Results 12,061-12,080 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Departmental Meetings: Departmental Meetings (6 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take QuestionsNos. 79 and 80 together. My Department has a committee consisting of senior management known as the management advisory committee or MAC which meets weekly to discuss progress on the Department's principal activities. The MAC may also meet more frequently if required. The minutes are circulated, with reference where appropriate to follow-up action required and the...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (6 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: The part time Teachers (16) assigned to CMOD (Centre for Management, and Organisation Development), are not classified as part of the Civil Service. In addition, 2 of the staff in my Constituency Office are contract staff. Apart from these, all staff employed by my Department are Civil Servants. In relation to the Office of the Minister of State, 4 of the staff are contract staff.

Written Answers — Business Expansion Scheme: Business Expansion Scheme (6 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I announced in my Budget 2008 statement that the requirement that recycling companies must have received grant assistance before availing of the Business Expansion Scheme (BES) is to be replaced by a requirement that their business proposals must be certified by an industrial development agency or County Enterprise Board before they avail of the scheme. This change to the requirements will be...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (6 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: The extent of my responsibility for the bodies and agencies on the following list under the remit of my Department varies in accordance with the nature of the legal arrangements. While I have responsibility for policy and legislation in respect of such bodies and agencies, legal responsibility for the performance of their statutory functions and operational responsibilities rests with the...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (6 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 Yield: Tax Yield (6 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 86 together. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the information available in respect of net receipts from inheritance and probate tax is as follows: Year Inheritance Tax Probate Tax €m €m 2000 154.72 37.51 2001 121.50 21.41 2002 128.06 5.38 2003 130.65 2.55 2004 171.29 2.76 2005 196.65 1.73 2006 299.37 1.76 Details from...

Written Answers — Gaming Legislation: Gaming Legislation (6 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: In August 1994, the National Lottery Company informed the Department of Finance that it had entered into a reciprocal confidentiality agreement with a third party, the Vector Ogden Group, which had a proposal to build a complex in the old Phoenix Park Racecourse comprising an International Conference Centre and a casino. I understand that such an agreement was considered a necessary...

Written Answers — Gaming Legislation: Gaming Legislation (6 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: The establishment and operation of a casino would be subject to the provisions of the Gaming and Lotteries Acts, which are a matter, in the first instance, for my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. In respect of the period referred to by the Deputy, the records in my Department do not indicate that the National Lottery Company made any proposal to the Minister for...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (6 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: There are no legal or other impediments of which I am aware which would prevent Ireland from changing its standard rate of corporation tax on a general basis. The Government made clear its commitment to the standard 12.5% rate of corporation tax in its agreed Programme for Government.

Written Answers — Video Conferencing Facilities: Video Conferencing Facilities (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: My Department has deployed two levels of videoconferencing facilities which allows personnel in different buildings to interact via video and audio conferencing simultaneously. The system can facilitate communication between two people in private offices (point-to-point) or can involve several sites (multi-point) with more than one person in each meeting room or conference room. At present...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: In 2007, 145 Department of Finance Staff members availed of the tax saver commuter scheme.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 109 together. Other than confidential waste, the weight of general and recyclable waste generated by my Department is not recorded. Since there are different methods of disposing of waste it is not possible to quantify recycled waste as a percentage of all waste. Charges for general waste are based on bulk bin loads, for recyclable waste on the number...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that both Irish and EU VAT law requires retailers who are registered for VAT to issue VAT invoices to any consumer who is registered for VAT. VAT registered retailers are also obliged to issue VAT invoices to Government Departments, local authorities, statutory bodies and any person carrying on a business activity that is exempt from VAT. The VAT...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: I have been informed by the Revenue Commissioners that no correspondence has been received from the taxpayer relating to a redundancy payment and that, until a redundancy payment is made, Revenue are not in a position to comment on the specific case.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000 — 2006 (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), which are being implemented by the Office of the Minister for Children. The NCIP came into effect from 1 January 2006, with an allocation of €575 million for the 5 year period of 2006 to 2010, some €357...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: Last June I approved National Quality Assurance Standards for Symptomatic Breast Disease Services under the Health Act 2007. The aim of the Standards is to ensure that every woman in Ireland who develops breast cancer has an equal opportunity to be managed in a centre which is capable of delivering the best possible outcome. Based on the Standards, and the fact that the BreastCheck...

Written Answers — Video Conferencing Facilities: Video Conferencing Facilities (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: Video-conferencing facilities are currently being installed in my Department's offices to facilitate interaction with other Departments and agencies located outside of the capital, and to minimise non-essential travel in the future. These facilities will be operational very shortly. With regard to internal meetings, travel does not generally arise as the vast majority of my Department's...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: A total of 161 members of staff in my Department are in receipt of tax saver commuter tickets in 2007.

Budget Statement 2008 (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: Through a combination of Exchequer and local government funding, more than €600 million will be provided for regional and local roads. This will continue the commitment which the Government has shown over the past decade to the renewal of this vital network. I am also investing almost €1 billion in our public transport system next year. This significant level of investment means that...

Budget Statement 2008 (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Government is firmly committed to the rural economy. We plan to build on our investment in rural life.