Results 9,141-9,160 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Order of Business (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The discussion on the employment Bill will resume next week and the NIRA and industrial relations legislation will be published in this session.

Order of Business (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The amendment to the Competition Act envisages making amendments to competition law in respect of collective bargaining. The Department is in consultation with other Departments and the EU Commission and preparation of the heads is under way, but it is not possible to indicate a publication date at this stage. I must communicate with the Deputy regarding the ILO conventions.

Order of Business (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Bill contains 1,263 heads. Its purpose is to bring greater clarification and simplification to the companies code. It involves 13 separate company law Acts and its heads were approved by the Government on 25 July 2007. It is a substantial Bill in terms of its size and it is not possible to indicate at this stage when it will be published. In any discussion on a Bill of such size,...

Order of Business (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It should be published over the summer.

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Anglo Irish Bank is being run on an arms length commercial basis. Consequently, normal commercial decisions, which include the contraction of legal advice, are a matter for the Board of Anglo. As the Deputy will be aware, matters at Anglo Irish Bank are the subject of a number of corporate governance investigations including investigations being undertaken by the Financial Regulator and the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 86 together. The length of a contract is not relevant as to whether or not a deduction is to be made. In general most contract staff in the public service are now eligible for pension scheme membership. In addition, a person who is on a contract and, for example, is in receipt of a payment in lieu of membership of a pension scheme, would be liable for...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the taxpayer is jointly assessed with her spouse for income tax purposes. Her spouse is self-employed and therefore, as a chargeable person, must submit an annual Tax Return. A Tax Return Form 11 for 2007 has been received by Revenue and a Notice of Assessment issued to the person's spouse dated 25 November 2008. (As the person's spouse...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that, after the end of the 2009 year, a straightforward procedure will be in place to allow those couples entitled to the age exemption to claim repayment of income levy deducted in 2009, subject to their personal income being less than the married exemption threshold of €40,000. Arrangements to publicise the procedures will be highlighted in the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Retained firefighters are subject to the pension-related deduction as they are, in fact, entitled to join the Local Government Superannuation Scheme and receive a pension and lump sum from a local authority. 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...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Under the general scheme of corporation tax provided for in the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, corporation tax is charged on the profits of a company arising in a financial year but the tax is assessed on the company by reference to accounting periods. The starting point for determining a company's taxable profits and liability to corporation tax is, therefore, the company's profits for the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Under current rules relating to pension benefits, part of those benefits can be provided by way of a tax-free lump sum payment on retirement. The maximum lump sum benefit that can be achieved at normal retirement age by an employee is one and a half times final remuneration. This arrangement is available under pension schemes in both the public and private sectors. For certain individuals,...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The purchasing of bicycles under the scheme must be in compliance with procurement regulations. A circular will issue shortly once an appropriate tendering system is in place.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (5 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that it is the responsibility of the Employer to issue Form P45 on cessation of employment. As outlined in reply to an earlier PQ, 4100/09, Revenue issued details from Form P35 2008 to the taxpayer in February 2009. A further copy of these details has now been issued. Form P21 balancing statement for 2008 also issued to the taxpayer dated 12...

Written Answers — Departmental Websites: Departmental Websites (10 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My Department has an extensive website containing detailed information on all areas for which the Department is responsible, including taxation, public expenditure, public service remuneration and financial information. All citizens may make policy proposals to the Department. Such representations can be made through letters, emails, telephone calls and the internet. Also a specific email...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (10 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It is presumed the Deputy is referring to the current annual earnings cap of €150,000, which operates to limit the level of tax-relieved personal pension contributions in any one year. The annual earnings cap acts, in conjunction with age-related percentage limits of annual earnings, to put a ceiling on the annual amount of tax relief an individual taxpayer can obtain on pension...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I will shortly be bringing proposals to Government for the drafting of legislation to give effect to the Taoiseach's announcement. This initiative by the Government will underpin confidence in our financial system.

Written Answers — Departmental Representations: Departmental Representations (10 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Representations were received by this Department directly from the bodies referred to by the Deputy and no other representations were received from any professional or public affairs advisors or consultants on behalf of these groups. I have also been informed by the Revenue Commissioners that they too did not receive representations from any professional or public affairs advisers or...

Written Answers — Public Private Partnerships: Public Private Partnerships (10 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In February 2004, Eurostat published guidelines regarding the accounting treatment of PPP projects for the purpose of calculating the General Government Balance (GGB). In general, the position in this regard is that the assets of privately financed PPP projects will be off balance sheet in the National Accounts and therefore the construction costs will not affect the GGB upfront over the...

Written Answers — Public Private Partnerships: Public Private Partnerships (10 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It is not possible to quantify the value of public private partnerships that might be completed under the National Development Plan as project completion is dependent on a number of factors including the pace of negotiations and priorities as determined over the life of the Plan. The most recently published Multi Annual Capital Envelope published with the 2009 Budget multi-annual capital...

Written Answers — Public Private Partnerships: Public Private Partnerships (10 Mar 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have been advised by the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) that the current global financial crisis is having an impact on the funding of all investments including Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects in all countries. PPPs in Ireland, UK and other EU countries have experienced delays in getting banks to lend for long periods. However, it should be noted that a number of PPP...