Results 12,641-12,660 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Public Service Remuneration: Motion (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In deciding how this €1 billion of savings would be applied to the salaries of public servants in 2010, the Government was guided by the need to ensure that those who earned more would contribute more and that office holders and other senior public servants would lead by example. The reductions effected range from 5% to 8% in the case of public servants with salaries of up to €125,000....

Public Service Remuneration: Motion (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Taoiseach and the highest level Secretaries General received a pay cut of 20%. These higher reductions correctly applied to those who could most afford to pay. There was one group, however, that caused the Government some unease. That group was assistant secretaries and deputy secretaries. They would have been treated exceptionally harshly by the combination of a number of cuts to...

Public Service Remuneration: Motion (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In accordance with the recommendations of the review body, therefore, a pool of 10% of the pay bill was paid each year in addition to basic pay. The amount paid to individuals varied but, obviously, the average payment for an individual was 10%. Some of the commentary about the operation of the scheme of performance related awards suggests a misunderstanding of how the scheme was operated....

Public Service Remuneration: Motion (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The review body benchmarked their salary against their counterparts in five other countries. The report noted, when comparison was made on an adjusted income basis, the salary of the Irish post of assistant secretary is behind that of four other countries The United Kingdom's is 102% ahead, Germany's, 29%, Belgium's, 6% and the Netherlands', 1% ahead. Only in Finland was the salary level...

Public Service Remuneration: Motion (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The substantial reduction the Government has applied to the pay of persons at this level is starkly highlighted when net reductions are examined. The Government, in taking the difficult decision to reduce all public servants' pay, has sought as far as possible to protect the pay of the lowest paid and apply the major adjustments to those who can most afford it. Similar performance-related...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 186 together. The Deputy may wish to note that the 2009 Budget publications announced that arrangements would end whereby the annual payment to the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund would be automatically calculated by reference to the previous year's betting duty or the contribution to the Fund in the year 2000 adjusted for inflation. On the general...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have no plans to introduce a port tax on international lorries coming into the state.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Just over 3,000 posts have relocated to date under the decentralisation programme, to almost 40 locations. Moves to Buncrana (Department of Social and Family Affairs) and to Trim (OPW) are under way at present and the buildings at Wexford (Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government) and Newbridge (Department of Defence) are expected to be ready for occupation by the Summer. This...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 170 and 195 together. Home repossession should be and generally is the last resort for the lender. The preferred method of dealing with cases of arrears should be early intervention and engagement. In the revised Programme for Government we have stated that we will be: · Introducing new measures to protect families having difficulties with their home...

Written Answers — Departmental Procurement: Departmental Procurement (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 182 together. The table below sets out the details of contracts granted by my Department and by the offices under its aegis, for projects worth more than €10 million in the period 2000 to date in 2010. Contracts for projects worth more than €10m granted in the period 2000 to 2010 Office Date Company Name Contract Value Brief outline of the...

Written Answers — European Bank for Reconstruction and Development: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was established in 1991 to provide finance to help build market economies in the former Soviet Bloc countries following the fall of Communism. In more recent times the mandate of the Bank has been expanded to allow lending in Mongolia and Turkey. The EBRD provides project finance and equity for banks, industries and businesses, both...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Transfers from a parent to a child of a site not exceeding one acre in size and €500,000 in value are exempt from both Capital Gains Tax and Stamp Duty, where the site is to be used to build the child's only or main residence. The Commission on Taxation recommended the abolition of these exemptions (recommendation 8.20). The Government considered this and other recommendations of the...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 178 together. I refer to my reply to Questions Nos. 4758/10, 5095/10 and 5137/10 on 2 February 2009. I directed under Section 6 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest No. 2 Act, 2009 that the pay adjustments should be modified in respect of Assistant Secretary, Deputy Secretary and related grades in the civil and public service on...

Written Answers — Public Service Recruitment: Public Service Recruitment (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As stated in my reply to the Deputy on 3 December 2009, the position in relation to the opportunities for employment to the Public Service generally is limited by the recruitment and promotion moratorium which was announced on 27 March last year, but the moratorium does not apply to the "Willing, Able, Mentoring Programme" and the 3 per cent target for employment for persons with...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The details of the external consultants currently working for or in my Department/the offices under its aegis, together with a brief outline of the work they are carrying out, is set out in the table. Office Details Office of the Minister for Finance Arthur Cox has an acknowledged expertise in the field of commercial law and its size allows it to dedicate sufficient resources to the...

Written Answers — Ethics in Public Office: Ethics in Public Office (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The schedule to SI No 698 of 2004 (Ethics in Public Office (Designated Positions in Public Bodies) Regulations 2004) lists positions of employment in departments and offices that are prescribed for the purposes of the definition of "designated position of employment" in section 18 of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995. Typically, these are positions that interface with the commercial...

Written Answers — Civil Service Staff: Civil Service Staff (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware the Special Civil Service Incentive Career Break Scheme 2009 was introduced as a once-off measure that was included in the Supplementary Budget on 7 April 2009. There is no current proposal to extend the scheme.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the Central Bank and Financial Service Authority of Ireland. Under the Central Bank Acts and the Statute governing the European System of Central Banks the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (the Bank) is an independent institution not subject to direction by either the Minister for Finance or the Government in the discharge...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: On 27 February 2009 a Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears (the Code) was introduced for all mortgage lenders. This Code contained a requirement that lenders must wait six months from the time arrears first arise before applying to the courts to commence enforcement of any legal action on repossession of a borrower's primary residence. In response to the continuing difficulties being faced...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (9 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Finance Bill, which was published on Thursday 4 February, includes provision to make public bodies subject to VAT in accordance with the European Court of Justice ruling against Ireland of 16 July 2009 in Case C-554/07. In summary, the VAT Act is being amended to provide that public bodies, including local authorities, are made subject to VAT where they engage in activities that could...