Results 32,341-32,360 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Expenditure Review Initiative. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: Much of the hopeless decision making we have seen on spending has its roots in the cavalier attitude that the Minister's Department and other Ministers have to expenditure review. They do not care what the projections or impacts are. That cavalier attitude is the reason for the debacles of electronic voting and Punchestown. The Minister is giving distorted information to the Dáil. There are...

Expenditure Review Initiative. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: The Minister should correct this. He is adding reviews that were conducted six years ago into his total to try to improve the numbers. He has completed only 14% of those in the programme. Does the Minister not agree that the issue of value for money must be taken seriously in the health service, environmental services and road programmes? This arises from the cavalier attitude outlined in the...

Expenditure Review Initiative. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: What is it delivering?

Proposed Legislation. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: Is the question of evidence the real problem? In the NIB case, substantial tax evasion schemes were identified. While the taxpayers paid, the bank suffered no financial penalty for the tax evaded. Is there a problem with evidence requirements or penalties? Will the Minister inform us where the problem lies with this issue? People feel this is a serious source of scandal.

Budgetary Process. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 10: To ask the Minister for Finance the way in which he would like to see the budgetary cycle change to provide a more meaningful process for debating options and for delivering results. [2540/05]

Budgetary Process. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: The Minister did not say what he has in mind. Would he consider, for example, that the spending Estimates and the broad based tax proposals should be introduced much earlier in the cycle, perhaps in October, and that they identify new programmes, the multi-annual implication of new programmes and their capacity to staff projects like hospitals they are committing to build, and sometimes are...

Budgetary Process. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: What has happened to the commitment the previous Minister obtained from the Departments of Agriculture and Food and Transport that they would change the way they presented their Estimates and adopt performance indicators to make a more meaningful presentation? As far as I know, that pilot project has not seen the light of day. Has it been derailed?

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: If the core issue is to examine how high earning individuals can reduce their tax liability to zero, which is a scandal, can the Minister in a much more rapid and targeted way cap what any individual can claim on the aggregate of relief across the board? It is a targeted intervention which would not destroy the relief if the Minister feels the relief continues to have relevance. Why has he...

Tax Code. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: Caps already exist on some schemes such as that for film relief, so that a new concept is not being introduced. Is the Minister indicating that next year's budget will contain a comprehensive response to this review? I am sure he will forgive me for being sceptical of reviews. We have seen about ten reviews of competition with no concrete action taken on many of them. I know the Minister does...

Decentralisation Programme. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: What is the Minister's understanding of the status of the locations? I believe that 29 of the 53 locations are included in one of the first three phases. I also understand that the chairman of the group has said that some of those proposals are simply not feasible, do not hold water and cannot proceed. Has the Government completely washed its hands of responsibility for the promises it made...

Decentralisation Programme. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: That is not what I said.

Decentralisation Programme. (1 Feb 2005)

Richard Bruton: The Minister is very good at answering my points, but it is he who wishes to have it both ways. His predecessor as Minister for Finance, former Deputy McCreevy, introduced what he has called an ambitious political programme without any strategic analysis or thought given to whether it would fit. It was done in the wrong manner. By any standards, that is not the way to make important decisions...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (27 Jan 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 14: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the implications of her agreement at the December 2004 Council of Ministers to introduce regulations regarding the transport of animals over 40 miles; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1790/05]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (27 Jan 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 30: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the discussions she has had with the Department of Finance regarding section 605 roll-over relief; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1792/05]

Order of Business. (27 Jan 2005)

Richard Bruton: The dormant financial assets Bill had been quite prominent on the Government's legislative programme. This appears to have disappeared from the programme. This Bill is important as, for example, customers due refunds by some of the banks, which have been found to have overcharged, might not be traceable resulting in funds to be dealt with. It would be appropriate that the Dáil should...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (26 Jan 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 146: To ask the Taoiseach the State, semi-State, State-sponsored and statutory bodies under the aegis of his Department which are not subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 1997; the reason a body is not subject to the requirements of the Act; and if he envisages proposals to bring any such body within the scope of the Act in the foreseeable future. [1704/05]

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (26 Jan 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 291: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if details of the cost of inpatient and day procedures and for bed days in different hospitals, based on case-mix, are available for 2004; if not, when she expects them to be available; and if she will put them on the record of Dáil Éireann. [1633/05]

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (26 Jan 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 299: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the State, semi-State, State-sponsored and statutory bodies under the aegis of her Department which are not subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 1997; the reason a body is not subject to the requirements of the Act; and if she envisages proposals to bring any such body within the scope of the Act...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jan 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 338: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will consider waiving VAT charges (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34171/04]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (26 Jan 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 346: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost of introducing refundable tax credits solely for tax expenditures, that is, in respect of credits on expenditures which taxpayers have actually incurred such as mortgage interest, health insurance, bin charges and so on. [34590/04]