Results 5,301-5,320 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — National Asset Management Agency: National Asset Management Agency (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) is being set up to remove land and development loans and associated loans from the balance sheets of participating institutions. These loan assets will be purchased at prices significantly below book value following a detailed loan by loan assessment and application of the valuation methodology contained in the NAMA Bill. The NAMA interim...

Written Answers — National Asset Management Agency: National Asset Management Agency (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society were specified as covered institutions under the bank guarantee Scheme, established pursuant to the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act 2008. The systemic importance of each institution covered by the Scheme, including Anglo and Irish Nationwide, was confirmed by the Governor of the Central Bank, and...

Written Answers — Tobacco Smuggling: Tobacco Smuggling (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the legal basis for communications between the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the competent authorities of the Member States is Council Regulation (EC) No. 515/97 on Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters. All such communications, including the reports referred to by the Deputy, are subject to a strict confidentiality clause under Article...

Written Answers — Retail Sector Developments: Retail Sector Developments (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners who are responsible for the collection of tobacco taxes and for tackling the illicit trade in tobacco products that they have not received any adverse reports from their enforcement officers that the display ban referred to is affecting checks carried out at retail outlets for the presence of counterfeit or contraband cigarettes on such premises....

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the information requested is not readily available and could not be obtained without conducting a protracted examination of the Revenue Commissioners' records.

Written Answers — Financial Institutions Support Scheme: Financial Institutions Support Scheme (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: General information, such as the names and background information of the Directors of the institutions covered by the Bank Guarantee Scheme can be found in the Annual Reports and the websites of those covered institutions. Information on the Directors, including details of other directorships, can also be accessed by the Deputy from the Companies Registration Office. Detailed information...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Benefit in kind taxation is applicable to all cars made available to an employee or office holder (including Chief Executive Officers of State Agencies) by their employer or by a person connected with their employer in accordance with the provisions of section 121 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. There is no difference in treatment between the public and private sector.

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The NAMA draft business plan includes projections for interest income and outflows over a ten year period. These projections were calculated by reference to the forward Euro swap rate curve. The draft business plan goes on to examine NAMA's interest rate exposure and its sensitivity to changes in the yield curve. Pages 11 and 12 of the plan contain an analysis of the sensitivity of NAMA's...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 333 together. Following clarification from the Deputy and for the purposes of reply, I will take the basic entry wage in the private sector to be the current national minimum wage, set at €18,054 per annum based on a 40 hour week. This results in a suggested cap figure of approx. €100,000 per annum in the public service, with an estimated saving to...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The published Financial Statements for the Body (details supplied) for the year 2008 show the present value of funded pension obligations as €40.8 million while the value of scheme assets is stated to be €20.7 million. The Financial Services (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 enables the Fund's assets to be transferred to the National Pensions Reserve Fund on the making of a Transfer...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am concerned about the problems of credit card arrears raised by the Deputy. Individual institutions set rates based on their cost of funds, market conditions and commercial considerations which in turn determine the interest rates charged to customers on various products. The Financial Regulator has no statutory role in the setting of interest rates by regulated entities. However, the...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the most recent year for which final information is available on the numbers of claimants for tax relief in relation to service charges is the income tax year 2006. A breakdown of the numbers between married 2 earner couples and other income earners on tax records is as follows: Year Married 2 Earners Others Total 2006 169,600 194,300...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the most recent year for which final information is available on the numbers of claimants for tax relief in relation to health and medical expenses is the income tax year 2006. A breakdown of the numbers between married 2 earner couples and other income earners on tax records is as follows: Year Married 2 Earners % of TotalIncome Earners...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My attention has been drawn to the existence of the correspondence dated 20 May 2009 from the person referred to. I can confirm that the letter has been acknowledged. The issues raised by the person have been dealt with comprehensively in previous correspondence with public representatives, and through FOI requests and direct correspondence with the person. I am satisfied that there is no...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Revenue Commissioners have informed me that an application for mortgage interest relief through the Tax Relief at Source (TRS) system was received in late September in respect of a mortgage held by the persons concerned. Processing of this application has been completed. Mortgage interest relief for 2009, and thereafter for as long as relief is due, will be applied by the mortgage...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The numbers of staff serving in the main General Service grades at end-September 2009 are set out in the following table. General Service Grades Numbers Secretary General 17 Deputy Secretary 2 Assistant Secretary 150 Principal Officer 752 Assistant Principal Officer 2,101 Higher Executive Officer 3,395 Administrative Officer 233 Executive Officer 5,140 Staff Officer 1,518 Clerical...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Over the past ten years all interest accruing to the surplus, and any balances, have been credited to the Social Insurance Fund annually.

Written Answers — National Debt: National Debt (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) that they have already raised more than €34 billion in long-term funding in 2009. Of the total funding, €32.8 billion refers to sales of Irish Government Bonds - €23 billion by way of syndicated bond issues and €9.8 billion through a series of bond auctions. Irish Government Bonds are bought by a broad range of...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) was established on 2 April 2001 with the objective of meeting as much as possible of the cost to the Exchequer of social welfare pensions and public service pensions to be paid from the year 2025 until at least 2055. The National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000 provides, inter alia, for the annual payment into the Fund from the Exchequer of an amount...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (3 Nov 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Obligations are imposed by statute on organisations and agencies in receipt of State funding under a number of headings. Freedom of Information legislation applies to a range of State organisations and the full spectrum of organisations is reviewed by my Department to ensure that FOI coverage is extended to new public bodies as soon as possible. Rights are also extended to individuals under...