Results 8,581-8,600 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 80 and 95 together. The Programme for Government states that the Government will continue to move ahead with decentralisation and ensure that no public servant is obliged to accept decentralisation against their wishes and that promotion opportunities remain available. I have no plans to review the programme. A progress report by the Decentralisation...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The 2008 spending plans were set out in detail in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2008 which were published on 21 February 2008. The Estimates provide for total gross expenditure of just under €62 billion made up of approximately €53 billion current expenditure and €9 billion capital expenditure. These are the settled spending allocations with which all Government Departments...

Written Answers — Spending Evaluation Programmes: Spending Evaluation Programmes (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Orders of Reference for the Select Committees of the 30th Dáil specifically encompass consideration of spending evaluation programmes in the form of Value for Money Reviews and I wrote to the Chairpersons of all Dáil Select Committees on 1st February this year encouraging them to ensure that the Committees schedule time to consider Value for Money and Policy Reviews in detail, and where...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: In response to Priority Questions 1 and 2, I have already set out the fiscal position at end-March. In this regard, I would remind you again of the Government's policy. While our fiscal position may have weakened from that envisaged at Budget time, the current situation is manageable given the strong position of the public finances such as our low debt to GDP ratio. Also, the fundamentals of...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: As I have previously indicated, 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...

Written Answers — Efficiency Reviews: Efficiency Reviews (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The efficiency review referred to by the OECD is the one I announced in Budget 2008. The nature and terms of reference are set out in the Budget Booklet at Page B.24. In accordance with these terms of reference, all Government Departments and Offices were required to examine all administrative spending within their area, including spending by state bodies under their aegis, and to report...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: Section 110 of the Finance Act 2007 made provision for a charge to stamp duty where license agreements and other such arrangements are used when land is purchased for development without conveyance or transfer. The provision ensured that these arrangements will incur a Stamp Duty charge where a landowner receives a payment amounting to 25% or more of the market value or consideration...

Written Answers — National Partnership Agreement: National Partnership Agreement (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware, the social partners meet today to open negotiations on a new pay agreement under Towards 2016. The Government's objective in entering these talks is to achieve a sustainable agreement compatible with improving competitiveness and productivity. Pay developments in the period immediately ahead must reflect the more challenging economic and competitiveness scenario that...

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have noted the IMF report and it is important to be aware that in relation to the Irish housing market there are some significant variables of specific relevance to Ireland such as household formation and flows of immigration that were not included in the technical model. While this is acknowledged by the IMF it does mean that their analysis is not a wholly representative picture of the...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy may wish to note that while the outlook is for weaker, although still positive, employment growth this year, Ireland's unemployment rate is expected to remain low by international standards, below the European average. In terms of the housing market, affordability in Ireland is supported at the current time by such factors as continued income growth, interest rates that are...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: As outlined in Annex D to the Summary of 2008 Budget Measures, the revised VRT system to take greater account of CO2 emissions is being introduced on a broadly revenue neutral basis. It is being introduced as an environmental measure and not to increase the revenue yield from the purchase of cars. Neither, of course, is the VRT revision meant to result in a loss in revenue from VRT, all...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The 2008 expenditure allocation for the Exchequer social welfare Jobseekers Allowance scheme is almost €1,020 million. I am aware of the recent upward pressure on the Live Register and this will, depending on developments over the remainder of the year, have implications for expenditure on this scheme. However, Jobseekers Allowance is only one of a number of demand led schemes that are...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The arrangements for appointments to the boards of State bodies are normally set out in the legislation establishing the bodies in question and are designed to ensure the efficient management of the organisation. Appointments to the boards are generally made by the Minister with responsibility for the body in question, subject to the consent of the Minister for Finance. In making...

Written Answers — Programmes for Government: Programmes for Government (24 Apr 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. As the Deputy is aware, the first instalment of the delivery of this five year Programme for Government — Budget 2008 — was published in December. Budget 2008 announced all new spending...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 76 together. The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to reduce the standard rate of income tax to 18 per cent and the top rate of income tax to 40 per cent over the lifetime of the Government, provided economic resources allow. It is clear that we have now entered a period of lower economic growth than was generally envisaged in the early...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The OECD report contained a generally positive assessment of the Irish economy. While recognising the challenges facing Ireland in the period ahead, the report acknowledges the remarkable performance of the Irish economy over the past decade. Of particular note is that the OECD report states that the economic fundamentals — including a skilled workforce, a flexible labour market, moderate...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: At Budget time, an economic growth rate of 3.0 per cent in GDP terms was forecast. However, a number of risks to the economic forecasts were identified, including the possibility of a sharper slowdown in the US, the possibility of adverse exchange rate movements, the possibility that financial market difficulties could persist for longer than assumed and the possibility of a sharper...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: Government Policy over the last number of years in relation to low paid workers has been to keep them out of the tax net entirely. As a result, in 2008 it is projected that a total of 878,100 or 37.6% of income earners will be outside the tax net. As provided in the Programme for Government, this Government's priority is to keep low earners out of the standard rate band and average earners...

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (24 Apr 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. It is important to note that under the SPS regime no member of a...

Written Answers — Expenditure Reviews: Expenditure Reviews (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: Value for Money and Policy Reviews are part of a package of changes that I have introduced to the Estimates and Budget processes in recent years to move resource allocation policy away from a narrow focus on financial inputs, on to a broader consideration of performance and the delivery of outputs and outcomes. The Government approved some 90 formal Value for Money Reviews to be carried out...