Results 11,581-11,600 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I came in as Minister for Health and saw emergency funding of €1 million for people with disabilities.

Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: There is only so much hypocrisy I can take from that side of the House on this issue.

Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: As for the question regarding the intimidation of witnesses, this is a serious and criminal matter. I am glad to note the Garda is providing whatever protections are necessary for those citizens who have shown the courage to take on those in their community who would intimidate or seek to criminalise.

Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware, the employment agency regulation Bill, which is to regulate the employment agency sector by the establishment of a statutory code of practice setting out standards in that sector and by the establishment of a monitoring and advisory committee representative of the social partners, the employment agency sector and Departments to oversee adherence to the statutory code...

Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am not aware that legislation is in preparation in respect of those matters. In order to glean the information the Deputy seeks, it might be best were she to table a parliamentary question to the line Minister concerned. I do not have the information she seeks.

Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: My point was that I am not aware whether a Bill is in preparation in respect of the issues——

Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——that the Deputy has raised. I would certainly get back to the Deputy on the basis of her far more courteous request than that of Deputy Stagg.

Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Bill is due this session and there will be an opportunity to discuss it then, if not beforehand.

Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: That is no problem at all. I know Deputy Gilmore is au fait with all the recommendations on these matters about which he is criticising me. One of the recommendations was that Oireachtas Chairs might be incorporated as officeholders for ethics Acts purposes. In order to meet the Deputy's real demand that I try to implement as many of these recommendations as possible, I assure him that...

Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: Then we will see real progress.

Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: Preparatory work on the education (patronage) Bill, which is to amend the Vocational Education Acts 1930 to 2006 and the Education Act 1998 to enable the VECs to provide an additional model of primary school patronage, is ongoing. As matters stand, the earliest it will be introduced will be later this year.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that where they are notified by a PAYE taxpayer that s/he has paid rent to a non-resident landlord, a reduction in tax credits is automatically created in order to collect the tax that has/should have been withheld by the tenant. This meets the tenant's liability in relation to the tax withheld. The Revenue Commissioners also advise that they are not...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (20 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the information available relates to the pre-budget price of the most popular price category of 20 filter tipped cigarettes. The Annual Budget tax increases, the amount of trade increases and the tax element of those trade increases are shown on the following table. Schedule of Budget Increases and Trade Increases since 1990 Budget Date Pre...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (20 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: The information sought is provided in the table below. The number of FOI requests received by the Department of Finance is given for each year since 1998 as the Freedom of Information Act for Government Departments did not come into effect until 21 April 1998. Freedom of Information requests 1998-2007 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Cumulative Total FOI requests 205...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that individual payments from the salmon hardship scheme have two identifiable component parts and that one part is taxable while the other is not. The taxable component is that part of the payment which is based on a fisherman's catch and is taxable on recipients in the year of receipt. Accordingly, commercial fishermen should include this part of...

Written Answers — Tax Clearance Certificates: Tax Clearance Certificates (20 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 178 together. Responsibility for the administration of the various tax clearance schemes is assigned in legislation to the Revenue Commissioners. I am advised by Revenue that there has been no change in the policy with regard to the automatic renewal of tax clearance certificates to either sole traders or limited companies. As part of Revenue's...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they endeavoured to process by 31 January 2008 all 2006 tax returns submitted on time, that is, those received by 31 October 2007, and to have tax returns submitted after that date processed as soon as possible thereafter. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that a very high volume of returns are received by Revenue at that time of year. The...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that Section 148 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 provides for the furnishing of PPSNs of individuals, and registered numbers of companies by Revenue to the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) in order to enable the provision of tenancy details from the Tenancies Board to Revenue. I am further advised that no central register is kept in...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (19 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I announced in my Budget Statement December that the revised VRT system to take greater account of CO2 emission levels will be introduced on 1 July 2008. I have no plans to introduce a VRT refund scheme for people who register cars prior to 1 July 2008.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (19 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I take it that the Deputy's interest is in construction projects funded by my Department's Vote in the relevant period, to which the guidelines on the Public Art: Percent for Art scheme apply. Since the guidelines were issued in 2004, my Department has directly funded the construction of a crèche under the civil service childcare initiative in Mahon, Cork. The Percent for Art scheme is...