: Economic Growth (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 260 together. Reflecting a number of domestic and international factors, a moderation in the rate of economic growth, with consequent implications for the public finances, was projected on Budget Day for 2008. Importantly, I also highlighted a number of key downside risks facing the economy. While there is evidence to suggest that some of these risks...

Written Answers — Management Information Framework: Management Information Framework (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Comptroller and Auditor General is a constitutional officer who is independent in the exercise of his statutory functions, including those in relation to value for money examinations. He decides on the work to be carried out by his Office and the manner in which it is carried out. In doing so, he is not required to consult my Department. Consequently, I consider that it would be...