Results 121-140 of 406 for speaker:Charlie McCreevy

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: This is a matter for each Accounting Officer and will be looked at in the normal course of planning for decentralisation.

Written Answers — National Development Finance Agency: National Development Finance Agency (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: The National Development Finance Agency, NDFA, was established on 1 January 2003. One of its functions is to advise State authorities on the optimal means of financing the cost of public investment projects to achieve value for money. The NDFA's role includes advising on the financing and risk evaluation of Ireland's public private partnership procurement projects and raising or arranging...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I have no plans to further review the tax laws in regard to residency status. The current comprehensive system was set out in the 1994 Finance Act after detailed consideration by Government of all relevant issues.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: As the Deputy may know, where information in regard to individual reliefs is provided separately on tax returns form it can be captured electronically and may be examined centrally by Revenue. An example of this would be the data relating to the artists exemption where virtually all the information relating to numbers of claimants and the amounts exempted from tax can be obtained. Aside from...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 141 together. As Deputies will be aware, the Commission on 10 February last published its communication on its proposals for the future financing of the EU in the post-2006 period. The communication initiates a negotiation on the multi-annual framework for the EU budget, otherwise known as the financial perspective, for the period after 2006. The...

Written Answers — Economic Evaluation: Economic Evaluation (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: The key responsibility for the evaluation, planning and execution of capital projects rests with line Departments and the relevant implementing agencies. My Department has a strong concern to promote the pursuit of optimal value for money by Departments and has provided guidance to Departments in this regard. This guidance is set out in the 1994 capital appraisal guidelines. These guidelines...

Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: It is a fundamental requirement for the above relief that the applicant must meet the medical criteria specified in the regulations and be in possession of a primary medical certificate to that effect issued by the appropriate senior area medical officer who is an official of the relevant health board. Where the issue of the required certificate is refused this can be appealed to the disabled...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: In response to a parliamentary question on 10 December 2003, I stated that first round negotiations between the Cayman Islands authorities and the Revenue Commissioners for a tax information exchange agreement were held in Dublin on 24 November 2003. As I indicated in my response, negotiations have only commenced and so it is not possible to comment on the likely outcome at this stage. The...

Written Answers — Proposed Expenditure: Proposed Expenditure (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: The Estimates outline the Government's main spending proposals and they are presented by the Minister for Finance to Dáil Éireann in accordance with the Standing Orders of the Dáil. The Minister for Finance normally presents the pre-budget or Abridged Estimates Volume, AEV, to Dáil Éireann approximately two weeks before budget day. The post-budget or Revised Estimates Volume, REV, are...

Written Answers — G7 Meeting: G7 Meeting (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132, 147 and 153 together. In accordance with long standing arrangements, I attended particular sessions of the meeting of the G7 Finance Ministers and central bank governors at Boca Raton in Florida on 6 and 7 February in my capacity as President of the euro group — the informal grouping of ECOFIN Ministers from the eurozone member states. Those sessions...

Written Answers — Basic Incomes Working Group: Basic Incomes Working Group (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: Arising from a commitment in Partnership 2000 for inclusion, employment and competitiveness the steering group on basic income was established. The group commissioned a number of reports and finished its work in March 2001. No further reports are expected from the group. The group's work contributed to the development of the Government's Green Paper on basic income which was published in...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: Under the income tax code, married parents may elect for joint assessment, separate assessment or single assessment. Under joint assessment, the couple can transfer their personal credit and part of their bands between them. In the case of a married couple, where only one spouse has income, the facility for joint assessment allows the earning spouse to avail of the married personal credit,...

Written Answers — ECOFIN Meeting: ECOFIN Meeting (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 144 together. The informal meeting of the Council of Economics and Finance Ministers of the European Union — ECOFIN Council — in Punchestown on 2 to 4 April will be one of the largest to take place in Ireland during the Irish Presidency. Some 300 delegates and up to 400 media personnel will attend the event. The national delegations will be headed...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: The following information has been supplied to my Department by the Office of the Information Commissioner. The number of review applications received by the Information Commissioner, and accepted as valid, increased by 58% between 2002 and 2003, from 585 to 924. During 2003 the Information Commissioner completed reviews in 729 cases compared with 534 cases in 2002, which is an increase of...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: In this year's budget the goal of keeping inflation low took precedence and I made only limited changes to indirect taxes and excises. The effect of the indirect tax and excise changes will add less than 0.4% to the consumer price index. These changes will bring in €243 million in additional revenue, which is needed to fund public services. Our rate of inflation moderated significantly over...

Written Answers — Economic and Monetary Union: Economic and Monetary Union (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 165 together. I presume the Deputies are referring to the euro group meeting on 9 February which I chaired. I also chaired the ECOFIN Council meeting on the following day. As the Deputies will be aware, the euro group is an informal meeting of the 12 eurozone Finance Ministers which usually takes place on the evening before the ECOFIN Council....

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I am aware of various views expressed by individuals and institutions concerning the national pensions reserve fund, NPRF. The NPRF was established in April 2001 with the objective to meet as much as possible of the cost to the Exchequer of social welfare and public service pensions to be paid from the year 2025 until at least 2055. I have no plans to alter the basic levels at which...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: All tax reliefs and incentives were reviewed in the context of budget and Finance Bill 2004. On foot of that review and having considered the many pre-budget submissions which were made to me, I made a number of announcements regarding various tax reliefs in my 2004 Budget Statement and these and other necessary provisions are now included in Finance Bill 2004 which was published earlier this...

Written Answers — Stability and Growth Pact: Stability and Growth Pact (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 159 together. On 28 January 2004, the European Commission initiated a case before the European Court of Justice on certain issues relating to the application of the Stability and Growth Pact by the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, ECOFIN, at its meeting on 25 November 2003. The legal issues involved will be adjudicated upon by the court and, in...

Written Answers — Special Savings Incentive Scheme: Special Savings Incentive Scheme (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the 2003 SSIA annual returns are being furnished by all qualifying savings managers. The closing date for submission of these returns is 28 February 2004. Consequently, the latest date for which figures are available is for the year 2002. Based on these 2002 annual returns furnished by all qualifying savings managers, I am informed by the...