Press Releases

The following statement was issued today (Wednesday 3 January 2001) by the Minister for Finance, Mr Charlie Mc Creevy, TD.The attached statement of receipts into and issues out of the Exchequer shows the position for the period 1 January to 31 December 2000.

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The Minister for Finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy, T.D., today, 12 January 2001, welcomed the adoption by the European Commission of a package of Cohesion Fund aid for Ireland amounting to €401 million (IR£316 million). The assistance, was announced on behalf of the Commission by the Commissioner for Regional Policy, Mr Michel Barnier, and arises from the decisions taken by the Member States in 1999 under

The Department of Finance each year prepares detailed accounts of the Central Fund for the previous year, known as the Finance Accounts. These are the most comprehensive set of accounts published by the Government and include, in summary form, information on almost every aspect of the Government's operations...

'As I recall, I spoke this time last year about the challenges facing the sector and about the need to build on the well-earned success of the IFSC since its inception.The Government, and indeed all the interested parties have worked hard over the last year to this effect and our efforts have not been in vain. Employment, funds under management and, no doubt, profits have continued to grow. We are another step closer to

Our recent exceptional economic peformance has been accompanied by strong employment growth and change in its composition. Indeed, we now have over half a million more people in employment in Ireland than we did a decade ago. The continuing decline in the numbers employed in agriculture, the rising numbers employed in the services and other sectors, along with

"As the Outlook states, the prospects for Europe, despite a gradual slowdown in growth, are positive. The most significant downside risk is a sharper than expected slowdown in the US economy.As we all know, because Ireland is a small, open economy, developments abroad can have a significant impact on our own economic well-being at home. This is why

Finance Bill 2001 Preliminary List of Measures The Minister for Finance, Mr. Charlie McCreevy TD, today published a preliminary list of a number of the measures proposed for the Finance Bill 2001. 

The Government has today published Report No. 38 of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector. In line with the established Government policy of accepting the recommendations of this independent review body, the Government has decided to accept and implement the recommendations in Report No. 38. The Review Body carries out reviews every four years. The last such review was completed on

The Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy TD, today, published the Final Report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions.The Commission was established to examine and report on the occupational pension arrangements of public servants against a background of growing concern generally about the rising costs of existing public service pension schemes...

Introduction - Review of Public Service Occupational Pension Schemes and Costs - Occupational Pensions: Private Sector and Abroad - Analysis and Assessment of Public Service Pension Arrangements - Criteria for a Public Service Pensions Framework and Pension Scheme Design - Commission Recommendations

The Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy T.D., has today, 31 of January, 2001 published the text of the ACC Bank Bill, 2001. The Bill provides for an increase in the authorised share capital of the Bank. The current limit on Exchequer investment in the Bank is £50m and the Minister proposes to increase the authorised share capital to £100m. This will enable him to subscribe for additional equity share capital should

Dail Eireann 31 January 2001I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time".On 5 December last year, the Trustees of TSB Bank requested me to authorise the reorganisation of the TSB in accordance with the terms of a contract agreed by the Trustees with Irish Life and Permanent plc. Having agreed, I have decided to propose the amendment of the Trustee Savings Banks Act, 1989 in order to provide explicitly for the sale mechanism as

The Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy T.D., has today, 31 of January, 2001 published the text of the ACC Bank Bill, 2001.

Mr Charlie McCreevy TD, Minister for Finance, today announced the establishment of a central treasury service in the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA). This service will enable the NTMA to offer cash management facilities to health boards, vocational educational committees, local authorities and other designated non-commercial State bodies.The necessary legislative provisions to establish the service were

EXCHEQUER STATEMENT STATEMENT OF EXCHEQUER SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) IN THE PERIOD ENDED 31 JANUARY 2001

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'Since this Government took office in June 1997, we have recorded significant achievements due to our policies and performance. There has been unprecedented growth in the economy over the last number of years with GNP growth of over 8½% last year.Irish living standards have now reached the EU average. This compares favourably with 1990 when our living standards were

Mr Charlie McCreevy TD, Minister for Finance, today, published the Euro Changeover (Amounts) Bill, 2001.The Bill will, in necessary cases, replace IR£ amounts that are set down in law with convenient amounts in euro, with effect from 1 January 2002.

