Results 8,781-8,800 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that in 2008, a total of 373 taxpayers notified Revenue that they had paid rent to a non-resident landlord. In such circumstances, a reduction in tax credits is automatically created in order to collect the tax that has/should have been withheld by the tenant. This meets the tenant's liability in relation to the tax withheld.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 153 together. Deputy McGrath has provided details of an individual but he will appreciate that I cannot comment on any particular case. However, with regard to public service employees working in a body where there is or may be a pension scheme, if the employees are not entitled to be members of that scheme, for whatever reason, then it is intended...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The details submitted with this question would suggest that the issue relates to Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) payable on an inheritance and not Capital Gains Tax. As the person in question inherited the property from a sister-in-law in 2008 the relevant tax free threshold is €26,060 and any amount in excess of this figure is liable to tax at a rate of 20%. However, it should be noted that...

Written Answers — Eircom Staff: Eircom Staff (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has primary responsibility for matters relating to eircom and in relation to the Postal and Telecommunication Services Act 1983 and the Postal and Telecommunications Services (Amendment) Act 1999. As the Deputy is aware, Telecom Éireann was floated on the Stock Exchange as a private limited company in July 1999 and renamed eircom....

Written Answers — Political Party Funding: Political Party Funding (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: An annual allowance is payable to the parliamentary leader of qualifying parties including the Progressive Democrat Party. Payments to the Progressive Democrats totalling €185,080.70 were made in 2008 as follows: Month € January 14,982.44 February 14,982.44 March 14,982.44 April 29,635.26 May 17,230.67 June 17,230.67 July 15,357.06 August 11,828.79 September 12,212.73 October...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has put in place a plan to restore balance to the public finances by 2013. This includes as a priority the elimination of the current budget deficit and bringing the General Government deficit to below 3 per cent of GDP by 2013. The indicative annual adjustments needed to meet this are set out in the Addendum to the Stability Programme Update...

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Government's Guarantee Scheme comprehensively sets out measures under which the commercial conduct of covered institutions is to be governed. Section 36 of the Scheme regulates the balance sheet growth of covered institutions to ensure that it is not excessive. This function will be monitored by the Financial Regulator, who has recently confirmed to my Department that all the covered...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 149 together. The economy's competitive position has deteriorated in recent times. This deterioration has been driven by a combination of factors including a strong euro, wage increases in excess of productivity and a relatively high inflation rate. As the Deputy is aware, national competitiveness is a shared responsibility of all in society. Regaining...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I would like to reassure the Deputy that my Department monitors inflation developments on an ongoing basis. As measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), annual inflation in Ireland was 1.1% in January 2009. Using the domestic measure — the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — the annual inflation rate was -0.1%. Factoring in the latest ECB rate cut, along with more recent data...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In light of the unprecedented pace of developments in the global and domestic economic environment since the October Budget, the economic and fiscal forecasts were revised and new macro-economic and fiscal forecasts were published. Consequently, in early January, revised aggregate tax forecasts for 2009 and the following years to 2013 were set out by my Department in the Addendum to Ireland's...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Financial Regulator published its Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears on 13th February in keeping with the Government's announcement on recapitalisation arrangements. This code applies only to mortgage lending activities to consumers in respect of their principal residence in the State, by all regulated entities operating in the State. I understand that the Free Legal Advice Centre...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they are not in a position to provide an answer to this question within the timeframe for issue of a reply. Accordingly, they will contact the Deputy in due course when the requisite information has been sourced.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Order for Second Stage (19 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now.".

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage (19 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I move: "That the Bill be read a Second Time". As I said in this House last Tuesday evening, we are now fighting for the economic future of our country. The global financial crisis, the worst in 70 years, is having a profound effect on our banking and financial sector. As a small trading nation, we are exceptionally vulnerable to the serious worldwide recession with a contraction in...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage (19 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Fine Gael offered more optimistic forecasts than we did in the run-up to the last general election.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage (19 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Obviously, unlike Deputy Bruton and I, they do not read Adam Smith.

Written Answers — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (19 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I understand from the Revenue Commissioners that if a vehicle is Type Approved for use on the road, it must be registered and subsequently motor taxed before it can be driven on public roads. If the vehicle is not Type Approved for use on the road, then it cannot be registered, or driven on the road; and so the issue of motor tax does not arise. As the Deputy will be aware the issue of...

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (19 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The importance of having a regulatory system that provides financial stability and fosters probity has become all the more clear to us now in a time of severe financial dislocation, both nationally and internationally. It is accepted that a new and better co-ordinated approach to ensuring financial stability and regulation is required, with a greater degree of focus on areas such as risk...

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (19 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Anglo Irish Bank is being run on an arms length commercial basis. Accordingly, commercial decisions, which include decisions on lending, whether to private or public entities, are a matter for the Board of Anglo. Notwithstanding this, I am informed that Anglo has no direct lending on the Irish loan book to State or Semi-State bodies. As the Deputy will be aware, the Board of Anglo is...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (19 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have been informed by my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism that no decision has yet been taken about the timing of further rounds of the Sports Capital Programme. In the meantime, it is business as usual for those who have been awarded grants under previous rounds of the programme. The current position remains that €56m has been provided in the Vote for the Department...