Results 7,821-7,840 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 153 together. Deputy McGrath has provided details of an individual but he will appreciate that I cannot comment on any particular case. However, with regard to public service employees working in a body where there is or may be a pension scheme, if the employees are not entitled to be members of that scheme, for whatever reason, then it is intended...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The details submitted with this question would suggest that the issue relates to Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) payable on an inheritance and not Capital Gains Tax. As the person in question inherited the property from a sister-in-law in 2008 the relevant tax free threshold is €26,060 and any amount in excess of this figure is liable to tax at a rate of 20%. However, it should be noted that...

Written Answers — Eircom Staff: Eircom Staff (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has primary responsibility for matters relating to eircom and in relation to the Postal and Telecommunication Services Act 1983 and the Postal and Telecommunications Services (Amendment) Act 1999. As the Deputy is aware, Telecom Éireann was floated on the Stock Exchange as a private limited company in July 1999 and renamed eircom....

Written Answers — Political Party Funding: Political Party Funding (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: An annual allowance is payable to the parliamentary leader of qualifying parties including the Progressive Democrat Party. Payments to the Progressive Democrats totalling €185,080.70 were made in 2008 as follows: Month € January 14,982.44 February 14,982.44 March 14,982.44 April 29,635.26 May 17,230.67 June 17,230.67 July 15,357.06 August 11,828.79 September 12,212.73 October...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has put in place a plan to restore balance to the public finances by 2013. This includes as a priority the elimination of the current budget deficit and bringing the General Government deficit to below 3 per cent of GDP by 2013. The indicative annual adjustments needed to meet this are set out in the Addendum to the Stability Programme Update...

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Government's Guarantee Scheme comprehensively sets out measures under which the commercial conduct of covered institutions is to be governed. Section 36 of the Scheme regulates the balance sheet growth of covered institutions to ensure that it is not excessive. This function will be monitored by the Financial Regulator, who has recently confirmed to my Department that all the covered...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 149 together. The economy's competitive position has deteriorated in recent times. This deterioration has been driven by a combination of factors including a strong euro, wage increases in excess of productivity and a relatively high inflation rate. As the Deputy is aware, national competitiveness is a shared responsibility of all in society. Regaining...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I would like to reassure the Deputy that my Department monitors inflation developments on an ongoing basis. As measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), annual inflation in Ireland was 1.1% in January 2009. Using the domestic measure — the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — the annual inflation rate was -0.1%. Factoring in the latest ECB rate cut, along with more recent data...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In light of the unprecedented pace of developments in the global and domestic economic environment since the October Budget, the economic and fiscal forecasts were revised and new macro-economic and fiscal forecasts were published. Consequently, in early January, revised aggregate tax forecasts for 2009 and the following years to 2013 were set out by my Department in the Addendum to Ireland's...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Financial Regulator published its Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears on 13th February in keeping with the Government's announcement on recapitalisation arrangements. This code applies only to mortgage lending activities to consumers in respect of their principal residence in the State, by all regulated entities operating in the State. I understand that the Free Legal Advice Centre...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they are not in a position to provide an answer to this question within the timeframe for issue of a reply. Accordingly, they will contact the Deputy in due course when the requisite information has been sourced.

Fiscal Policy. (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There is no doubt that 2009 is a very challenging year for the global economy. Ireland is very much a part of the global economy and we are experiencing an international recession of unrivalled severity, prompted in turn by the worst crisis in international financial markets in living memory. Domestic processes in the Irish economy, in particular, the ongoing contraction in the construction...

Fiscal Policy. (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The words "unclear" and "underdeveloped" are not contained in the Commission opinion.

Fiscal Policy. (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy may choose to borrow words inaccurately attributed to the opinion, but I must go by the record of what the Commission said, namely, that the measures adopted by the Government in response to the downturn can be regarded as welcome and adequate. That is an endorsement from the Commission. I worked closely with the Commission——

Fiscal Policy. (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have had numerous contacts with the Commission since last September to deal with Ireland's position in advance of going into the excessive deficit procedure because it is important we work with it to resolve our difficulties. We have the support of the Commission on the measures we are taking. The fundamental issue with regard to generating confidence is the need to stabilise our public...

Fiscal Policy. (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: People are losing jobs because of the unprecedented international climate, as the Deputy is well aware. The forecast in my Department for the downturn this year is 4.5% and this forecast is in line with the bulk of other forecasts. On the question of tax receipts for this year, an overall predictive figure for tax receipts has been produced and the receipts received in January are in line...

Fiscal Policy. (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am advised by my Department that they are in line.

Fiscal Policy. (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy should bear with me. The percentage which January tends to bear to the year as a whole has been confirmed in the receipts received this January. The predicted overall tax receipts this year, as the Deputy is aware, are well short of what was received last year. With regard to the detailed monthly breakdown and the breakdown under the different heads, my Department is taking...

Fiscal Policy. (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have not refused to answer it.

Live Register. (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Taoiseach's statement regarding prospects for the live register and for living standards are consistent with the projections contained in the addendum to the stability programme update, published in early January. In this document, projections for the public finances, and in particular for public expenditure, are based on the assumption that the numbers on the live register reach 400,000...