Results 6,761-6,780 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The National Childcare Investment Programme is a matter in the first instance for my colleague the Minister for Health and Children. The Valuation Act 2001, which came into effect on 2 May 2002, provides that all buildings used or developed for any purpose including constructions affixed thereto are rateable unless expressly exempted under Schedule 4 of the Act. Such exempt buildings would...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Neither my Department nor the offices under its aegis (The Office of the Revenue Commissioners; The Office of Public Works; The State Laboratory; The Valuation Office; The Public Appointments Service; and The Office of the Commission for Pubic Service Appointments) employed consultants or lobbyists to act on their behalf outside the State in the past five years. I am also informed by The...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The supplementary budget announced that a Margin Scheme for second-hand cars was being introduced, with effect from 1 July 2009, whereby dealers would be taxed for VAT purposes on their margin in regard to second-hand cars they acquire and resold after that date. The margin is the difference between the price the dealer purchased and resold the second-hand car for. In conjunction with the...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that, in relation to the details supplied, the matter is the subject of an appeal to the Appeal Commissioners. This being the case, the question of the tax treatment of the moneys released from a pension fund is, in this instance, a matter for the Appeal Commissioners.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has primary responsibility for matters relating to RTÉ, including its pension schemes. However I have a role because of my responsibility for public service pension policy and for public service expenditure generally. Under the terms of the Broadcasting Authority Act 1960 (as amended) RTÉ pension schemes and arrangements are...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy's question refers to the redemption fee applied by mortgage providers in circumstances that a customer seeks to break a fixed rate mortgage. Mortgage lenders in Ireland generally seek to recover costs of funds when a borrower with a fixed rate mortgage agreement seeks to terminate the agreement some time before the term agreed. On 26 March 2009, I undertook, in this House, to...

Written Answers — Company Takeovers: Company Takeovers (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 154 together. I have not had any discussions with the company the Deputy refers to. The Deputy will appreciate that a balance must be achieved by Government between influencing credit institutions through the bank guarantee scheme and other financial support initiatives while at the same time being seen to have a hands-off approach to the day to day...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table. Bills passed in period 2004 to 2009 year to date. Year Legislation Was the bill drafted and passed in order to give effect to a directive from the European Union 2004 Finance Act No* 2004 Appropriation Act No 2004 Central Bank and Financial Services Authority Act No 2004 Council of Europe Development Bank Act...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 157 together. Under statutory pension schemes and pension schemes approved by the Revenue Commissioners there is no liability to income tax in respect of retirement gratuities or lump sums paid to members of such schemes on retirement. Provided the individuals referred to in the questions are members of such schemes and the lump sum payments comply...

Written Answers — Banking Sector: Banking Sector (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As part of the banks recapitalisation scheme Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland have committed to a range of measures to maintain a flow of credit to small businesses. These include a €100m environmental and clean energy innovation fund which is being established by each bank. One of the banks has already made some loans from its environmental and clean energy innovation fund. The other...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Sections 1017 to 1019 inclusive of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 deal with the joint assessment of married couples for a year of assessment. Persons assessed to tax under these provisions are entitled to the married person's tax credit (currently, €3,660). These provisions only apply to married couples. All other persons are assessed to tax as single persons in accordance with section...

Written Answers — Public Service Recruitment: Public Service Recruitment (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: On the 27 March 2009, a letter issued from my Department to all Departments and Offices informing them that, on foot of a Government decision in this regard, no public service post, however arising, may be filled by recruitment, promotion or payment of an allowance for the performance of duties at a higher grade and any limited exceptions to this principle would require my prior sanction; and...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The position in relation to Child Benefit is as set out in my Supplementary Budget on 7 April 2009. The Government does not believe that it is fair to pay the same level of benefit irrespective of the level of income of the recipient. In times of scarce resources the Government believes support should be targeted at those most in need. My Department, together with the Department of Social and...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I assume the Deputy is referring to a single individual earning €80,000 per annum or more. The position is that a single individual earning between €80,000 and €174,979 will have a marginal tax rate of 50% for 2009. This is a combination of income tax at 41%, income levy at 4% and health levy at 5%. In addition, an individual earning €174,980 or more will have a marginal tax rate...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: For the purposes of EU Structural and Cohesion Funds, Ireland is designated into two NUTS (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) II regions, namely the Border, Midland and Western (BMW) Region and the Southern and Eastern (S&E) Region. Under the EU Regulations, regions are classified for financial support based on economic characteristics, e.g population, regional prosperity,...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: All of the funding accruing to the Exchequer from the National Lottery is directed to the areas intended by legislation or later specified by Government in accordance with the National Lottery Act 1986. These areas are as follows: sport and other recreation; national culture (including the Irish language); the arts (within the meaning of the Arts Act, 1951); health of the community; and for...

Written Answers — Financial Services Sector: Financial Services Sector (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Participating institutions in the State recapitalisation package have committed to increase lending capacity to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by 10% and to provide an additional 30% capacity for lending to first time buyers in 2009. If the mortgage lending is not taken up, then the extra capacity will be available to SMEs. AIB and Bank of Ireland have also committed to public campaigns...

Written Answers — Capital Investment Programme: Capital Investment Programme (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My officials have actively engaged with representatives of the pensions industry and other interested parties to discuss alternative funding proposals. These discussions have focused on both the possible sources of additional funding and on what steps would be required to access such funding. A number of meetings have taken place, and further meetings will be arranged as appropriate. I...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware mortgage borrowers with variable rate mortgages have benefited from very significant reductions in mortgage interest rates over recent months in line with the very substantial reductions in ECB interest rates. In respect of the covered institutions my Department has been informed by the Financial Regulator that all of the covered institutions have fully passed on...

Finance Bill 2009: Second Stage (12 May 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There has been no briefing of the media at all.