Results 13,661-13,680 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: Section 86 of the Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Act 2003, subject to conditions, grants exemption from Capital Acquisitions Tax in respect of a house comprised in a gift or an inheritance. One of the conditions is that the donee or successor must occupy the house for the period of 3 years ending with the date of the gift or inheritance. Where that house has replaced other...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: The National Development Plan/Community Support Framework (NDP/ CSF) 2000-2006 is an integrated investment plan and strategy for economic and social development for Ireland. It involved significant investment in infrastructure — such as roads, public transport, water and waste services, health services, social housing, education, industry and rural development. The NDP/CSF 2000-2006 is...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Budget 2007 forecast increases in tax revenues for 2008 and 2009 are 7.3% and 6.9% respectively. Employment is projected to increase by 2.1% and 1.6% in 2008 and 2009 respectively. New house price increases are assumed to be modest in both 2008 and 2009. There are no reliable macro economic indicators currently available which detail activity in the second-hand housing market, from which...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: Chapter 3 of the recently launched National Development Plan 2007-2013 sets out a strong framework for the promotion of regional development with a particular focus on investment in the National Spatial Strategy (NSS) Gateway centres. Five of the nine Gateways — Dundalk, Letterkenny/Derry, Midlands, Galway and Sligo — are in the Border, Midland and Western Region. The Plan also points...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: My department examines trends across all major tax heads, including stamp duty, on an ongoing basis. At end February 2007 stamp duties for the year to date were up 22% year on year. They are currently running at 16% ahead of the same time last year (16 March). It is very difficult to draw conclusions from tax receipts over a period as short as 3 months and to determine if the figures...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the amount of Relevant Contracts Tax [RCT] received in respect of each of the years 2003 to 2006 inclusive is as follows: RCT Gross Repayments Nett €m €m €m 2003 476.8 423.7 53.2 2004 611.6 562.3 49.3 2005 759.5 660.9 90.6 2006 949.8 856.1 93.8 The Nett figure above is the amount which was unallocated to named taxpayers. A major...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: Inflation, as measured by the CPI fell to 4.8 per cent in February from 5.2 per cent in January 2007. On a HICP basis inflation fell to 2.6 per cent in February from 2.9 per cent in January. The rate of CPI inflation has increased in the past year; this is mainly due to ECB interest rate increases which are outside of Government control. Maintaining a moderate rate of inflation remains a key...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: While income tax, capital gains tax and excise duties were slightly below profile at end-February, total tax receipts were 12.8 per cent ahead of the same period last year and 2.4 per cent ahead of profile. Income tax receipts were up 8.1 per cent compared to the same period in 2006, capital gains tax receipts were up 27.4 per cent and excise duties were up 2.8 per cent. The other main...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that, as the Deputy will appreciate, the amount of arrears of tax and duty is constantly fluctuating. Accordingly for accounting and auditing purposes, and to enable comparisons over time, the debt is calculated and analysed as at 31 March each year. At 31 March 2006 the arrears of tax and duty amounted to €1,085m. The debt for the equivalent time...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: The information requested by the Deputy is presented in the table. For each year prior to 2007, the gross income on which the take home pay is calculated has been discounted as shown in the table so as to take due account of the impact of wages growth since 2000. The take home pay is calculated by deducting the tax, PRSI and the health levy due from the gross wage. Annual take home pay of a...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: VAT like all taxes is reviewed each year in the context of each Budget and Finance Bill. However, the VAT regime and indeed the rating of all goods and services is subject to the requirements of EU VAT law with which Irish VAT law must comply. Under the EU VAT Directive, Member States may retain the zero rates on goods and services which were in place on 1 January 1991, but cannot extend the...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the information requested as at February 2007 is set out in the table. The information is based on a price of €542.8 for 1,000 litres of Kerosene and €546.6 for 1,000 litres of home heating Diesel (Marked Gas Oil). Product Per Litre Per 1,000 Litres Price Excise VAT Total Tax Excise VAT Total Tax (cents) (cents) (cents) (cents) (€)...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: While the promotion of biofuel is primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that in Finance Act 2006 I provided for significant tax measures to promote biofuels in Ireland. This scheme, which received the necessary EU State Aid approval, commenced in November 2006 and will: provide for excise relief on...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: Over ten thousand six hundred civil and public servants have applied to relocate under the Programme. Of these, approximately 5,600 or 53% are currently based in Dublin. The Central Applications Facility remains open and continues to receive applications. Discussions have concluded on a number of human resource and industrial relations matters and are being progressed on other issues. At...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: The position is that charities and non-profit groups engaged in non-commercial activity are exempt from VAT under the EU VAT Directive, with which Irish VAT law must comply. This means they do not charge VAT on the services they provide and cannot recover VAT incurred on goods and services that they purchase. Essentially only VAT registered businesses which charge VAT are able to recover VAT....

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy will be aware that office holders and members of the Dáil and the Seanad may accept a gift in only limited circumstances. The Taoiseach and Tánaiste announced in October that the Ethics legislation would be amended to require an office holder or member, before accepting a significant gift or loan, to seek the opinion of the Standards in Public Office Commission that acceptance...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: Activity in the housing sector impacts primarily on VAT, Stamp duty and Capital gains tax. Housing market activity also impacts on Income tax and PRSI receipts and Corporation tax from construction sector company profits. While revenues from housing market activity such as Stamp duty and Capital gains tax have made an increasing contribution to the Exchequer in recent years, we are not...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that it is not possible at present to estimate the number of Irish domiciled individuals claiming to be non-resident for tax purposes as such information has not been captured from tax returns in the past. Information which will assist in such estimation was however requested on the 2005 Return of Income. The processing of these returns is currently...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: Inflation, as measured by the CPI fell to 4.8 per cent in February from 5.2 per cent in January 2007. On a HICP basis inflation fell to 2.6 per cent in February from 2.9 per cent in January. The rate of CPI inflation has increased in the past year; this is mainly due to ECB interest rate increases which are outside of Government control. If mortgage interest was removed, CPI inflation would...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (20 Mar 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that Customs control of airports has to be looked at in the context of the Internal Market and the principle of freedom of movement within the European Union. Routine and systematic Customs checks on goods and passengers moving within any part of the EU have been abolished, as have Customs controls on the baggage of intra-Community passengers other...