Results 801-820 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed). (9 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: I have noted what the Deputies have said. To answer Deputy Boyle's point, it is not just a question of portraying it in the context of being vibrant economic and social actors. It is really a function of social change in this country, with a higher participation rate by women in the workforce. It is more in line with continental trends than was the case in the past. People are pursuing...
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed). (9 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: Those are the Deputy's words, not mine.
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed). (9 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: The review does not terminate the relief schemes. We are reviewing them this year and we will make decisions for the future. They continue to operate as heretofore until that review is completed. That is the way the system works. It would be wrong to suggest that we have a situation which is outside a regulatory framework. There is the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990. Where we have a private...
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed). (9 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: It is not a question of decreasing the number of them. There may be some nursing homes in the private sector which could and should be criticised in terms of their location or for some other reason, but we should remember that people have lived in the public nursing home sector for years in facilities which predate any private nursing home the Deputy might mention. Some of them date from the...
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed). (9 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: It will be concluded this year.
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed). (9 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: It is being completed in preparation for the budget.
- Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (9 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: I have no direct responsibility for the day to day operation of the medical board of appeal for the disabled drivers and disabled passengers tax concessions scheme. However, my Department, together with the Department of Health and Children is currently reconstituting the medical board of appeal for the scheme. Progress has been made, and it is expected that the new arrangements will be put...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (9 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: There is a framework in place in my Department for the assignment of functions under the Public Service Management Act 1997 covering all individuals by name down to and including the principal officer grade and a number of individuals at assistant principal level. These assignments are updated as appropriate and were last done on 1 September 2004 â a copy of the latter document has been...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (9 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: The principal mechanism for the assignment of functions to civil servants is the Public Service Management Act 1997. There are a number of other legislative provisions which provide that particular matters may be delegated to officials; examples in my own Department include delegation of functions to officers in specified grades under section 4 of the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 to 2003,...
- Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (9 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: The Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 and the Public Service Management Act 1997 set out the legal position of Government Ministers and Departments. Section 3 of the Public Service Management Act 1997 restates the responsibility of Ministers for the performance of functions which are assigned to their Department. Section 2(1) of the Act of 1924 provides that each Minister shall be a...
- Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (9 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that reviews have now been completed for these years and balancing statements and refunds will issue within the next few days. The delay in dealing with the submissions is regretted by the Revenue Commissioners and was due to backlogs of unworked post in the PAYE district concerned which normally occur at this time of year.
- Order of Business. (10 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: Is this the letter that does exist?
- Order of Business. (10 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: It was the previous letter that did not exist that was rocking the foundations of the State.
- Order of Business. (10 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: In diving terms there is a high degreeââ
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (10 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: Deputy Burton and others tabled similar amendments on Committee Stage and I am glad to reiterate the response I gave then. As Deputies are aware, section 848A provides for the scheme of income tax and corporation tax relief for donations to approved bodies, which include eligible charities, first and second level schools, as Deputy Paul McGrath noted, third level institutions, including...
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (10 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: I will check this. I am only speculating on the figure. The â¬21 million relates to PAYE donations which were claimed by charities as refunds from the Revenue Commissioners in 2003. The cost of donations by self-employed earners in 2002 will become available later this year, giving additional information. No breakdown will be available on figures between charities and schools because of how...
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (10 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: I have nothing further to add. I do not want to delay the proceedings because I would love to get to amendment No. 58.
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (10 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: We are dealing with amendments Nos. 14 and 16 together. These amendments propose to insert a new section 4 into the Bill and to make it a general condition of claiming tax relief on rental income that the person involved provides evidence to the Revenue Commissioners that he or she has registered as a landlord where this is required by law. Part 7 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004...
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (10 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: I will probably have to wait until Fathers' Day.
- Finance Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (10 Mar 2005)
Brian Cowen: One of the principal problems with making registration a requirement for tax relief is that often no straightforward overlap exists between persons claiming tax relief and persons requiring to register. Some claimants of tax relief would have no requirement to register. Therefore, inclusion of a condition for tax relief requiring registration in those circumstances without further detailed...