Results 1,881-1,900 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFM) Directive proposal remains the subject of intense negotiation between the European Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Presently, it is envisaged that the European Parliament will vote on a compromise proposal on 18 October at its plenary meeting. Ireland is working constructively in this negotiation process. By way...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The information for the years 2010 to 2012 is presented in table 1 below on a functional classification basis. The ceilings for 2013 and 2014 are currently under consideration and will take account of a number of key factors including the Croke Park Agreement and Government priorities in regard to public service provision. Table 1 EMPLOYMENT CONTROL FRAMEWORK 2010 to 2012* Functional...

Written Answers — Bank Guarantee Scheme: Bank Guarantee Scheme (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 143 together. The Deputy will be aware that a Statutory Instrument which extends the Eligible Liabilities Guarantee Scheme to 31 December 2010 was approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas yesterday. This is an important support to the Irish banking system, facilitating its access to both short and longer term funding to help maintain the overall...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, I announced in the last Budget that, with a view to restoring balance in the income tax system, to simplify it, to make it fairer and more broadly based, I intended to introduce a new system of just two charges on income. The possible parameters of such a system and potential impacts on individuals have been under active examination by my Department in...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Consideration of how to ensure that the financial sector contributes to the cost of dealing with crises is underway in various fora internationally including the EU. The European Council in June agreed that EU Member States should introduce systems of levies and taxes on financial institutions to ensure fair burden-sharing and to set incentives to contain systemic risk. The Council called...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the relevant information available on the cost to the Exchequer of all property related tax schemes is based on personal income tax returns filed by non-PAYE taxpayers and corporation tax returns filed by companies for the year 2008, the latest year for which this information is available. These are set out in the following table: Scheme 2008...

Written Answers — Debit Card Charges: Debit Card Charges (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I understand the Deputy is referring to transaction-based charges imposed by merchants at the point of sale for the use of debit or credit cards as a payment instrument. The Government's policy is to promote the increased use of electronic payments throughout the economy, with the longer-term objective of significant reductions, over a number of years, in the volume of paper-based payments in...

Written Answers — National Pension Reserve Fund: National Pension Reserve Fund (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The National Pensions Reserve Fund was established on 2 April 2001 under the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000 with the objective of meeting as much as possible of the cost to the Exchequer of social welfare pensions and public service pensions to be paid from the year 2025 until at least 2055. The National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission – who control and manage the Fund – publish...

Written Answers — State Banking Sector: State Banking Sector (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will appreciate this matter relates to a specific individual as such I am obliged to respect all clients' confidential relationships with their respective banks. Therefore I am unable to disclose this specific information. The Deputy will be aware that the financial affairs of the individual referred to are currently subject to Court proceedings and as such it would not be...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: According to our records, there were approximately 845 Principal Officer and equivalent grades in the Civil Service in 2000 compared with 1,322 in 2009. However, because of changes in grading and organisational structures across the Civil Service in the intervening period between 2000 and 2009, these figures cannot be directly compared. Excluding the equivalent grades, a more direct...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Recently published data show that in the year to August, consumer prices increased by 0.2 per cent, the first annual increase in prices since end-2008. This was not unexpected, and a number of factors, including higher mortgage interest costs and base effects, contributed to the increase. The EU measure of consumer prices - the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) - remains in negative...

Written Answers — State Banking Sector: State Banking Sector (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: On the 8th of September last I announced the Government's decision on the restructuring and resolution of Anglo Irish Bank, which remains subject to European Commission approval. This envisages the splitting of the bank into two licensed and regulated credit institutions: an Asset Recovery Bank focussed on recovering maximum value for the State from the loan assets and business of Anglo not...

Written Answers — Tobacco Smuggling: Tobacco Smuggling (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners who are responsible for the collection of tobacco products tax, and for tackling the illicit trade in cigarettes and tobacco products that the information requested by the Deputy is as follows. Firstly, the Revenue Commissioners acknowledge that there is no internationally recognised method for precisely determining the amount of tax lost as a...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In my Budget 2010 speech last year, I stated that the income tax system had become imbalanced. It is estimated that in 2010, approximately 45% of income earners will be exempt from tax and 42% of income earners will pay tax at the standard rate. I consider that this shift in the income tax burden is unsustainable and the income tax base needs to be widened. As I also stated in Budget 2010,...

Written Answers — Outward Migration: Outward Migration (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: At Budget time last year, my Department assumed net outward migration of 45,000 this year and net outward migration of 10-15,000 next year. Clearly this will have an impact on the public finances, with both the revenue and expenditure sides of the Government's balance sheet being affected. All these impacts have been factored into fiscal projections. Recently released figures from the CSO...

Written Answers — Bank Guarantee Scheme: Bank Guarantee Scheme (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Given the strong constitutional protection of the confidentiality of Cabinet discussions I am constrained in what I can reveal about the meetings that took place on 29/30 September 2008. The application of this protection to the records of meetings on 29/30 September was upheld by the Information Commissioner in her decision of 22 January 2010 (Case 090028). The Information Commissioner's...

Written Answers — Banks Recapitalisation: Banks Recapitalisation (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In my statement on banking this morning, I have provided a comprehensive report on the capital needs of AIB and have outlined how these capital needs will be met. To date, AIB has announced the sale of its Polish subsidiary BZWBK which is expected to generate capital of €2.5bn, leaving a further €4.9bn to meet the capital target of €7.4bn set by the Financial Regulator on 30 March...

Written Answers — Mortgage Arrears: Mortgage Arrears (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy will be aware of the Government's commitments to Protecting the Family Home and Helping Those in Debt under the Renewed Programme for Government and the existence of the Mortgage Arrears and Personal Debt Expert Group (Expert Group) which I established last February to give effect to those commitments. Central to the Experts Group's terms of reference is a requirement to make...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There are no such proposals before Government at present.

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The State's primary consideration in its involvement in the banking system is to protect, in the public interest, the financial and economic system of the State. Therefore, all the Government's actions in the banking area are designed to support the development of a reformed and reinvigorated banking system that can serve our economy in a proper manner and, within which, there is scope for...