Results 12,721-12,740 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Credit unions are regulated by the Registrar of Credit Unions within the overall framework of Financial Services Regulation. In the programme of reform of financial services regulation the Government decided that the Registrar would continue to operate in the context of the proposed new structures. These arrangements are intended to ensure that regulation of credit unions is carried out in...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have requested the Financial Regulator to initiate a strategic review of the credit union sector in Ireland. This will involve an examination of the structure, operation, regulation and legislation of the credit union sector with a view to providing a report making recommendations, including specific proposals to strengthen prudential soundness. Its conclusions and recommendations will...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the relevant information available on the cost to the Exchequer of each of the property and area based tax reliefs is based on personal income tax returns filed by non-PAYE taxpayers and corporation tax returns filed by companies for the year 2007, the latest year that this information is available. These are set out in the following table:

Written Answers — Cigarette Smuggling: Cigarette Smuggling (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that as regards the point of sale display ban that was introduced last July, there is no evidence that this has contributed to increased cigarette smuggling and illicit cigarette trades. Prior to the introduction of the ban, counterfeit and contraband cigarettes were not on open display in the retail outlets where they were detected and were usually...

Written Answers — Statutory Instruments: Statutory Instruments (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The requirement under Section 3(1)(a) of the Statutory Instruments Act 1947, as amended in 1955, is still in force. Since 2007 all Departments and State Agencies with the power to make Statutory Instruments have been obliged to use the electronic Statutory Instruments System (eSIS), and a comprehensive set of user guidelines was produced to accompany the system. It is clearly stated in...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Minister for Finance has statutory responsibility for civil service pensions and for pensions paid from the Central Fund. Statutory responsibility for other public service pension schemes is a matter in the first instance for the respective Ministers in other Departments, as appropriate. As the person to whom the question relates is an employee of the health sector, the matter should be...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that approximately 2,700 customers, who appear to have taken out top up mortgages, have provided additional information required of them by Revenue. This information is being evaluated by Revenue to decide if there is in fact an entitlement to mortgage interest relief on those top ups. Revenue expects to be in a position during March to determine...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The provisions of the car scrappage scheme as set out in Section 102 of the Finance Bill as published on 4 February 2010, provide for a scrappage scheme to run from 1 January to 31 December 2010. VRT relief of up to €1,500 will be available where a person purchases a new category A car of emission Bands A or B (i.e. with CO2 emissions of 140g/Km or less) and an old car is scrapped. The...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that for the purposes of both Gift and Inheritance Tax, the relationship between the person who provided the gift or inheritance (i.e. the disponer) and the person who received the gift or inheritance (i.e. the beneficiary), determines the maximum tax-free threshold- known as the "Group threshold" below which gift or inheritance tax does not arise....

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: This is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners. I am advised by Revenue that the businesses in question have significant debts, some of which are the subject of enforcement action by the sheriff, and that there have been ongoing difficulties with these businesses in securing timely compliance. A proposal to address some of the debt was made very recently to Revenue. I am advised by Revenue...

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: A Relationship Framework, pursuant to Section 3 of the Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Act 2009, specifies the relationship between me as sole shareholder of Anglo, and the bank. Anglo Irish Bank is run on an arms length commercial basis by the Board of the bank. The commercial relationship between the bank and its customers is a matter for the bank itself.

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In matters relating to the application of VAT, I am constrained by the requirements of EU VAT law with which Irish VAT law must comply. The EU VAT Directive provides that Member States must apply VAT to goods and services at specified rates, and does not provide for temporary VAT-free arrangements for particular economic sectors such as the retail sector. In this respect, it is not possible...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I do not consider it appropriate to disclose the level of detailed personal information sought by the Deputy. Details of the total amount paid, the number of interview days and the number of individuals/organisations who received payment during 2009 have already been disclosed in response to Parliamentary Question No. 204 of 9 February 2010. Apart from the payments to individuals who acted as...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that reliefs across a number of taxes could possibly apply in the circumstances outlined in the question as follows:

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Public servants who are members of public service pension schemes are liable to pay the pension-related deduction legislated for in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. On this basis, third-level researchers on fixed-term and temporary contracts who are members of the relevant public service occupational pension scheme must pay the deduction. Distinctions between...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the air travel tax arising from travel undertaken in any month is payable by airline operators by the 23rd of the following month. Since the introduction of the air travel tax on 30 March 2009, it has yielded a total of €91.9 million. The figures broken down on a monthly basis are as follows: 2009 €m May 9.6 Jun 11.5 Jul 11.9 Aug 12.5...

Written Answers — Ministerial Orders: Ministerial Orders (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 and 213 together. The information requested by the Deputy is as follows. Under the Freedom of Information Act 1997(Fees) Regulations 2003 (S.I. No 264 of 2003), the following up-front fees were introduced for certain Freedom of Information requests, applications for internal review and applications for review by the Office of the Information...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Section 201 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 and Schedule 3 to that Act set out the legislation in relation to the exemptions that apply to retirement gratuities, and the taxation of any balance after applying these exemptions. The same rules apply to all employees and office holders. Statutory redundancy payments are exempt from income tax. In addition, ex-gratia redundancy payments in...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy may be aware that I recently sanctioned the filling of up to 200 posts in the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, recognising the importance of that Office's role and the significant reduction in staff numbers during 2009. The filling of these posts is within the numbers ceiling set for the Office under the Employment Control Framework. These posts will be filled through a...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (16 Feb 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There are 14 exchequer funded bodies associated with my Department which are listed in the Table A. There are no plans to amalgamate any of these bodies. In addition, there is one commercial state body, Anglo Irish Bank. Table A Decentralisation Implementation Group Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal (DDMA) Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) Valuation Tribunal Review Body on...