Results 9,641-9,660 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (23 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 100 together. The matters referred to in the Deputy's questions are matters which fall within the policy remit of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Therefore any correspondence of the type referred to in the Deputy's questions would have been routinely referred to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (23 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Following a review of the correspondence records for the period in question, my Department has found no trace of the correspondence referred to in the details supplied with the question.

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (23 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: All matters relating to the roads programme and to individual roads projects, including matters of funding, are the responsibility for the Minister for Transport and his agency the National Roads Authority.

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (23 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My Department has met the 3% target for employment of people with disabilities. As part of a Civil Service wide measure, my Department has conducted a survey of staff, based on voluntary disclosure, using a method agreed with the National Disability Authority. The response to the survey indicates that at least 4.3% of the staff of the Department has a disability. My Department is also...

Written Answers — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the person in question declared the vehicle for registration at Tullamore Vehicle Registration Office on 24 March 2009. The V5 UK registration document, which was presented in support of the application, was issued on 24 February 2009 by the UK Authorities and shows the date of acquisition of the vehicle as 12 February 2009. Since 1 July 2008...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The position is that cohabitating couples are expressly recognised for the purpose of social welfare law but are not recognised for the purposes of income tax law. Although this may appear contradictory, the main aim of both the welfare code and the tax code is to uphold the constitutional right of married couples not to be treated less favourably than unmarried couples. The basis for the...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In March, the Government, on my request appointed Dr Alan Ahearne as one of my Special Advisers. The manner in which such appointments are required to be made is specified under the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 and does not involve public competition. That Act also requires me to lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas, within 60 days of the appointment, certain documents including Dr...

Written Answers — Judicial Remuneration: Judicial Remuneration (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I can confirm that Members of the Judiciary are liable to pay the income levy. The Deputy will be aware that in early April, the Chief Justice announced that arrangements have been made to enable judges to pay the pension related deduction voluntarily. I will not be announcing the names of those who choose to pay the contribution as it is entirely a personal matter for each judge. I have...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The position is that Mortgage Interest Relief for principal private residences will continue for first-time buyers and others who bought their homes within the last 7 years. From the first of May 2009 Mortgage Interest Relief is only being withdrawn for those individuals that have already been in receipt of mortgage interest relief for more than seven years. I believe the decision to...

Written Answers — Average Industrial Wage: Average Industrial Wage (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The average industrial wage for 2005 was €30,310 as measured by the old CSO survey 'Industrial Earnings and Hours Worked'. The average industrial wage as measured by the new release 'Earnings and Labour Costs' is used for the subsequent years. The two measures are not directly comparable but the new series provides better coverage of earnings data. The averages for 2006 and 2007 were...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The position is that all payments made by the Department of Social and Family Affairs, and similar type payments made by other government departments and agencies, are specifically exempted from the income levy and are disregarded for the purposes of determining an individual's income for the application of the income levy.

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As Members of the Oireachtas are not employed in a civil or public service capacity they will not be eligible to participate in the three year career break scheme announced in the Supplementary Budget. By virtue of their constitutional status, the granting of career breaks would not be compatible with the role and duties of Members of the Oireachtas.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Long service increments, payable after 3 and 6 years' service on the maximum of the scale, were introduced as part of restructuring deals agreed for various grades under the Programme for Competitiveness and Work (PCW). Payment of such increments is dependent on the individual recipients attaining the appropriate rating under the Performance Management and Development System (PMDS). The...

Written Answers — Investment Securities: Investment Securities (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There is no data available on the total value of funds held in bearer bonds here. These debt securities can be issued by both public and private institutions. In general, income arising from or gains on the disposal of bearer bonds is liable to tax in the same manner as income or gains arising on other bonds. In the case of an Irish resident individual, interest or discount income arising on...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I presume the Deputy's question refers to the redemption fee applied by mortgage providers in circumstances that a customer seeks to break a fixed rate mortgage. Mortgage lenders in Ireland generally seek to recover costs of funds when a borrower with a fixed rate mortgage agreement seeks to terminate the agreement some time before the term agreed. Traditionally redemption fees were...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The details requested by the Deputy are contained in the following table. Legislation pertaining to the Department of Finance Year Legislation Did the legislation originate from Brussels or was it purely national 2007 Finance Act National* 2007 Finance (No 2) Act National* 2007 Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Act ( No 33 of 2007) National 2007 Appropriation Act National...

Written Answers — National Pension Reserve Fund: National Pension Reserve Fund (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Supplementary Budget for 2009 published on 7 April 2009 provides for a contribution of €3 billion from the Exchequer to the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) in 2009. It projects that no contribution will be required in 2010 and that the contribution in 2011 will be €1.449 billion. The National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000 requires the payment from the Exchequer to the Fund each...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The treatment of taxable redundancy payments paid prior to 1 May will be considered in the context of the preparation of the forthcoming Finance Bill.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 151 together. My Department has been receiving enquiries on this issue and there have been a number of other Parliamentary Questions in recent months. The position is that under statutory pension schemes and pension schemes approved by the Revenue Commissioners, there is no liability to income tax in respect of retirement gratuities or lump sums paid...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As part of the normal lead-up to the budget, an examination of tax incentive schemes and tax reliefs is undertaken in the context of the ongoing development of budgetary and economic policy. Arising from an examination of the various schemes which provide tax relief for rental income properties, I decided to reduce the interest relief from 100% to 75% as a deductible expense in calculating...