Results 12,641-12,660 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (25 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 10e, motion re Orders of Reference of Committees; No. 10f, motion re appointment of members to committees; No. 3, Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill 2007 — Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; and No. 15, Charities Bill 2007 — Second Stage (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that Nos. 10e and 10f shall be decided...

Order of Business (Resumed) (25 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: My understanding is that it is a matter for the Opposition to try to accommodate Deputies from the various Opposition parties on committees.

Order of Business (Resumed) (25 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: It is not simply the responsibility of the Government to decide on these matters.

Order of Business (Resumed) (25 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The co-operation of all Deputies is required. I understand that a fair bit of gamesmanship was going on until late last night on all of these matters. Deputy Ó Caoláin is aware that the Chief Whip is prepared to discuss this issue with him later this afternoon, in the interests of accommodating Deputies Ferris and Gregory in respect of membership of a committee.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (24 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that a list of bodies who have been granted charitable tax exemption under section 207 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 is available on the Revenue website at www.revenue.ie. The organisation referred to by the Deputy has charitable tax exemption.

Written Answers — Electronic Payment System: Electronic Payment System (24 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy will be aware, there is a general move in favour of electronic payments from cash and paper-based payment methods. The Government has been proactive in supporting this change through its payroll and scheme payments policies. Indeed, methods to facilitate cashless payments by and to Government Departments and Offices have been well established for a number of years. The...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (24 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: Section 116 of the Finance Act 2007 amends section 86 of the Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Act 2003 by providing that (with some exceptions) relief will not be available where a donee lives in the principal private residence of the disponer and subsequently that residence is gifted by the disponer to the donee. This is intended to prevent a son or daughter being gifted a house by his...

Written Answers — Social Insurance Fund: Social Insurance Fund (24 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The bulk of the accumulated surplus of the Social Insurance Fund is invested by the National Treasury Management Agency in euro denominated deposits and government bonds, subject to guidelines from the Minister for Finance. In 2006 the rate of return on the funds managed by the NTMA was 2.72% and the annualised return (to 19 October 2007) for the current year was 3.80%.

Pre-Budget Outlook: Motion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: I thank the House for the wide range of statements and analyses made on the pre-budget outlook. I see this process of debate as a large part of budget reform, as set out in my opening speech. Several points were made during the course of the debate about forecasts for the economy and how they have changed. Before reminding the House of the forecasts contained in the pre-budget outlook, it...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The policy objective underlying the existing arrangements covering bus and rail passes is to encourage taxpayers to use public transport when travelling to and from work and, thus, contribute to the easing of traffic congestion and to the improvement of the environment. The extension of the scheme to include car parking costs would involve additional loss of tax revenue and it is not clear...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (23 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that as part of the overall decentralisation programme it is intended to move approximately one hundred (100) staff to Navan. To date, seventy-nine (79) staff based in Dublin have accepted offers. It is expected that Revenue will be a position to move to Navan in the first quarter of 2008. I am informed by the Office of Public Works that it is...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: In Budget 2006 I announced that the existing Living Over the Shop Scheme was to terminate on 31 July 2008 subject to transitional arrangements for existing pipeline projects for expenditure incurred during the period 1 August 2006 to 31 July 2008. The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government are currently conducting a review of the need for the introduction of a new Living...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (23 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Annual Output Statement for 2007 for the Finance Group of Votes was published on my Department's website on 11th July last. It can be accessed on www.finance.gov.ie under "Financial and Economic Information".

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the most recent estimated cost of making the main personal and PAYE tax credits refundable when they are unused is broadly in the region of €2.7 billion annually. This estimate relates only to the cost of extending refundable tax credits to all those on Revenue's tax files. If a refundable tax credit system were to be introduced, one would...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (23 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The policy of my Department in relation to frequent flyers points accrued is governed by the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour. Section 16.2 of the code which deals with the receipt of gifts by civil servants states "that benefits under frequent flier schemes may be retained by individual civil servants in recognition of the fact that official travel is disruptive to personal and...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The position is that the application of VAT to goods and services is subject to the requirements of EU VAT law with which Irish VAT law must comply. Passenger transport is exempt from VAT under the EU VAT Directive. This means that taxis cannot charge VAT on the services they supply and cannot recover VAT on the goods and services that they purchase. Essentially, only VAT registered...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: All stamp duties, including the stamp duties on financial cards, are reviewed in the context of the annual Budget and Finance Bill.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: All stamp duties, including the stamp duties on financial cards, are reviewed in the context of the annual Budget and Finance Bill.

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (23 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the net receipt from stamp duty on financial cards from 2004 to end September 2007, broken down both by year and type of card is as shown in the table. Card Type 2004 2005 2006 2007* â'¬m â'¬m â'¬m â'¬m Credit/Charge 59.0 63.8 67.8 72.4 ATM 21.1 22.4 18.0 11.3 Debit 2.4 3.3 0.6 0 Combined (ATM/Debit) 11.8 12.2 17.7 15.2 Totals...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Oct 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government contains a commitment to examine the scope within EU law for reducing the VAT rate on environmental goods and services generally from the standard VAT rate of 21 per cent to the reduced rate of 13.5 per cent. This and other measures under the Programme for Government clearly demonstrate the Government's commitment to addressing the...