Results 2,281-2,300 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Order of Business. (24 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I should have mentioned the bank resolution legislation to Deputy Kenny. I did not deal with that. The Central Bank is to publish a discussion paper on that matter and the Bill will be ready early next year. It is important legislation. There is also considerable debate among EU members about bank resolution legislation. Clearly, reflection on that discussion will be important in the...

Order of Business. (24 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: We will see publication early next year. No date has been fixed for the budget by the Government. The budget will be announced in early December, as is the usual practice-----

Order of Business. (24 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: -----but no precise date has been fixed.

Order of Business. (24 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Considerable scepticism has been expressed about whether there would be an additional budget this year. There will be no additional budget this year; the budget will be in December.

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (23 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the person concerned is entitled to a refund for 2009. A PAYE Balancing Statement (P21) for the year and a refund of the amount overpaid will issue shortly to the person.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (23 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As I have mentioned in replies to several previous PQs from the Deputy and others, the third country provisions of the proposed Directive were the most contentious issues of the negotiations. I have also stated that the agreement on a general approach which was reached recently at Ecofin, represented a balanced, workable approach. I still believe that the Council's text on Article 35...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (23 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 88 together. In 2009, my Department introduced a new system for the monitoring of Public Service Numbers. This system builds on existing systems where possible, including the Civil Service Staff Information Portal (CSSIP). The Public Service Numbers System uses December 2008 as its base and it records information on a quarterly basis. In the context...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (23 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I introduced a number of measures in the course of 2009 that have secured significant reductions in public service numbers since the end of 2008. The first was the introduction of the moratorium on recruitment and promotion at the end of March 2009. This measure has succeeded in ensuring that most of the natural turnover in staff has resulted in reductions in staff numbers, and has...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (23 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am aware of the Group's recommendation in this regard and, like the rest of the Group's recommendations, where not acted upon yet, these are subject to ongoing consideration at Government in the context of the annual preparations for the Budget. The Government has already acted to set up the National Procurement Service and has achieved some important savings in this respect. The Group's...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (23 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My Department worked with the Special Group on the development of its recommendations for shared ICT services. These recommendations are far-reaching and ambitious. The Special Group recognised that greater sharing would have to be commensurate with improvements in the skills and knowledge of ICT staff. Consequently, the recommendations will take considerable time and effort to implement...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (23 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In Budget 2009, I announced 30 agency rationalisation measures involving a reduction of 41 bodies and the streamlining of certain other functions. To date, 16 agency rationalisations have been completed and information on these proposals, including estimated savings in terms of expenditure and staff reductions, is set out in Appendix 1 below. Information on a range of other agency...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (22 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 143 together. The Valuation Act, 2001 maintains the long-standing position that all commercial facilities - including all pre-school childcare facilities such as playschools, pre-schools, crèches and Montessori schools - are liable for rates. However, providers of sessional places for 38 weeks of the year under the Early Childhood Care & Education...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (22 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Officials of my Department have been working on extending the remit of the Freedom of Information Acts in a number of areas including that of the Vocational Education Committees. I hope to seek Government approval later this year for the legislative process which will bring these bodies under the Act.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (22 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I announced in the Budget that a carbon tax at a rate of €15 per tonne is being introduced on fossil fuels. The tax was applied to petrol and auto-diesel with effect from midnight, 9 December 2009; and applied from 1 May 2010 to kerosene, marked gas oil (also known as 'green diesel' or 'agricultural diesel'), liquid petroleum gas (LPG), fuel oil and natural gas. The application of the tax...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (22 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The rationale for giving various tax reliefs to statutory and Revenue-approved pension savings schemes is to encourage and promote savings over the long term in order that individuals will have an adequate replacement income in old age. Any proposal, however well intentioned, that would allow pre-retirement access by individuals to retirement savings could significantly reduce the quantum of...

Written Answers — Tax Clearance Certificates: Tax Clearance Certificates (22 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that a Tax Clearance Certificate issued to the person in question on 8 June 2010.

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (22 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There are three commercially run canteens operating within my Department. These canteens are located in the Department's offices at 7-9 Merrion Row, Lansdowne House and Tullamore. In all cases the canteens are operated by external contractors. The situation regarding bodies under the aegis of my Department is as follows: Revenue Commissioners The Revenue Commissioners have four commercially...

Written Answers — Climate Change: Climate Change (22 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In the context of preparations for last year's UN climate change conference in Copenhagen, the Taoiseach at the European Council in December 2009 pledged a voluntary contribution from Ireland of up to €100m over the period 2010-12. The total voluntary contributions pledged from all EU Member States amounts to €7.2bn over 2010-12. The disposition of this sum will be settled in the context...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (22 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The AIB subsidiary, known as First Trust Bank, is a separate Northern Ireland company. AIB is obliged to examine all restructuring options in the context of their substantial capital needs outlined in my Statement of 30 March 2010. At this stage AIB has offered the particular Northern Ireland company for sale. Economic development on both sides of the border is best developed through a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Jun 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There are currently two Departmental credit cards in use within my Department. The cards are held by a member of staff in the Corporate Services Division (CSD) and the Centre for Management and Organisation Development (CMOD) respectively. Each card has an expenditure limit of €5,000.00. The cards are used exclusively by officials in my Department for the purchase of a variety of goods...