Results 11,961-11,980 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: The White Paper, Estimates of Receipts and Expenditure for the year ending 31 December, 2008, published on Saturday 1 December includes, inter alia, my Department's pre-Budget estimates of tax revenue for 2008. The pre-Budget forecast for Stamp Duties for 2008 is €2,950 million. My Department has not produced such pre-Budget estimates for later years. Table 3 on page E.9 of the Budget book...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: Budget day measures have an impact on the economy in that they can result in changes in consumption and investment patterns leading to additional tax revenues. In Budget 2008 the impact of the Budget Measures on tax buoyancy was estimated at €661 million. As is customary, table 7 on page E14 of the Budget book sets out the effects of the implementation of the Budget day tax and expenditure...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: My Department's practice is to make payments on foot of mature liabilities only. As such, apart from the usual prepayments in relation to contractual obligations, my Department has not paid in advance for works or services that will not be commenced before the end of the 2007 financial year. I have been informed that this is also the situation in relation to my Department's agencies.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: The granting of a charitable tax exemption is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners. In this regard, I am advised by Revenue that the group referred to by the Deputy have not applied for such an exemption. While all charitable organisations applying for tax exemption require a legal structure and a Governing Instrument, it is not essential that the organisation be a registered company. Full...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 153 together. Balanced regional development, in line with the National Spatial Strategy, and the development of the rural economy are important horizontal issues in the National Development Plan 2007-2013. The Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) for the NDP has been established to oversee the rollout of the Plan. The inaugural meeting of the CMC took...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal was established by the Minister for Finance under the Disabled Drivers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1989 and is currently regulated by the Department of Finance under the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations, 1994. The availability of an appeals mechanism is an essential aspect of the Disabled Drivers and...

Written Answers — National Lottery: National Lottery (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by my Department that its records do not indicate that approval was sought from or given by either the Minister or the Department in 1993 or 1994 in respect of the involvement of the National Lottery Company in discussions with the Sonas/Ogden Group which was proposing to build a complex in Dublin comprising an international conference centre and a casino.

Written Answers — National Lottery: National Lottery (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by my Department that its records do not indicate that any reports of meetings between the National Lottery Company and the promoters of the Sonas/Ogden development proposal were submitted to the Minister in 1993 or 1994.

Written Answers — National Lottery: National Lottery (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by my Department that its records indicate that, in August 1994, there was knowledge of discussions between the National Lottery Company and Sonas/Ogden Group. I outlined the background to this in a recent reply (Dáil Question No. 87) answered on 6 December 2007.

Written Answers — National Lottery: National Lottery (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed that there are no records on file in my Department of meetings between the Minister and the promoters in question during the period specified. However, the records contain a claim by the then Chief Executive of An Post that his understanding was the Minister had met such a promoter. Also, in a copy on file of a September 1994 letter from the Ogden/Sonas promoters to the...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I understand from the Revenue Commissioners that they are not in a position to provide the information requested by the Deputy within the timescale for issue of a reply to his question. The Commissioners have advised me that they will contact the Deputy directly, and supply the information requested, insofar as it is available.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: The 2003 EU Energy Tax Directive incorporated special derogations which allowed specific excise duty reliefs to be applied in a number of Member States. In the Irish context, these derogations allowed for reduced rates to apply to fuel used for public transport services which includes school transport services. While these derogations expired on 31 December 2006, Ireland, along with other...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am having this matter re-examined in consultation with the Revenue Commissioners and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 and 169 together. I and my Department are fully conscious of the need for secrecy in relation to all Budget matters. That is why, in advance of the Budget, the Secretary General of my Department wrote to the Secretary Generals of all other Government Departments and to the Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners reminding them of the need for absolute...

Written Answers — Departmental Records: Departmental Records (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: My Department does not keep records in relation to my attendance at the Department's headquarters.

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that a debit instruction provided by a customer or his/her agent to Revenue is processed by Revenue where there is consistency between that instruction and customer and account information already provided to Revenue. In the very limited number of instances where an inconsistency arises, Revenue must resolve the inconsistency before the debit...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 175 together. The Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour (promulgated on 9 September 2004) at Section 5 restated the rules governing civil servants who wish to stand for election to local authorities. In summary civil servants, established or unestablished, may not involve themselves in politics other than as provided for in the Code. Special...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: The position is that the VAT rating of goods and services is subject to the requirements of EU VAT law with which Irish VAT law must comply. In relation to the issue of applying an exemption of reducing VAT rates for a certain category of consumer, the position is that the rate of VAT which applies to a particular good or service is determined by the nature of the good or service, and not by...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: The 2003 EU Energy Tax Directive incorporated special derogations which allowed specific excise duty reliefs to be applied in a number of Member States. In the Irish context, these derogations allowed for reduced rates to apply to fuel used for public transport services which includes school transport services. While these derogations expired on 31 December 2006, Ireland, along with other...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the information requested by the Deputy is as follows in respect of the income tax year 2007. Tax year Exempt (Standard rate liability fully covered by credits or Age Exemption Limits) Marginal Band Paying tax at the standard rate (including those whose liability at the higher rate is fully offset by credits) Higher rate Liability not fully...