Results 13,961-13,980 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (13 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: Non-established State Employees have broadly the same pension terms as established civil servants paying full class PRSI. They must have at least two years' service, except in the case of a member who dies in service (death gratuity requires no minimum service) and pension benefits depend on the number of years service that a person has and takes account of the personal rate of contributory...

Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (13 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners, that based on the information supplied, they have been unable to trace any claim by the named person under the Disabled Drivers and the Disabled Passengers (Tax Concession) Regulations, 1994. The disability criteria for eligibility for the tax concessions under this scheme are set out in the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions)...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (13 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: Over ten thousand six hundred civil and public servants have applied to relocate under the Decentralisation Programme. At the end of December 2006, over 2,400 staff had been assigned to decentralising posts. Some 700 of these are currently in place, in 15 new locations, while the remainder are being trained in advance of decentralisation to a new location, as soon as accommodation becomes...

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (13 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: There is nothing in tax law requiring the use of a utility bill to set up a bank account. The Deputy may have in mind the requirements of the EU Savings Directive. As the Deputy will be aware, the Savings Directive (which was transposed into Irish law as sections 898B to 898R of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997) provides for most EU Member States to exchange information on the cross border...

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

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they have issued letters to a number of individuals who held casual trading licences to operate in Henry Street/Moore Street and that do not appear to be registered for Income Tax or Value Added Tax. The individuals have been advised of their obligations to register for tax and to submit the appropriate returns. The letters issued as part of...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (13 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 and 324 together. The National Development Plan (2007-2013) is a strategic document setting out a broad investment framework and investment priorities, together with indicative financial allocations, for the next seven years. It does not contain a list of all projects to be undertaken in 2007 and/or over the period of the Plan, although certain Chapters,...

National Development Finance Agency (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I thank Deputies for their welcome for the legislation and their contribution to the debate. As I said in my opening speech, this is amending legislation with a clear focus. Its purpose is to extend the functions of the National Development Finance Agency in order to allow it to undertake the procurement and delivery stage of public private partnership projects and to provide for connected...

National Development Finance Agency (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: It is much better to deal with the design issues up front before the private sector develops the project and, as Deputy Fleming said, takes on the responsibility of the operational costs over the lifetime of the project. Risk transfer is an important criterion in deciding whether a project is appropriate for a PPP so that we do not take all the risk up front. If there are possibilities...

National Development Finance Agency (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Referral to Select Committee (13 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service, in accordance with Standing Order 120(1) and paragraph 1(a)(i) of the Orders of Reference of that committee.

National Development Finance Agency (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: Heresy.

Written Answers — Airport Customs Controls: Airport Customs Controls (8 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware, following a seizure of heroin in Belgium and the related arrest of three Irish nationals last year, the Revenue Commissioners initiated a review of Customs Controls at Licensed Aerodromes. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that their review has now been completed. The review examined the controls, the conditions of approval and the risks, from a Customs point...

Written Answers — Airport Customs Controls: Airport Customs Controls (8 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware, following a seizure of heroin in Belgium and the related arrest of three Irish nationals last year, the Revenue Commissioners initiated a review of Customs Controls at Licensed Aerodromes. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that their review has now been completed. The review examined the controls, the conditions of approval and the risks, from a Customs point...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (8 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy will be aware, thirty State Agencies are due to relocate under the Government's Decentralisation Programme. Some 2,340 posts are involved, or just over 22% of the programme. The Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG) did not set specific timeframes for the State Agencies as they believed that it was the responsibility of the board and senior management of each agency to...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (8 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I take it that the question relates to the stamp duty exemption that is available to Young Trained Farmers holding a relevant qualification. The farm management technician certificate is not a relevant qualification for the purpose of the stamp duty exemption. However, where Teagasc certifies that another qualification corresponds to a relevant qualification, that other qualification will be...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: The transfer of shares in a company attracts a stamp duty of 1%. This stamp duty rate has existed since 1951 at a low rate to encourage commercial activity and is, therefore, not new. The assets of a company may include land and where that land is sold by the company, stamp duty will arise for the purchaser. Likewise, when a company buys land, it will pay stamp duty. I am already looking at...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: Public-private partnership arrangements, or PPPs, are a means of procurement for public investment projects and, as such, are subject to the requirements which apply to public capital investment generally. Under my Department's Capital Appraisal and PPP Guidelines, Departments and agencies are responsible for the appraisal and management of their projects, including PPPs. Value for Money...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Feb 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...

Written Answers — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: The public consultation on options for revising the VRT system to take greater account of CO2 emissions was announced on Budget day and I invited interested parties to make submissions to my Department by 1 March 2007. A summary of a number of possible options which are under consideration by my Department was contained in the Budget 2007 documentation and a longer consultation document has...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: The National Development Plan 2007-2013, which was launched on the 23rd of January last, sets out five investment Priorities: Economic Infrastructure; Enterprise, Science and Innovation; Human Capital; Social Infrastructure; and Social Inclusion. The investment under each of these five Priorities is in turn set out by Programme. The investment of €54.7 billion under the Economic...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Feb 2007)

Brian Cowen: I have not asked the Revenue Commissioners to conduct an estimate of the under-claiming of tax reliefs by taxpayers and I have no plans to do so. Revenue are very active in encouraging taxpayers to claim the correct reliefs and have taken a number of important initiatives in this regard during the last year. I too announced proposals in the Budget and recently in the Finance Bill to make it...