Results 5,941-5,960 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Public Service Recruitment: Public Service Recruitment (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 165 together. Neither Budget 2009 nor the Supplementary Budget of 7 April 2009 made any changes in the gross salaries of public servants. However, the introduction of the new pension-related deduction has resulted in an average deduction of close to 7%.

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the net receipt of income tax from self-employed persons for each of the years 2000 to 2008 are contained in the following table. Calendar Year Net Receipt of Income Tax € million 2000 1,520 2001 1,710 2002 1,945 2003 1,715 2004 2,320 2005 2,415 2006 2,565 2007 2,745 2008 2,260 These figures include payments of withholding tax on...

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: While I am always anxious to respond to Deputies, I regret the information requested by the Deputy for the time period involved is not readily available and cannot be assembled without undue commitment of staff resources and administrative costs. I hope, in the circumstances, that the Deputy will appreciate that I cannot provide the information sought. However, should the Deputy have a query...

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My Department has not engaged in contracts with the company mentioned in the Deputy's question. I have been informed by the Office of Public Works that in the time available they are not in position to collate all the information to supply a full response to the Deputy. They expect to have the process completed and a response forwarded to the Deputy by 16 July 2009.

Written Answers — Budget Submissions: Budget Submissions (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: During the Finance Bill, I indicated that discussions would commence as to how best betting duty might be applied in the future, in the context of the 2010 Budget including looking at the UK's gross profit tax model. A number of different proposals in that regard have been received from various sectors of the industry. I also indicated that it is my intention to widen if possible the tax...

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." When introducing my supplementary budget, I stated that fairness must be the cornerstone of all our efforts to achieve economic renewal. In that context, it was decided that those in these Houses and in the Government must examine their own costs and make their contribution to the savings that must be achieved in this time of unprecedented...

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It is enabling in character.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The structure of the legislation is that the Minister does it.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It simply enables the Minister to do something else that he or she cannot do-----

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The commission made a proposal which cannot easily be facilitated in the current statutory framework so I am amending the statutory framework to enable me to consider the commission proposal.

National Asset Management Agency. (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The initial preparations for the establishment and operation of NAMA are being managed by a steering group. The group is tasked with overseeing the preparation of the legislation in parallel to the practical preparations for the establishment of NAMA and is made up of representatives of the Department of Finance, the Office of the Attorney General and the National Treasury Management Agency,...

National Asset Management Agency. (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There has been no change in policy on development loans. I am not sure about Deputy Bruton's reference to screening. The position on the transfer of loan assets remains as stated in the budget speech. The land and development loans of each bank involved will be transferred. This includes loans secured on development land and property under development, whether performing or...

National Asset Management Agency. (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There must be political oversight, first by me as the responsible Minister and by accountability to the House.

National Asset Management Agency. (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The principles of valuation will be laid out in legislation and will be subject to political debate. No valuation can take place until the principles are approved by the House. Each asset must be valued individually under EU rules.

National Asset Management Agency. (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I will not interfere in the valuation of individual assets. Regarding the question of whether there should be cross-party participation in the oversight of the NAMA structure, I am open to constructive suggestions in that regard.

Fiscal Policy. (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Commission on Taxation, under the chairmanship of Mr. Frank Daly, is an independent group charged with providing an assessment of how our tax system can be reformed. It is expected to complete its work shortly. When I receive the report I will bring it to the Government in advance of publication. The publication of individual documents, reports and submissions made to the commission,...

Fiscal Policy. (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I cannot confirm the opinions of particular members of the special group. It is not the opinions of members that matter, it is the conclusions upon which they have agreed in the report. I understand the report will be submitted to me this evening; I have not seen it so I cannot comment on suggestions made by Deputy Burton on particular recommendations in it. I can understand why there has...

Fiscal Policy. (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: No, I do not think the capital expenditures reviewed involved major projects but I must await sight of the report to confirm that. Incidentally, with regard to publication I should have stated to the Deputy that I will bring her views to the attention of my Government colleagues when we discuss the report. I take it the view of Fine Gael is also that it would be desirable to have...

Budgetary Process. (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The broad parameters for the budget for 2010 were set out in the supplementary budget which for the first time set out a multi-annual plan to achieve a general Government deficit of 3% of GDP by the middle of 2013. In terms of the next two years, the supplementary budget set out the indicative split between the necessary further expenditure and tax revenue adjustments required, amounting to...

Budgetary Process. (8 Jul 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: On the budgetary process, in recent years we have had a unified budgetary process in which the Estimates of expenditure are announced on the same day as the taxation proposals of the Minister for Finance. That is the new, unified budget proposal introduced by my predecessor, which was considered a milestone on the path to reform.