PRIVATE MEMBERS MOTION ON A CODE OF CONDUCT FOR MEMBERS OF DÁIL EIREANN I am pleased to be able to speak in relation to this Private Member's motion.  This House has provided good service to the State for nearly eight decades.  In that time, we have always been able to rely on the integrity, propriety and good sense of members of the Oireachtas and

Mr President, I am very grateful for the opportunity to give my views on the Irish Stability Programme Assessment and the proposal for a Recommendation to issue to Ireland under Article 99(4) of the Treaty. At the outset, I should say that Ireland does not believe that there are reasonable grounds for such a recommendation in relation to the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines. Neither I nor the Government, and the

A Ceann Comhairle,I propose to take questions 4463, 4464, 4465, 4466 and 4515 together.I am pleased to be here today so that I can answer the Deputies' questions, as well as respond to the comments of other Opposition deputies regarding yesterday's events.Today I want to place on the record of the House this Government's achievements with regard to the economic and

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time".IntroductionThis Valuation Bill is long overdue, being the first comprehensive valuation legislation introduced since the 1850s. It is designed to improve, streamline and modernise the operation of the valuation system, which was the basis for the collection of some £456 million in local authority rates in

Implementation of Budget Measures - New Savings Scheme - New Tax Treatment of Share Options - Tax Relief for Donations...

The Minister announced today that the Government has requested President McAleese to re-appoint the current Governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Maurice O'Connell, to a second term as Governor.

Mr. Martin Cullen, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance has just circulated the second report to the Oireachtas on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act.  The Report, which covers the period from April 1999 to March 2000 'shows, he said, that the Government and the public bodies remain as committed as ever to meeting their responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act'. 

The Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance announced today that the Government has agreed their proposals for a new structure for financial services regulation in Ireland.Having reviewed the proposals contained in the McDowell Report for linking of monetary policy and financial services (prudential & consumer protection) regulation, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance are satisfied that the effective coordination of those

Mr Chairman,I would like to thank the Committee for inviting me here today to discuss the recent Council Recommendation to Ireland under Article 99(4) of the Treaty.

The Minister for Finance confirmed today that the refocusing of the Health Board's monthly Mobility Allowance will not have any adverse effect on people who are also benefiting from the Disabled Drivers' and Disabled Passengers' (Tax Concessions) Scheme.

Finance Bill 2001. Second Stage Speech by Minister for Finance to Dail Éireann.

Finance Bill 2001 Second Stage - on the Second Stage of the Finance Bill, the Minister for Finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy TD, outlined today (27 February 2001) additional measures to be introduced in the Finance Bill.

The Government have decided that Budget 2002 will be presented to Dail Eireann on Wednesday 5 December 2001.

The Minister is pleased to announce that on February 26th 2001 the sale of ICC Bank plc to bank of Scotland was formally completed.

Following consultation with his Government colleagues, the Minister today announced the names of the seven persons he is appointing to the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission.

The Minister for Finance today announced the following proposals which he proposes bringing forward for Committee Stage of the Finance Bill, 2001 this week.

The Minister for Finance, Mr. Charlie McCreevy TD, has today published draft legislation that will set up Ordnance Survey Ireland as a separate state body.

FINANCE BILL 2001 Commenting today on the Finance Bill 2001, the Minister for Finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy TD said that the Bill has now passed all Stages in the Dail and will be considered by the Seanad this week.

Finance Bill 2001, Second Stage Speech by Minister for Finance Mr. Charlie McCreevy...

The Minister for Finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy, T.D., presented the Revised Estimates for Public Services and Public Capital Programme for the Year 2001 to Dáil Éireann today.The Revised Estimates provide for the cost of the measures agreed by the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers to deal with BSE (there was no reliable estimate at budget time of what the cost to the Exchequer of these measures might be) but do