Results 9,021-9,040 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: On the publication of Finance (No. 2) Bill 2008 on 20 November 2008 I clarified in the press conference that the income levy would not be applied to income earners with an entitlement to the medical card. A press release containing this information was published on my Department's website and issued to all national media outlets that day. In my second stage speech for Finance (No. 2) Bill...

Written Answers — : (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the request for the refund of stamp duty cannot be processed until queries raised in this regard have been answered. Revenue has made contact with the solicitor acting on behalf of the person to resolve this matter. The solicitor is to forward the relevant documentation and on receipt Revenue will consider the application for the refund of stamp...

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I strongly welcome the Financial Regulator's new disclosure requirements for loans to directors of credit institutions in Ireland. As the Deputy may be aware, the Financial Regulator has written to all banks incorporated in Ireland and building societies established in Ireland informing them of the following disclosure requirements regarding directors' loans and loans to connected persons of...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that as a general rule all vehicles imported permanently into the State must register for Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) purposes within one working day of arrival. This rule applies equally to vehicles imported by EU and non EU persons. In practice, Revenue allows latitude of a maximum of seven days for registration. However, Section 135 (a) of the...

Written Answers — Voluntary Pay Cuts: Voluntary Pay Cuts (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Apart from Members of the Government and Ministers of State, to date, 14 Deputies and 5 Senators have made gifts from salary to the Minister for Finance. As I have stated previously, it is open to the people concerned to cease the payment as they are now liable to the pension related deduction. Members of local authorities are covered by the public service pension related deduction.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The cross-border bodies funded by the Irish Government are set out in the table showing the cost to the Irish State of each of these bodies for 2007 and 2008 covering both administration and programme costs. Cross-Border Body 2007 20081 €m €m Waterways Ireland 36. 21 38.14 Food Safety Promotion Board 6.65 7.14 InterTrade Ireland 9.48 6.54 Special European Union Programmes Body...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The approach to this deduction is that it applies generally given the fact that all public servants enjoy the benefits of a public service pension which provides for greater security and more favourable terms than the generality of private sector pensions. It would be inappropriate to exempt public servants in receipt of a medical card from this deduction, which is to apply on a wide base and...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Minister for Finance has statutory responsibility for civil service pensions. Statutory responsibility for public service pension schemes outside the civil service rests in the first instance with the relevant Ministers in other Departments, as appropriate. The information sought by the Deputy in respect of the civil service is available in the Audited Appropriation Accounts 2007. The...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Retained firefighters are subject to the pension-related deduction as they are entitled to join the Local Government Superannuation Scheme, and those who do not take that option are covered by a non-contributory retirement gratuity arrangement. While they are not exempted from the deduction, I did undertake during the Dáil debate on the deduction to have their case examined to see if there...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Under the provisions of the Central Bank Act 1942 (as amended), the Chief Executive of the Regulatory Authority is appointed by the other members of the Authority and holds office on conditions of employment as are initially specified, or are later agreed, between the Chief Executive and the other members of the Authority. The Regulatory Authority has informed me that pension benefits to the...

Written Answers — National Lottery: National Lottery (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: While final figures for 2008 are not yet available, it is expected that the surplus generated from the National Lottery in 2008 will be in the region of €260m. It is expected that the amount generated in 2009 will be broadly similar. As regards the use of the available surplus, Appendix 1 of the Revised Estimates will give a breakdown by Department of subheads which have been part funded by...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that, for the purposes of claiming capital allowances in relation to expenditure incurred on the construction of buildings or structures which secure a reduction or elimination of any pollution arising from the trade of farming, grants must be deducted from the amount of the expenditure incurred. The Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides that the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The rules governing cost neutral early retirement are set out in Department of Finance Circular 10 of 2005 (4 April 2005): "Public Service Pension Reform: Introduction of cost neutral early retirement". Under that Circular, a person must be serving in a public service body, as defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004, in order to be eligible to apply...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: A core objective of the legislative and regulatory framework for Credit Unions in Ireland is to ensure the safety and soundness of credit unions. This requires prudent lending and protection of members' savings. The restrictions contained in Section 35 of the Credit Union Act 1997, as amended, are an important asset and liability tool that have protected the financial stability of the credit...

Written Answers — National Treasury Management Agency: National Treasury Management Agency (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I would like to draw the Deputy's attention to the fact that bonds, for which the National Treasury Management Agency is responsible, allow organisations to invest in fixed-term, fixed-rate instruments which are part of the National Debt.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: 'Whistleblowing' is usually interpreted to mean the reporting, in good faith, of a breach or potential breach of the law, and the according of a measure of protection to the person reporting, against penalisation by the entity about whom the report has been made. Whistleblowing provisions currently exist in Irish legislation relation to Child Abuse, Ethics in Public Office, Health and Safety,...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My Department entered into a contract with Carr Communications for media skills training in the relevant period and a total of €1,050 was paid. A retainer fee was not paid. The Office of the Revenue Commissioners entered into contracts with the Communications Clinic and High Performance Training for media skills training in the relevant period and paid €1,000 and €8,690 respectively. In...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I presume the Deputy's question refers to the Financial Services Ombudsman (FSO) who is a statutory officer who deals independently with complaints from consumers about their individual dealings with Financial Service Providers that have not been resolved by the providers after they have been through the internal complaints resolution systems of the providers. All personal customers, limited...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Adjustments in tax policy or expenditure have an impact on the economy in that they can result in changes in consumption and investment patterns leading to changes in tax revenues. Tax buoyancy is a function of the marginal propensity to consume and generally changes in policy are assumed to lead to a buoyancy factor in the range of 20 to 30 per cent. Based on the latest information...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The impact of any form of government spending on the economy crucially depends upon the nature of such spending. In this regard, spending money on investment is no different, and the economic impact of an additional €100 million on investment will be very much dependent upon the type of investment that is undertaken. With this in mind, I would point out that €100 million represents in...