Results 461-480 of 9,948 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The savings likely to arise from the proposed new single pension scheme will depend on the final details of that scheme. These are under active consideration in my Department in the context of the preparation of the necessary legislation to give effect to the new measure and have not yet been decided by Government. While I am not in a position to give the detailed figures requested by the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Senator Quinn's Private Members Construction Contracts Bill 2010 is currently before the Seanad and is expected to proceed to Committee Stage shortly. The Government appreciates that this is an important piece of legislation and is working closely with the Senator in relation to it. It will then have to proceed to the Dáil in the New Year.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Section 848A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (TCA) already provides for a generous scheme of tax relief for donations of money or designated securities to eligible charities and other approved bodies. Schedule 26A, Part 1, of the TCA, sets out the approved bodies for which donations relief is available. The majority of educational establishments in the State are eligible. The precise...

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

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I presume that the Deputy is referring to the Review Group on State Assets and Liabilities which I established in July 2010 under the Chairmanship of Mr. Colm McCarthy. I have not yet received the Group's report, which is due to be submitted by the end of the year. Publication of the report will then be a matter for Government.

Written Answers — Departmental Statistics: Departmental Statistics (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the latest relevant sector-based information available on employees taxed under the PAYE system is derived from income tax returns filed for the income tax year 2008 and represents about 96 per cent of all returns expected at the time the data were compiled for analytical purposes. The figures include PAYE taxpayers who are required to return...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to intra-Community supplies of services, known as Fourth Schedule Services under the old Fourth Schedule to the VAT Act 1972. The Fourth Schedule listed a number of services that were to be taxed in the Member State where they were received. The Fourth Schedule was discontinued from 1 January 2010 as part of the introduction of the EU wide changes...

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the information in respect of publicans' licences issued for 2005 through to 2009 is as set out in the table. The figures for the calendar year 2010 are available only up until 18 November; the final figures for 2010 will not be available until the end of the year. Licences Numbers Issued Retailers 2005 2006 2007 2008* 2009* 2010 Full...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: EU VAT law, with which Irish VAT law must comply, does not permit reductions in VAT, for environmental or other reasons, that would create a distortion of competition between similar goods or services. The EU Commission undertook a study of the possibility of using reduced VAT rates as a tool to support the climate change agenda. While Ireland expressed support for such a study, the EU...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have been advised by the Central Bank that the information requested by the Deputy is not available as there is no legal requirement on licensed moneylenders to prepare or to submit audited accounts to the Bank. The 'end of year' for financial accounts purposes varies from moneylender to moneylender. I should point out that there is a requirement on the Central Bank to publish a register...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Central Bank of Ireland has advised me that in 2008 and 2009, 162,000 euros and 244,000 euros respectively were collected from moneylenders as part of the industry funding levy. The process of collection of the 2010 industry funding levy has only recently commenced. The total amount expected to be collected is 309,000 euros.

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Central Bank of Ireland has advised me that the number of licenses granted each year from 2008 to 29 October 2010 is as follows:- No of licensed moneylenders 2008 52 2009 52 2010 48 (as at 29 October 2010) The Deputy might wish to note that moneylending licenses must be renewed annually and that the number of valid licenses at a particular time does not vary...

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

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 145 together. The Deputies will be aware that the Final Report by the Mortgage Arrears and Personal Debt Group (Group) was submitted to me on Tuesday 16th November and brought before Government on the same day. The Final Report includes both a list of the recommendations in the Group's Interim Report and also additional recommendations arising from the...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Stamp Duty like all other sources of Government revenue, is a matter for review during the annual budgetary process and the Deputy is aware it is not customary to comment on possible changes in advance of the Budget. The current legislation on stamp duty provides no special relief for trade downs.

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (23 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As highlighted in the Deputy's question, an indemnification scheme is one option that has been suggested for households who are unable to obtain flood cover. A key factor in any decision on this matter will be the impact on future expenditure, particularly in the current economic climate. As the Deputy will be aware the Government is considering the options open to it, in order to try and...

Written Answers — Economic and Monetary Union: Economic and Monetary Union (18 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: 2057I assume the Deputy is referring to the outcome of 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 ECB to...

Written Answers — Informal Economy: Informal Economy (18 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: 2057My Department does not produce estimates of the size of the informal economy nor of the estimated loss to the exchequer arising from such activities. Internationally, a considerable amount of research has been undertaken in this area but, by definition, it is always difficult to quantify the scale of the informal economy. Having said that, the Central Statistics Office in compiling...

Written Answers — Carbon Budget: Carbon Budget (18 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Based on the current state of knowledge and data as supplied by the EPA we can estimate the State allowances as follows: 000's Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Aviation Allowances 475 475 475 475 475 475 475 475 475 EUA Allowances (ETS excl aviation) - 8,151 8,001 7,852 7,702 7,552 7,403 7,253 7,104 As with any market based instrument it is difficult to say conclusively...

Written Answers — National Solidarity Bond: National Solidarity Bond (18 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The State Savings schemes, including the National Solidarity Bond, are managed by the National Treasury Management Agency. The State Savings products are intended primarily for the retail investor. In the same way as funds borrowed by the Agency on the international and domestic markets, they are used to fund the Exchequer and form part of the National Debt.

Written Answers — National Solidarity Bond: National Solidarity Bond (18 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In Budget 2010, I announced the Government's intention to launch a National Solidarity Bond, the purpose of which is to allow citizens an opportunity to invest and provide money to the State to stimulate economic recovery and to assist in the maintenance and creation of employment. The necessary legislative basis was provided in this year's Finance Act and the Bond was launched on Tuesday 4...

Written Answers — National Lottery: National Lottery (18 Nov 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The total amount of money which accrued to the Exchequer from the National Lottery in 2009 was €275m. The surplus from the National Lottery is transferred to the Exchequer and is applied each year to part-fund the Exchequer allocations to a specified range of expenditure subheads across various Votes. Each year, the amount transferred to the Exchequer from the National Lottery surplus,...