Results 17,881-17,900 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Maritime Safety Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Financial Resolution. (2 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: I move: That provision be made in the Act giving effect to this resolution for the charging, under regulations made for the purpose of ensuring the safety of passenger boats and their passengers and crews, fishing vessels and their crews and pleasure craft and their occupants, of such fees as may be prescribed by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources with the consent...

Order of Business. (2 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. a12, Maritime Safety Bill 2004 [Seanad] — Financial Resolution; No. 12, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a European small claims procedure — back from committee; No. 13, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann for a directive of the European Parliament and of the...

Order of Business. (2 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Joint Committee on Environment and Local Government considered this motion last Tuesday. A division took place and the motion was passed that the regulations be referred back to the Dáil and Seanad with no further debate. The regulations provide the enabling framework for the transposition and implementation of two landmark EU directives on waste electrical and electronic equipment and...

Written Answers — Financial Services: Financial Services (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: I welcome the publication of the One Parent Exchange Network's report which highlights the difficulties lone parents can face in relation to debt and accessing financial services. The report provides a valuable insight into an ongoing problem facing some sectors of society that this Government, in conjunction with the financial regulator, is committed to resolving. The main obstacles facing...

Written Answers — Special Savings Incentive Scheme: Special Savings Incentive Scheme (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that, based on the 2004 SSIA annual returns furnished by all qualifying savings managers, the total number of active accounts at 31 December 2004 was 1,094,294 and the average monthly subscription was €175 at that date. Fuller details of the SSIA position after end 2004 will be published on my Department's website shortly. As indicated in replies...

Written Answers — Revenue Investigations: Revenue Investigations (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: In 2004, the Revenue Commissioners launched a campaign to identify Irish residents holding offshore accounts and a voluntary disclosure scheme was introduced to enable Irish resident holders of such accounts to declare related tax liabilities. Approximately 15,000 disclosures were received in this voluntary phase. The benefits of the voluntary disclosure scheme were that persons making a...

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: There are a number of property based tax relief schemes which cover a wide spectrum of economic and social activity. These include specific incentives to encourage the rejuvenation and development of targeted areas as is the case of the urban renewal and rural renewal schemes or to encourage activity in certain sectors, such as child care provision and student accommodation, where a rapid...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: I will be putting proposals to Government shortly on the issue of a successor to the current national development plan, NDP, which will run until the end of 2006. As the Deputy is probably aware, previous NDPs have been a requirement of the European Commission to enable Ireland to draw down its allocation of Structural and Cohesion Funds. Unlike previous occasions, there is no requirement...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Government's decentralisation programme, announced in budget 2004, identified Tullamore as one of the decentralised locations to which 131 posts from my Department were to be relocated. The management advisory committee of my Department decided that the finance directorate, the Civil Service Centre for Management and Organisation Development, the national development plan evaluation unit...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 107 together. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the procedures adopted in relation to validating a claim to non-residence status depend on the circumstances in each case. The administration of these validation procedures is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners and I am informed by them that these procedures are kept under review. I am,...

Written Answers — Public Private Partnerships: Public Private Partnerships (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: The National Development Finance Agency, NDFA, was established on 1 January 2003. One of its roles is to advise Departments about the optimum means of financing the cost of capital projects in order to achieve value for money, whether procured through a PPP approach or through traditional procurement and to advise State authorities on all aspects of financing, refinancing and insurance of...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: There is a variety of pension schemes in the non-commercial State sector — for example, some resourced on a pay-as-you-go basis and some funded schemes using resources provided through the relevant grants with pension outlays partly resourced from the funds concerned and from ongoing grants. Where specific funds exist, they are managed and administered on behalf of their members by...

Written Answers — Standards in Public Office Commission: Standards in Public Office Commission (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Standards in Public Office Commission, the standards commission, has been in existence since December 2001. It replaced the Public Offices Commission which was established in November 1995. During that period I am not aware that the standards commission or its predecessor made any formal proposal to my Department that the ethics legislation, that is, the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners in relation to their recent report on effective tax rates for high earners that for the small number of taxpayers whose income consisted of very large sums of deposit interest, DIRT deducted meant that their effective rate of income tax paid was very close to the 20% standard rate — the rate at which DIRT is deducted from deposit interest. This is...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Luxembourg Presidency has recently put forward a package of proposals on the next financial perspective for the EU budget for the period 2007-13. The Presidency sees its proposals as a compromise package which would form the basis of political agreement at the European Council of heads of state or government in Brussels on 16 and 17 June next. The package incorporates cuts in all the...

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: The primary responsibility for the procurement, management and implementation of capital projects rests with individual Departments and public bodies under their aegis. Accordingly, the statistical information required by the Deputy is not held centrally. As the Deputy is aware however, my Department has been developing a suite of fixed price lump sum contracts in line with the Government...

Written Answers — Banking Sector: Banking Sector (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: It would not be appropriate for me in my role as Minister for Finance to comment on the likelihood or otherwise of a transfer or takeover of ownership of specific financial institutions in the State. Under national legislation, the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland must approve any acquisition which involves a stake of more than 10% in a bank on prudential grounds. In...

Written Answers — Public Service Wage Bill: Public Service Wage Bill (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: The net public service pay bill over the period 2001 to 2004 was: Year â'¬m 2001 10,186 — an increase of 18% over the previous year, 2002 11,489 — an increase of 12.8%, 2003 12,773 — an increase of 11.2%, and 2004 13,746 — an increase of 8%. The net public service pay bill for 2005 is estimated at €14,953...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: The financial services sector is a competitive dynamic environment and it is necessary to always look to the future for innovative products with which to ensure its continued success. In this regard, one only has to look at the continued success of the International Financial Services Centre, IFSC, as an example of how this industry continues to develop, notwithstanding the fact that the...

Written Answers — Interest Rates: Interest Rates (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: I welcome the publication of the One Parent Exchange Network's report which highlights the difficulties lone parents can face in relation to debt and accessing financial services. Moneylending is an expensive form of credit as the agreements are normally for small ticket loans lent over a short period of time. Therefore, the APR calculations work out much higher than the APRs charged from...