Results 7,601-7,620 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

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

Brian Cowen: In line with Government policy the range of pay of CEOs of commercial State bodies is determined in all cases by the appropriate Minister following consultation with me. Boards are informed on a regular basis of the upper limit of that range. It is then a matter for the relevant Board to determine the rate of pay of the CEO taking account of any guidelines issued to them. The pay of other...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: Budget 2008 was published on 5 December last year. It contains forecasts for all the main macroeconomic variables in 2008, including the forecast rate of unemployment and the growth rate in employment, as well as estimated outturns for 2007. These forecasts of the main macroeconomic variables were taken into account by my Department when producing estimates of expenditure, including social...

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

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 129 together. The National Pensions Reserve Fund was established in 2001 with the objective of meeting as much as possible of the cost to the Exchequer of social welfare pensions and public service pensions to be paid from the year 2025 until at least 2055. Under the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000, the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission...

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

Brian Cowen: The Tax Forecasting Methodology Review Group, which considered tax forecasts for the period 1999 to 2006, submitted its report to me. It is my intention to present the report to Cabinet shortly and to subsequently publish the findings.

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

Brian Cowen: I can only assume that the Deputy is referring to the recent report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on eGovernment. It is popular in the media (and indeed in parts of this House) to suggest that this report demonstrates that eGovernment in Ireland has been a failure. Of course the Report does no such thing. While it highlights some difficulties and challenges that have emerged, it...

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

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the relevant information available in respect of DIRT repaid and the number of such repayments is set out in the following table. Year Amount of DIRT Repaid Number of repayments â'¬ 2002 11.27 1,155 2003 9.71 1,440 2004 2.11 1,003 2005 2.32 971 2006 1.19 883 2007 2.20 920

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged for the seventh month in succession at their Governing Council meeting on 10th January. The determination of interest rate policy is solely a matter for the Governing Council of the European Central Bank, which is independent in these matters.

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

Brian Cowen: I wish to draw the Deputy's attention that on 6 December 2006, as part of Budget 2007, I announced that it was planned to introduce changes to the VRT system to take greater account of environmental issues, and in particular Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions. The Programme for Government of June 2007 re-affirmed the commitment to introduce measures to further weight VRT in favour of cars with...

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

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 bus or train 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 bus or train pass, then the salary...

Written Answers — Financial Services: Financial Services (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: I should explain that the Irish clearing system is a private institution, which operates under the general umbrella of the Irish Payment Services Organisation. I am informed that the clearing cycle for a cheque should in normal circumstances take no more than three business days, with the bar on returning a cheque unpaid being set at five business days. This might occur where, say there are...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: Inflation, as measured by the CPI, averaged 4.9 per cent in 2007. On Budget day, 5th December 2007, my Department forecast that Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation would average 3.0 per cent this year. This forecast was based on the normal technical assumption of unchanged interest rates, is predicated on the rate of inflation moderating as this year progresses, and remains my Department's...

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

Brian Cowen: The information requested by the Deputy is set out below: Tax year Exempt (Standard rate liability fully covered by credits or Age Exemption Limits) Marginal Band Paying tax at the standard rate (including those whose liability at the higher rate is fully offset by credits) Higher rate liability not fully offset by credits All cases Number % Number % Number % Number % 2007 868,000 38.0...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is important in comparing the number of consumer focused inspections carried out by the Financial Regulator in the years 2004 to 2006 as reported in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report to take account of a number of special factors which are highly relevant to the comparison. These factors are, in fact, referred to in the C&AG's report. These include the consideration that over...

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

Brian Cowen: The change in the public finances in 2007 compared with 2006 reflected firstly a significant increase in Government outlays across all public services and secondly a more moderate change in overall tax receipts reflecting the adjustment in economic conditions as the housing market commenced a return to more normal market conditions. The public finances are sound with a General Government...

Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have received many representations regarding the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme. This 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. The disability criteria for these concessions are set out in the...

Written Answers — Financial Services: Financial Services (30 Jan 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) has since 1989, operated a savings protection scheme (SPS) for credit unions. The SPS aims to protect the individual savings of members by ensuring that credit unions are financially and administratively sound and provides for savings protection for each individual credit union member. ILCU have stated publicly that the savings protection scheme is...

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

Brian Cowen: Recent figures issued by the Courts Service on new cases of this type entered in the High Court are provided below for the years 2002 to 2007. It should be noted that possession orders applied for are not always granted or implemented and they are not always issued against residential properties. Year New Summonses issued Possession orders made* 2007 465 no figure available at this time...

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

Brian Cowen: The Benchmarking Body has produced a report in accordance with its terms of reference. It is agreed between Government and the trade unions that the best approach to ensuring that individual public service grades are paid appropriately, is to compare all aspects of public sector jobs with their private sector equivalents. Public service pay should neither lead nor fall behind market rates...

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

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that arrears of tax and duty amounted to €1,107 million as at 31st March 2007, which are the latest stable figures available. Of the debt of €1,107m, €163m was under control. This means that the debt is being managed, generally through an agreed instalment arrangement where additional time to pay is given by Revenue. €402m was under active...

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

Brian Cowen: My Department's economic forecasts have not changed from those published on Budget day, when GDP growth of 3.0 per cent was projected for this year (GNP growth of 2.8 per cent).