Results 3,201-3,220 of 10,577 for speaker:Barry Cowen

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion [Private Members] (1 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: This is not the sort of motion one necessarily enjoys having to speak to. We realise that on many occasions confidence motions have been used purely for political advantage and opportunity. Given the current arithmetic of the Dáil, a person would be forgiven for questioning our motives. However, it is necessary to remind ourselves of the commentary of many Members on the opposite side...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion [Private Members] (1 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: -----and those who failed to live up to expectations would be replaced.

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion [Private Members] (1 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: There would be a new politics. There would be reform in the House akin to a democratic revolution.

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion [Private Members] (1 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: The people would be kept in the loop, not out of it. When the Taoiseach said on election night that when Paddy needed to know, he indicated that he would inform Paddy. Recently, the Taoiseach addressed the public while speaking in the USA and said that if anyone had a suggestion, a question or a problem, that person should call him. He said his numbers were on the public record. I say to...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion [Private Members] (1 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: That appears to be the opinion of the Minister and his colleagues in government. Incidentally, utterances made by other Cabinet members on this issue since last week appear to have had the blessing of the Taoiseach, whereas only a week previously all comments were to be made in the privacy of the Cabinet room. Unfortunately, public comments made by the Ministers for Finance, Communications,...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion [Private Members] (1 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: On the morning of Tuesday, 25 March, the Taoiseach will have faced his Cabinet meeting in the belief that he had solved all his problems and averted an imminent collision with his Labour Party colleagues in government. In any event, the Labour Party Ministers sealed the fate of the Garda Commissioner the previous week when they declined to give him public support. The Taoiseach will have...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion [Private Members] (1 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: Who is we? It was the Taoiseach.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: I apologise for having to leave before the Minister arrived. I acknowledge that he has agreed that the value of MOUs is not as he once thought under other guises when speaking about MOUs entered into between, for example, the previous Government and the troika. It appears the Minister has found now that this MOU he entered into with the British Government does not hold much water....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: I refer to those for export. The Minister had specific guidelines for projects for export as against guidelines for projects for our own use on the national grid. Where stand those guidelines in the event of that group confirming, as the Minister has done in recent months, but categorically, that there will be no such development to meet the targets of sale to the United Kingdom and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: I would say it is in the Minister's interest as much as mine.

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (2 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: Does anyone opposite wish to raise a point of order now?

Leaders' Questions (3 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: That is desperate rubbish. It is unsubstantiated.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: In the event of the Government being disposed to move a writ for a by-election in the coming weeks to coincide with the local and European elections, does the absence of a permanently appointed Clerk of the Dáil present a difficulty for moving such a writ? If so, will the Minister clarify the matter and when a permanent Clerk of the Dáil might be appointed to alleviate that problem?

Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: The Clerk of the Dáil must issue the writ.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (8 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: 19. To ask the Minister for Finance the steps he will take regarding the future of the windfall tax on rezoned land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11880/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Quality Issues (8 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: 395. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in areas where there is a high lime content in the local water supply, if he will consider introducing a grant for water consumers to purchase water softeners to reduce the lime content. [16611/14]

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage (10 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: As the Minister said, the Bill is important and we agree it must provide for the repeal of the bankruptcy disqualification for election to the Dáil and the European Parliament. While the disqualification has been in place and served the State reasonably well since 1923, it came, as the Minister said, from the Westminster administration. The disqualification was removed for local...

Leaders' Questions (10 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: In January this year the chief executive of Irish Water confirmed on RTE that in excess of €180 million was spent on setting up Irish Water. Many Cabinet members, as well as Members of the Oireachtas and the public, were made aware of the extent of those costs. The Oireachtas was subsequently drip-fed information about the make-up of that €180 million, including, for example,...

Leaders' Questions (10 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: The Government's position was meant to be set out well in advance of local elections in May, let alone the first billing in October. Is the Minister satisfied that Irish Water comes under the full auspices of the Freedom of Information Act? Is he satisfied that Irish Water and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government are acting in an open and transparent manner? Is...

Leaders' Questions (10 Apr 2014)

Barry Cowen: I thank the Minister for his initial response. He indicated this will be done "in good time" but I remind the Minister that the consultation process initiated by the Government and led by the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, began a number of weeks ago and neither the Government nor Irish Water has made a submission. There has been no consultation, even at committee level, in this...