Results 17,941-17,960 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

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

Brian Cowen: The tonnage tax regime was introduced in the 2002 Finance Act to help the Irish shipping sector, which along with other EU countries faced competition from ships registered outside the EU. Several member states reacted to these developments by introducing a special low tax regime known as tonnage tax under which the tax is paid by reference to the tonnage of the ships. The tonnage tax system...

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

Brian Cowen: My Department has not considered, either in the review of the residence rules in 1994 or more recently, a citizen-based tax system or any other alternative to the residence-based system, which has applied here for very many years. Linking tax liability with citizenship is not the normal practice in OECD countries where tax liability is based on definition of residence. The implications of any...

Written Answers — Capital Projects: Capital Projects (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: Primary responsibility for managing capital programmes and the evaluation, planning and execution of capital projects on time and in line with budget rests with line Departments and the relevant implementing agencies. The Department of Finance's role is to agree with Departments, subject to the direction of the Government, the policy framework for capital programmes and projects, to advise...

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

Brian Cowen: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that their Ansbacher review team has been carrying out detailed investigations since October 1999. The investigation has essentially two elements. There are Ansbacher-type arrangements and there are other cases involving offshore funds and deposits. Revenue has advised that the review team has inquired into 289 cases to date and 123 of these cases...

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

Brian Cowen: The current tax relief for waste service charges is provided by granting relief at the standard rate to taxpayers in respect of the charges they have paid in the previous year. Where a fixed annual charge applies, the full payment qualifies for tax relief provided it has been paid on time. Where a variable charge is applied for refuse collection, based on a weight or volume, the tax relief is...

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

Brian Cowen: The recommendation of the financial regulator in regard to the regulation of reinsurance is to fast track the transposition of the EU Reinsurance Directive into Irish law. The EU is close to adopting a Reinsurance Directive which will significantly strengthen the regulatory environment by obliging all member states to introduce a supervisory regime for reinsurance companies, based on a...

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

Brian Cowen: The programme of decentralisation will be implemented through the transfer of staff on a voluntary basis. There will be no redundancies and, as on previous occasions, the payment of removal or relocation expenses will not arise. However, consultations will be held with the public service unions on an ongoing basis to address the concerns of all staff affected by the programme.

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

Brian Cowen: I cannot in principle support the ring-fencing of receipts from the Criminal Assets Bureau for any specific project. In the first instance, ring-fencing constrains the Government in the implementation of its overall expenditure policy. If it were agreed that projects in communities affected by drug abuse should be funded by ring-fenced revenues, it would set a precedent that would make it...

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

Brian Cowen: Maintaining the attractiveness of Ireland as a location for mobile investment is essential for continued economic progress. It must be recognised, however, that external factors such as the exchange rate will have an impact on domestic costs and confidence, but that we cannot influence them. In these circumstances, we must seek to control those costs which we can influence. It is important...

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

Brian Cowen: As I stated in my replies to Parliamentary Question No. 52 of 1 February 2005, Parliamentary Question No. 69 of 3 March 2005 and Parliamentary Question No. 128 of 27 April 2005, all organisations that are decentralising, including Ordnance Survey Ireland, OSI, have prepared and submitted an implementation plan as requested by the decentralisation implementation group, DIG. This plan included...

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

Brian Cowen: I am aware of the publication to which the Deputy refers. As the Deputy will be aware, I announced in my Budget Statement that I have directed my Department, together with the Revenue Commissioners, to undertake a detailed review of various tax reliefs and exemptions. I subsequently announced that the review would also include the examination of pensions tax relief. This examination is at...

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

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 106 together. In the budget 2004 announcement on decentralisation, it was provided that the Revenue Commissioners would relocate staff to four locations, Athy, Kilrush, Listowel and Newcastle West. It was also announced that a future decision on the location of Revenue's ICT would be made, and this was subsequently identified as Kildare town. Revenue's...

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

Brian Cowen: I accept that the number of applications to the central applications facility, CAF, from the Civil Service are much better than those from the State agencies. Unlike the State agencies, the Civil Service has considerable previous experience of decentralisation and has a long tradition of interdepartmental transfers. The decentralisation implementation group, DIG, asked that all organisations...

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

Brian Cowen: The issue of making unused tax credits refundable was considered by a working group established under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness to examine the role which refundable tax credits can play in the tax and welfare system. The group was made up of representatives of the social partners and was chaired by my Department. Among other things, it examined the issues which might arise if...

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

Brian Cowen: The stallion stud fee exemption was introduced in the Finance Act 1969 and applied to nominations on all stallions whether standing at stud in Ireland or abroad. The relief was amended in Finance Act 1985 so as to confine the tax exemption on stallion fees to income earned from stallions at stud in the State. Income arising to a part-owner of a foreign-based stallion continued to be exempted...

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

Brian Cowen: I, along with my colleague the Minister for Agriculture and Food, met the EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development in Brussels on 12 May last to discuss the Commission's ongoing assessment of the stallion stud fee exemption in the context of EU state aid rules. At the meeting, I took the opportunity to outline the background to the relief and the development of the industry in...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (1 Jun 2005)

Brian Cowen: I dealt with most of the issues raised in the Deputy's parliamentary question in my address to the House in response to the Private Members' motion on 17 May on this matter. As I stated then, while I accept that there have been instances over the years of project overspends, etc., that could have been managed better, I do not accept that there was a shocking waste of taxpayers' money, etc.,...

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

Brian Cowen: To date 84 submissions have been received on foot of the advertisement placed in the national newspapers and on my Department's website in January of this year. It is not envisaged that any further public consultation will take place other than to seek further clarification or information from those who have made submissions if this becomes necessary. It is of course, open to any member of...

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

Brian Cowen: In the 2003 budget, it was announced that no capital gains tax roll-over relief would be allowed for any purpose on gains arising from disposals on or after 4 December 2002. Section 67 of the Finance Act 2003 gave legislative effect to the abolition of this relief. There is no record of any meeting between officials of my Department and officials of the Department of Agriculture and Food to...

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

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy will be aware, taxpayer confidentiality requires that a Minister for Finance does not answer a parliamentary question about the tax affairs of an individual or company, other than when the Deputy is asking the question on behalf of the individual or company. In this instance, it is not clear that this is the case and in the circumstances, I regret I cannot provide the specific...