Results 1,821-1,840 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: Within the central government area, the Accounting Officer is usually the Secretary General or Civil Service head of a Department or Office to whom the Minister for Finance has assigned the responsibility for preparing the annual appropriation account for Votes under his or her aegis. In the table below, I have listed the Accounting Officers of Votes currently associated with the Department...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: There are currently 32 persons working in a non-established capacity in my Department, encompassing a combination of fixed-term contracts and contracts of indefinite duration.

Written Answers — Electronic Payments System: Electronic Payments System (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 72 together. Government 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 use throughout the economy. This policy is fully aligned with and is developing in tandem with market and regulatory...

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: As part of the restructuring plan process currently under way with the European Commission, it has been proposed that the domestic banking sector will be required to support and promote the availability of a basic bank account. This is to be done in the context of the implementation of the Government's strategy on financial inclusion in the State. Work has recently concluded on a review of...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The Central Bank has informed me that the number of licensed moneylenders as at 31 December in each year is as follows: 2008 53 2009 52 2010 46 Moneylenders are required to apply to the Central Bank annually to have their licenses renewed. The number of licensed moneylenders on the public register, at any given time, is reflective of new applicants having been licensed and others having...

Written Answers — General Government Debt: General Government Debt (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: As part of our bi-annual Maastricht returns we submitted our estimate of General Government Debt to Eurostat on March 31st this year. Following the usual consultation process, Eurostat published the details of the government debt and deficit levels for all EU 27 countries on April 26th. Ireland's General Government Debt for 2010 was estimated to have been €148 billion, or 96.2% of GDP....

Written Answers — Bank Debt: Bank Debt (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I am assuming the Deputy is referring to the total senior and subordinated bonds in the covered institutions. On 1 April 2011, the Central Bank published the total senior and subordinated debt issuances by those banks covered by the Guarantee as at March 2011. This information is available on the Central Bank's website at www.centralbank.ie. The total value of bonds as at March 2011 was...

Written Answers — Bank Funding: Bank Funding (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 78 together. The Central Bank of Ireland publish figures monthly on ECB lending to the Irish banking sector in its Money and Banking Statistics. The latest figures published by the Central Bank of Ireland (Table A.4 .1 Domestic Market Credit Institutions: Aggregate Balance Sheet) show that ECB lending to the six domestic banks totalled almost €82.8bn...

Written Answers — Mortgage Lending: Mortgage Lending (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I assume that the six Irish banks referred to by the Deputy are the six banks covered by the Government Guarantee Scheme (Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Banks, EBS Building Society, Irish Nationwide, Irish Life and Permanent, Anglo Irish Bank). I have been advised by the Central Bank of Ireland that the amount of mortgage loans outstanding to the six banks is €139 billion of which €73.2bn...

Written Answers — Private Sector Lending: Private Sector Lending (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I assume that the Deputy is referring to the credit institutions covered by the Irish Government Eligible Liabilities Guarantee Scheme. I am informed by the Central Bank that the total amount of credit advanced to the Irish private-sector (non-financial corporate, households, non-bank financial intermediaries) on balance sheets by the credit institutions covered by the Irish Government...

Written Answers — National Cash Reserves: National Cash Reserves (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: National Treasury Management Agency The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) was established in December 1990 to manage the assets and liabilities of the Irish Government / Exchequer. I am informed by the NTMA that cash reserves and other investments of €18.8 billion were held by the NTMA as of 18 May 2011, consisting of: Exchequer Account €5.2 billion Cash on Deposit –...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Financial Services Ombudsman that from January 2010 to date the Financial Services Ombudsman's Bureau has received over 10,000 complaints from individuals against financial service providers. In that period, 3,455 findings were issued and a further 6,107 cases were closed or settled. Currently 1,317 cases are with the investigation team and a further 1,158 cases are...

Written Answers — National Asset Management Agency: National Asset Management Agency (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: NAMA advises me that the property or other assets securing loans transferred to NAMA remain in the possession of the debtor unless enforcement action is taken against the debtor by NAMA. Where enforcement action is taken by NAMA, the agency may ultimately take ownership of property but it is expected that in the majority of these instances the property will be managed by a receiver who is...

Written Answers — National Debt: National Debt (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: National Debt is essentially the debt of the Exchequer and the increase in the level of National Debt from some €75 billion at end-2009 to just over €93 billion at end-2010 was primarily due to the fact that the Exchequer recorded a deficit of €18.7 billion in 2010. Just under €12.6 billion of the Exchequer deficit in 2010 related to the excess of current expenditure over current...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The following table details amounts paid to the company in question from 1993 to 2001. Year Amount Detail 2001 £32,224.93 Public Transport Evaluation

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: This matter involves a State agency that falls within the aegis of my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is a matter therefore for him whether or not there is an issue that needs to be followed up.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The 2011 Budget Booklet, Annex A pages C19 – C21 provides a comprehensive illustration of the average tax rates for the years 1997 to 2011 inclusive, for the various house-hold types at different income levels under a range of PRSI classes such as full PRSI (Class A) and self-employed (Class S). This information can also be obtained on the following website http://www.budget.gov.ie.

Written Answers — Croke Park Agreement: Croke Park Agreement (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: Progress under the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 is overseen by the Implementation Body, established in July 2010 and chaired by Mr. P.J. Fitzpatrick. In line with paragraph 1.16 of the Agreement, a review of progress is to be undertaken on an annual basis by the Body to determine the sustainable savings that have been achieved. The first such review is currently underway. As part of...

Written Answers — Pension Fund Levy: Pension Fund Levy (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 to 93, inclusive, together. I would very much hope that individuals already saving for their retirement and those considering doing so would not be influenced in a negative way by the pension fund levy. The levy is a relatively small charge on the significant assets of pension funds, much of which are represented by investments outside of Ireland. As the...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (24 May 2011)

Michael Noonan: The surplus generated by the National Lottery is transferred regularly to the Exchequer. The surplus transferred is applied to part-fund the Exchequer allocations to a specified range of expenditure subheads across various Votes. The amount transferred to the Exchequer from the National Lottery surplus, together with details of the total Exchequer allocations to the relevant subheads are...