Results 14,721-14,740 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Bank Guarantee Scheme: Bank Guarantee Scheme (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The amount of sub debt and senior debt issued before September 2008 and which will remain on the books of the six covered institutions after 1 October 2010 is as follows: Senior debt - €25.88 Subordinated debt - €6.93bn

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I expect the review of the decentralisation programme to be completed before the end of 2011. The decentralisation projects to Fermoy, Mallow and Youghal, County Cork are comprehended by the deferral by the Government of decisions on the timing of the implementation of the balance of the programme pending the review in 2011. To date, no sites have been acquired to provide permanent...

Written Answers — Economic Forecasts: Economic Forecasts (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Recently published quarterly national accounts figures show that GDP declined by 1.2 per cent between the first and second quarters of this year. However, this decline follows an increase of 2.2 per cent in the first quarter - in other words, taken together the data for the first two quarters suggest that the level of GDP has stabilised. The quarterly figure for GNP was a decline of 0.3 per...

Written Answers — Tobacco Smuggling: Tobacco Smuggling (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners who are responsible for the collection of tobacco products tax, and for tackling the illicit trade in cigarettes and tobacco products that the information requested by the Deputy is as follows. Firstly, the Revenue Commissioners acknowledge that there is no internationally recognised method for precisely determining the amount of tax lost as a result...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The position is that on 3 June the High Court granted the Joint Administrators permission to appoint advisers on any prospective sale of the company in question. As a consequence of this appointment, a summary note of the business was circulated by the advisers to all interested parties in early July in order to establish the level of interest in purchasing the company. On the basis of the...

Written Answers — National Pensions Reserve Fund: National Pensions Reserve Fund (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) was established in 2001 under the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000. The purpose in establishing the NPRF was to meet as much as possible of the cost to the Exchequer of social welfare pensions and public service pensions to be paid from the year 2025 until at least 2055. The Act provided for the establishment of the National Pensions Reserve...

Written Answers — State Banking Sector: State Banking Sector (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have been informed by the bank that it is not aware of any issues in relation to the adequacy of securities held by the Bank against its loan portfolio during the time period from the introduction of the Bank Guarantee in September 30th 2008 to Nationalisation on the 21st January 2009. The Bank has in place a series of controls to ensure loan security is adequately taken, held and is...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 122 together. The most recent Exchequer Returns covering the period to end-August show that the corrective budgetary actions taken by the Government to date are having a positive effect. The Exchequer Borrowing Requirement for 2010 was forecast to be of the order of €20 billion and developments so far are in line with this estimate. The Exchequer...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41, 62 and 66 together. The Implementation Body provided for under the Public Service Agreement 2010 to 2014 (Croke Park Agreement) has met three times since July and will meet again today. In these meetings, the Body has concentrated on the implementation of the Agreement, including putting in place strong structures at sectoral level and seeking from public...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFM) Directive proposal remains the subject of intense negotiation between the European Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Presently, it is envisaged that the European Parliament will vote on a compromise proposal on 18 October at its plenary meeting. Ireland is working constructively in this negotiation process. By way...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The information for the years 2010 to 2012 is presented in table 1 below on a functional classification basis. The ceilings for 2013 and 2014 are currently under consideration and will take account of a number of key factors including the Croke Park Agreement and Government priorities in regard to public service provision. Table 1 EMPLOYMENT CONTROL FRAMEWORK 2010 to 2012* Functional...

Written Answers — Bank Guarantee Scheme: Bank Guarantee Scheme (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 143 together. The Deputy will be aware that a Statutory Instrument which extends the Eligible Liabilities Guarantee Scheme to 31 December 2010 was approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas yesterday. This is an important support to the Irish banking system, facilitating its access to both short and longer term funding to help maintain the overall...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, I announced in the last Budget that, with a view to restoring balance in the income tax system, to simplify it, to make it fairer and more broadly based, I intended to introduce a new system of just two charges on income. The possible parameters of such a system and potential impacts on individuals have been under active examination by my Department in...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Consideration of how to ensure that the financial sector contributes to the cost of dealing with crises is underway in various fora internationally including the EU. The European Council in June agreed that EU Member States should introduce systems of levies and taxes on financial institutions to ensure fair burden-sharing and to set incentives to contain systemic risk. The Council called...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the relevant information available on the cost to the Exchequer of all property related tax schemes is based on personal income tax returns filed by non-PAYE taxpayers and corporation tax returns filed by companies for the year 2008, the latest year for which this information is available. These are set out in the following table: Scheme 2008...

Written Answers — Debit Card Charges: Debit Card Charges (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I understand the Deputy is referring to transaction-based charges imposed by merchants at the point of sale for the use of debit or credit cards as a payment instrument. The Government's policy is to promote the increased use of electronic payments throughout the economy, with the longer-term objective of significant reductions, over a number of years, in the volume of paper-based payments in...

Written Answers — National Pension Reserve Fund: National Pension Reserve Fund (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The National Pensions Reserve Fund was established on 2 April 2001 under the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000 with the objective of meeting as much as possible of the cost to the Exchequer of social welfare pensions and public service pensions to be paid from the year 2025 until at least 2055. The National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission – who control and manage the Fund – publish...

Written Answers — State Banking Sector: State Banking Sector (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will appreciate this matter relates to a specific individual as such I am obliged to respect all clients' confidential relationships with their respective banks. Therefore I am unable to disclose this specific information. The Deputy will be aware that the financial affairs of the individual referred to are currently subject to Court proceedings and as such it would not be...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: According to our records, there were approximately 845 Principal Officer and equivalent grades in the Civil Service in 2000 compared with 1,322 in 2009. However, because of changes in grading and organisational structures across the Civil Service in the intervening period between 2000 and 2009, these figures cannot be directly compared. Excluding the equivalent grades, a more direct...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Recently published data show that in the year to August, consumer prices increased by 0.2 per cent, the first annual increase in prices since end-2008. This was not unexpected, and a number of factors, including higher mortgage interest costs and base effects, contributed to the increase. The EU measure of consumer prices - the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) - remains in negative...