Results 15,141-15,160 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am entitled to reply.

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am willing to answer a vast range of questions. I pointed out to the Deputy that the information will be provided in the plan.

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Deputy Barrett referred to the question of credit for business. The European Investment Bank-----

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am entitled to reply to the debate. I now have only four minutes in which to reply as a result of-----

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: -----trying to assist the House by answering a very wide variety of questions. Deputy Barrett should note the European Investment Bank already provided a substantial facility for lending to new businesses.

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The matter of rating agencies has been discussed at European level. There is no doubt that the rating agencies talked up a lot of countries, businesses and firms worldwide on the way up and that they have been talking down many of them on the way down. The reality is that the rating agencies exist and have a right to free speech.

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: What they say depends on the credence one decides to give to them. They have never given any opinion on me as a person or Minister for Finance and they do not do so.

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: On the question of borrowing on a group basis, as raised by Deputy Barrett, Germany, France and all the countries in the eurozone would be required to agree to borrow at a common interest rate. To date there has been no willingness on their part to engage in such an operation.

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There is no enthusiasm or appetite within Germany, in particular,-----

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: -----for any such common arrangement. It has often been advocated by other member states. I thank the Deputies for their contributions to the debate over the past few days. They have touched on many issues. The main points that need to be made can be summarised briefly. Over the past two years, the Government has not hesitated to take big decisions to stabilise the banks and the public...

Written Answers — Customs Service: Customs Service (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the approximate number of road checkpoints carried out by Revenue Enforcement Officers during the period January to September 2010, some of which are estimated, is set out in the table below. Revenue Enforcement Officers carry out road checkpoints both on a routine and a targeted basis, focusing primarily on mineral oil and Vehicle...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The development of policy, the provision of services for people with disability and expenditure on those services in each sector are primarily a matter in the first instance for the responsible Minister to consider in the light of the provisions of the Disability Act 2005. These require that due regard is had to needs of disability services in the context of available resources and other...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that additional information has been requested from the person concerned regarding their income for 2009. On receipt of this information a review will be carried out and any refund due will issue.

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The tender for the procurement of commercial air travel referred to in the Deputy's question was concluded in 2008 in accordance with EU procurement rules. The request for tenders was published on the eTender website on 6 May 2008. A total of seven tenders were received. The current contract was awarded from 6 August 2008 on the basis that it would initially operate for one year but could...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I assume the Deputy is referring to the work carried out by the Van Rompuy Task Force. In March 2010, in the light of the global economic and financial crisis and the deterioration in public finances across the EU, the European Council mandated a Task Force under President Van Rompuy and comprising representatives of the Member States, the European Commission and the ECB to develop proposals...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (28 Oct 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Under current arrangements, an annual earnings cap of €150,000 acts, in conjunction with age-related percentage limits of annual earnings, to put a ceiling on the annual amount of tax relief an individual taxpayer can obtain on employee or personal pension contributions to pension savings. I assume that the Deputy is suggesting that the existing annual earnings cap be reduced to the levels...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (2 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 169 together. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that Section 130 of the Finance Act 1992 (as amended by Section 102 of the Finance Act 2010) provided for the introduction, from 1 January 2011, of a revised classification system for the assessment of vehicle registration tax (VRT), which reflects the categories used for classification of...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (2 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The costs associated with the voting and counting arrangements for the 2007 general election campaign was €14,269,095.99. The costs associated with the voting and counting arrangements associated with the 2009 Dublin South by-election was €212,136.84.

Written Answers — Bank Guarantee Scheme: Bank Guarantee Scheme (2 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I wish to reaffirm my Statement of 30 September in relation to the senior debt obligations of Irish financial institutions that these obligations rank equally with deposits and other creditors under Irish law and that I have no plans to change this position. There is no intention to impose losses on holders of senior debt in any credit institution in the State through any legislative...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (2 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: On June 2nd last, the European Commission published a proposal to amend the existing Regulation governing the activities of Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs). This proposal is currently being examined at Council working group level, as well as within the European Parliament under the co-decision process. The proposal is principally a technical measure to allow the European Securities and Markets...