Results 17,161-17,180 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: The sale of a new house will give rise to taxes on the purchaser and seller of the house. The purchaser of a new house may be liable to pay stamp duty and VAT, while the seller of such a house may be liable to income tax, corporation tax or capital gains tax. The status of the purchaser and the seller need to be taken into consideration in computing these taxes, in addition to the type and...

Budgetary Process. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I have been examining proposals for reform of the Estimates and budgetary process in conjunction with my Government colleagues on foot of my budget 2005 announcement that I intended to consider options for reform in this regard. These deliberations are still ongoing and I will also take into account the recent Committee of Public Accounts report. As I indicated in my reply to a previous...

Budgetary Process. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I hope to make an announcement in the budget on the ongoing reform process I have in mind. My initial reply outlined a number of issues that must be borne in mind in the context of reform. We have obligations such as reporting to the EU and so on, and I referred to the question of timing. The PAC report, which is short but which contains annexes by Deputy Rabbitte and others, mentions the...

Budgetary Process. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: In his reporting powers the Comptroller and Auditor General can make any recommendations to the committee, which will subsequently be communicated to Ministers and responded to by Ministers if they so wish.

Budgetary Process. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: Ministers make decisions under legislative authority and the authority of this House. That is their constitutional duty and no one else has this duty. Those in other roles can make recommendations but Government makes decisions and is held accountable for these. This may involve disagreement among people. Deputy Bruton seems to indicate that others should determine what are the Government's...

Budgetary Process. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I do not subscribe to the idea that budget day is irrelevant. One sets out a summary of budget proposals and the total Government revenue and expenditure for the following year. It is very important. The idea that we should reform because budget day does not mean anything might correspond to a popular myth but the budget is an important process.

Tax Code. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I refer the Deputy to tabular data provided in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 531 on 28 September 2005. This remains the most up-to-date information available. The data indicates that for 2005 only one third of earners will be on the higher rate of tax, while almost 31% are on the standard rate and almost 36% are exempt. The 80% target in An Agreed Programme for Government was set in the...

Tax Code. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: There is significant tax justice for lower paid income earners since this Government came into office. When Deputy Quinn was Minister for Finance one in four workers were exempt from the tax net on much lower income. More than one in three workers is now exempt from tax and this occurs in the context of an extra 500,000 people at work. The number of people exempt from tax has doubled. If I...

Tax Code. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: According to the Deputy's view of the world——

Tax Code. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: Statistics can be used for any purpose but the reality is that an extra 500,000 people are working and there is an increase in the number of people who no longer pay tax. More people pay at the 20% rate than before. If the Deputy wishes to make the comparison between how workers fare under the tax policies of this Government and the policies when Deputy Quinn was Minister for Finance, we can...

Fiscal Policy. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: The role of Government on credit growth and associated indebtedness has a number of distinct dimensions. First, it is important to note that, as far as overall economic and financial stability are concerned, the relevant measure of credit encompasses both public and private sector credit and debt levels. The Minister for Finance has a key role in this regard in ensuring prudent management of...

Fiscal Policy. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Central Bank's recently published Financial Stability Report concludes that a range of fundamental factors, such as growing employment and incomes, falling inflation and low interest rates, have supported the pattern of mortgage growth and associated debt levels in the economy. The report, however, emphasises the importance of responsible behaviour by both borrowers and lenders to factor...

Fiscal Policy. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I have indicated to the Deputy that prudential issues in the market situation in which we find ourselves are a matter for individuals, banks and other financial institutions. Having examined the full economic picture, the Central Bank made the point that the Irish banking system is in a stable, sound position for the reasons I cited — demographics, income capacity and the supply side in...

Decentralisation Programme. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: When the Government's decentralisation programme was first announced, it was stated that the overall objective would be to ensure that property acquired at regional level would be matched as closely as possible, both in time and in cost terms, by the disposal of property currently held in the Dublin region, whether held on lease or otherwise. In November 2004, the decentralisation...

Decentralisation Programme. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I do not know from where the Deputy plucked his costs. If I had the details of his assumptions, I could give him a detailed answer.

Decentralisation Programme. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: There is no point in the Deputy doing the usual stunt in respect of a question on decentralisation. The implementation group, which knows much more about this process than anyone in this House, provided a financial model which confirms that the payback in respect of relocation can be done on a property basis over 20 years. I presume the Deputy is trying to extrapolate. He can just throw out a...

Decentralisation Programme. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: When all aspects are taken into account the implementation group's financial model indicates how it works out. In respect of the Deputy's one in six figure, 138 posts are due to relocate to my town, Tullamore, and 57 of those people have indicated they want to decentralise there from the relevant Department. That is not one in six. A further 33 have accepted offers of posts in Tullamore and...

Decentralisation Programme. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: I will extrapolate the figures back for the Deputy to avoid confusion. I have explained the amount committed in principle on site acquisition to date, namely €35.7 million. I do not say that does not correspond to the Deputy's figure in respect of how it will be spent. On the other side of the balance sheet, however, after all the Deputy's extrapolation, is the amount of money the State...

Decentralisation Programme. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: In his desire to give an accurate account of what it costs to move people the Deputy decided to divide a figure he knows by the number of early movers. It does not, however, cost that sum because we will dispose of the other buildings and money will come in for them. We hear a great deal from the financial spokesman in the Deputy's party about the need for models and giving credence to...

Decentralisation Programme. (9 Nov 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy is purposely not factoring them in because he wants to give a sensational figure to the media.