Results 16,801-16,820 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen
- Decentralisation Programme. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: The Deputy is raving.
- Decentralisation Programme. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: The Deputy is a constant critic of decentralisation.
- Tax Code. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: Different countries make different choices on this matter. We choose for good reasons not to index the bands and credits and to deal with each budget with a clean slate, as it were. In this way, the Government can make unconstrained choices in determining priorities in taxation and spending and have the resources to address these appropriately. That is the essence of what government is about.
- Tax Code. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: I do not agree with what the Deputy said. Irish earnings and employment levels have increased significantly since 1997.
- Tax Code. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: That is illustrated by the 56% increase in the average industrial wage over that period.
- Tax Code. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: I will come to that. Changes to the income tax regime since 1997 mean that the average tax rate has been reduced at all income levels. For example, after last week's budget, the average tax rate for a single person on the average industrial wage will be 15% compared with 27% in 1997. In this regard, the position is that a single PAYE worker on the average industrial wage has seen their after...
- Tax Code. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: The other point I would make to the Deputy is that the historical problem with paying income tax was how quickly one paid at the top rate. Before we came into office, a person paid 48% tax after the first â¬19,400 in earnings. That person now has to earn â¬32,000 before he or she starts paying the top rate, which is reduced by six points to 42%. If the Deputy can find any government in...
- Tax Code. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: The Deputy should remember that an additional 500,000 people are at work. That is the litmus test of people's satisfaction. I am sure the Deputy knows from visiting his clinics at weekends â it is a nice, competitive constituency â how well this measure is being received.
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: The expected surplus in tax revenues in 2005 was recently estimated at â¬1.8 billion or 4.8%. At the end of November total tax revenues were â¬36,879 million, which was â¬1,722 million or 4.9% ahead of profile. The receipts include â¬489 million from the main special investigations of the Revenue Commissioners, which was â¬294 million higher than expected for the period. Excluding the...
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: I am thankful that I am off target in a positive sense.
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: This occurred because our economy was so successful.
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: I am glad to have this opportunity to deal with the bogus statistic that Fine Gael has been parroting for some time. It takes the total tax take, divides it by the number of households and then states that the burden of taxation has increased, which is nonsense. Every individual in the tax system has paid less tax in terms of average tax taken on income after this and previous budgets. Nobody...
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: Did the Deputy say a present?
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: A figure of â¬900 million was returned to taxpayers. What part of this does Deputy Paul McGrath object to? A figure of â¬1.12 billion went to recipients of social welfare payments. What part of this money was wasted?
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: What part of the â¬150 million that went to elderly people was wasted?
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: Is the â¬300 million that will go into a strategic innovation fund a waste or an investment in our future?
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: Fine Gael should wake up and smell the roses. It is living in one of the most successful economies in the world. The Opposition cannot stand the fact that our policies are working. It is driving them nuts.
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: I have met with people in my constituency. Everyone smiled at me all the weekend. Fine Gael people walked up to me and thanked me. They are great pals of mine.
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: I cannot win with the Labour Party.
- Tax Yield. (13 Dec 2005)
Brian Cowen: I never before received such a reception. The Deputies should accompany me on my trip to Mullingar next weekend because it will help them.