Results 7,001-7,020 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Section 472C of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides for tax relief in respect of trade union subscriptions. The tax relief is currently capped at €350. This is the equivalent of a tax credit to the value of €70. In its pre-budget submission for Budget 2007, the Irish Congress of Trades Unions (ICTU) called for an increase in the tax credit to €100. A similar request was made...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the full year yield to the Exchequer, estimated by reference to 2009, from the changes mentioned by the Deputy is estimated to be of the order of €22.4 billion. The figures are estimates from the Revenue tax-forecasting model using actual data for the year 2005 adjusted as necessary for income and employment growth for 2009. They are therefore...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the full year yield to the Exchequer, estimated by reference to 2009, from the changes mentioned by the Deputy is estimated to be of the order of €20.7 billion. The figures are estimates from the Revenue tax-forecasting model using actual data for the year 2005 adjusted as necessary for income and employment growth for 2009. They are therefore...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 45 together. I refer the Deputies to the answer to Question No. 158 of 31 March 2009. The Payment Services Directive (PSD) provides the necessary legal framework to support the development of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), a major payments industry initiative aimed at eliminating any remaining difference between domestic and cross-border...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Discussions have been progressing satisfactorily with the trustees and administrators of the funded pension schemes of the five older universities and certain non-commercial semi-State bodies (IDA, SFADCo, FÁS, Bord Bia, Irish Goods Council, Arts Council, CERT and a number of regional tourism organisations) which have funded schemes, with a view to providing consistency and clarity for the...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the monthly apportionment between payments of PAYE tax and Income Levy for the 2009 tax year is determined by applying a breakdown formula derived from a tax-forecasting model maintained by the Revenue Commissioners. The precise breakdown between PAYE tax and the Income Levy will be available in the first quarter of 2010 on receipt of the forms...

Written Answers — Banking Sector: Banking Sector (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, Anglo Irish Bank is being run on an arms length commercial basis. Consequently, normal commercial matters, which include those relating to credit management and control, are a matter for the Board of Anglo. I would point out that the terms applying to debtors of Anglo Irish Bank were unaffected by the decision to take Anglo into public ownership. As with any...

Written Answers — Banking Sector: Banking Sector (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government took the decision to take Anglo Irish Bank into public ownership with effect from 21 January 2009, in order to stabilise the bank and ensure financial stability. This took place in a context where Anglo's funding position had weakened and unacceptable practices in the bank had caused serious reputational damage at a time when overall market...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The pension related deduction element of the payroll saving will be €1.35 billion in a full-year and €1.12 billion in 2009 based on the provisions of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. These savings will be applied to the benefit of the Exchequer and are not earmarked for the National Pensions Reserve Fund.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000 provides for an annual contribution from the Exchequer to the National Pensions Reserve Fund equivalent to 1% of GNP. The amount to be paid in respect of 2009 is €1.584 billion. The contribution is normally paid quarterly and the payment in respect of the first quarter of 2009 was made in March. The Government announced on 11 February 2009 that...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The audited Exchequer Account is published each year in the Finance Accounts, the most recent of which covers the year 2007. Monthly Exchequer Statements are published on the Department's website and the December 2008 Exchequer Statement provides details on the end-year outturn for 2008. On this basis, the information the Deputy requests is detailed in the table. 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I presume that the Deputy is referring to the scheme which, in the civil service, applies at the levels of Deputy and Assistant Secretary. The scheme of awards is based on performance by reference to demanding targets. The pool for performance awards is 10% of the pay bill in the relevant year for the group concerned. Within that overall limit individuals can receive payments of up to 20%...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: At the outset, I might mention that the Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the exercise of his duties under the Valuation Act, 2001 and the making of valuations for rating purposes is his sole prerogative. The statute does not accord me, as Minister for Finance, any function in this regard. The position is that the Valuation Act, 2001 provides for the exemption from rates of...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I presume that the Deputy is referring to the 60% statutory redundancy rebates that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment administer. Taxes paid by employers include tax levied directly on the employer such as income Tax or Corporation Tax but also fiduciary taxes such as PAYE Income Tax, Income Levy or VAT levied on the employees or customers of that employer. Also relevant...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The table sets out the details requested by the Deputy in respect of handset purchase and rental and call costs. There were no other costs. Since mid 2008, my Department pays a fixed monthly sum for all voice and data calls, including roaming charges in respect of my phone usage and a number of staff of my Department, where this provides a more economic charging option. For such bills,...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The remuneration packages of all National Treasury Management Agency staff, including that of its CEO, are negotiated on an individual contract basis and are confidential. According to the National Treasury Management Agency's 2007 Annual Report - their most recent Annual Report - total salaries and bonuses amounted to €16.4 million in 2007. The administration accounts (including pay and...

Written Answers — Loan Repayments: Loan Repayments (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The building society referred to by the Deputy is an independent financial institution operating on a commercial basis. I have no role in the lending or credit policy of this Society.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: No staff in my Department or Offices under the aegis of my Department gave notice to terminate their employment before 1 April 2009 under Section 5 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The expiry of a fixed term contract is determined by the terms of that contract. The decision as to whether to renew such a contract depends on a number of grounds, including the existence of objective reasons for renewing the contract on a fixed term basis. In the context of the moratorium, the renewal of fixed term contracts is treated in the same way as all employment in the public...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the law governing benefit-in-kind in respect of company cars is set out in Section 121 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The section provides that the benefit-in-kind percentage charge is applied to the original market value of the car. Office holders, including Ministers, who are provided with State cars and drivers, are not subject to a...