Results 10,581-10,600 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My Department must, as is the case for all Departments, operate within available resources, both in respect of staffing and other provisions. However, I am satisfied that the resources available to enable my Department to carry out the necessary evaluation of performance and cost in both the public and private sectors with a view to improving competitiveness in the economy are appropriate....

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I wish to draw to the Deputy's attention that rebates on employee's redundancy payments are a matter for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In general, my department uses the services of the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Chief State Solicitor, and seeks outside legal advisors in circumstances requiring legal services of a specific nature. The costs associated with the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Chief State Solicitor are borne by the respective Votes and are not charged back to my...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 to 170, inclusive, together. The Supplementary Budget forecast that total tax revenue for the year would amount to €34.4 billion. Monthly profiles for individual tax-heads were published at the end of April. The end of June Exchequer Returns showed that €15.8 billion in tax receipts were collected in the first half of 2009. Income Tax receipts were...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Numbers 171 and 172 together. To my knowledge, no reasoned opinion on this issue has been received from the European Commission by Ireland. During the preparation of the NDP, the question of undertaking a Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) was considered by the Government. The outcome of this consideration, which included taking legal advice, was that an SEA...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Based on cigarettes costing €8.35 per pack of 20, following the most recent increase of 25 cent from midnight on 7 April, 2009, the price includes a total of €6.67 in taxation (€5.19 excise duty and €1.48 VAT). The increases in excise, inclusive of VAT, made over the past 15 years are set out in the following table. In accordance with section 3 of the Appropriation Act, 1999, the...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: EU VAT law requires Member States to apply a single standard rate of VAT of not lower than 15%, and there is also political agreement that the standard rate applying in each Member State does not exceed 25%. Member States may also apply up to two reduced rates of VAT of no less than 5% and not more than 15% on those goods and services listed in Annex III of the EU VAT Directive. In...

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." When introducing my supplementary budget, I stated that fairness must be the cornerstone of all our efforts to achieve economic renewal. In that context, it was decided that those in these Houses and in the Government must examine their own costs and make their contribution to the savings that must be achieved in this time of unprecedented...

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It is enabling in character.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The structure of the legislation is that the Minister does it.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It simply enables the Minister to do something else that he or she cannot do-----

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The commission made a proposal which cannot easily be facilitated in the current statutory framework so I am amending the statutory framework to enable me to consider the commission proposal.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: A former Taoiseach is in a different category under the 1993 arrangement.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: A former Taoiseach is in a different category by law.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I did not make the move to age 50. That move was made in 2001.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It was in respect of the aggregate income.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Quite a number on all sides have given them up.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The inconsistency was in place before this legislation.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: That could be a likely contingency if the Deputy were to get into Government.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I will deal with that in my reply.