Results 14,901-14,920 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: It is not a question of cheap shots. The only ideology I hear is from the Deputy.

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: This is a Parliament, not a crèche. The Deputy seems to be of the view that publicly provided services are in all cases intrinsically more valuable and better provided than privately provided services. I contend that a choice should be available to people if they so wish it. Of course there is an obligation on us to provide publicly provided services, which we do. However, we have used...

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am answering the question.

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: No, the question I am answering——

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: The question I am answering——

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: I will leave it at that, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: I could not be bothered.

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: The State encourages individuals to supplement the social welfare pension arrangements with private pension arrangements by offering tax relief on private pension provision. The tax relief arrangements for private pension provision are long-standing and have helped a significant proportion of the workforce to provide for supplementary pensions, thus reducing the pressure on the Exchequer to...

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: I do not agree with the basic contention outlined by the Deputy. I introduced measures in this year's budget and Finance Act to limit the Exchequer cost of tax relief on pension contributions by high earners while encouraging those on lower incomes and older workers to make provision for or improve their pension arrangements. A pension is deferred income. The issue relates to the benefit...

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: I will not remember all the questions and I might be accused of not answering questions again.

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: On the last question, I have accommodated that aspect on the basis that the amount will stay in the product for at least a year. The idea behind this measure was to move the money into a pension product. If one is already a pensioner, one has to make some arrangement that shows the bona fide nature of the operation, rather than simply move to take out a new product tomorrow with the benefit...

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: It is equitable, if one believes in——

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: I do not want to make this the cube of the Western Hemisphere.

Tax Code. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: Exactly.

Price Inflation. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: The annual rate of consumer price index, CPI, inflation was 4% in September, down from 4.5% in August. However, a better measure of underlying inflation is the EU-comparable measure of inflation, the harmonised index of consumer prices, HICP. The HICP differs from the CPI in coverage. The most notable difference relates to the exclusion of mortgage interest repayments from the EU-related...

Price Inflation. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: I do not agree that the weightings applied to such services in the overall basket are the drivers. The main drivers for inflation have been international factors such as the European Central Bank's interest rate rises over the past year and the increase in energy prices. The Deputy contends that the Government has been the main driver. If one considers the position between January 1997 and...

Price Inflation. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: I do not know the basis on which the Deputy drew up those statistics and would have to examine how he did it before I could give a detailed answer. However, in the context of water charges, for example, water pricing policy now requires direct recovery of all non-domestic water service costs and certain areas reflect the coming on stream of major new schemes. The national non-domestic...

Price Inflation. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am making the point that there is a need for more transparency in all of these matters. In the past there was much cross-subsidisation with regard to cost recovery models and we must deal with that issue.

Price Inflation. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am not talking about introducing them. Waste management costs reflect the polluter pays principle, higher environmental standards, the need for additional infrastructure and the fact that we must get a full cost recovery method for both public and private services. Public services have recovery costs of just 80% of private services recovery. Therefore, there is still some way to go.

Drug Seizures. (18 Oct 2006)

Brian Cowen: The customs service of the Office of the Revenue Commissioners has primary responsibility for the prevention, detection, interception and seizure of controlled drugs at importation. It has particular responsibility for implementing import controls at points of entry to the State, specifically at ports and airports, including licensed airfields, and on the land frontier. The control of...