Results 3,321-3,340 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am informed that if the Deputy or any of his spokespersons require a full briefing from the RPII on the up-to-date situation, it will be arranged.

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: On the first matter, I can only reiterate the previous comments I addressed to Deputy Bruton about the concerns of the Government and the House. Unanimity has been articulated regularly in the House, through motions and in debates, on the question of Sellafield and the strong policy position of successive Governments on its being taken out of use as quickly as possible. I am not sure of the...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I do not think it would be correct for the Government to resile from its treaty obligations under the EURATOM Treaty or any other treaty which has been incorporated into our basic law by successive referendums. The contribution we make to the EURATOM Treaty is not only as has been suggested by the Deputy, because the European Union has also been involved in making nuclear plants safer in...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: ——to plants which have required further re-investment and where this had not been done. That is one of the issues that has been dealt with under the EURATOM Treaty. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has spoken to three different Commissioners on the focus that will apply to the EURATOM Treaty in terms of trying to ensure that member states use its provisions...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware, some countries within the European Union have historically been wedded to that technology as the source of their energy supply for many years. The matter is one on which there is a unanimous view in the House. It is open to the House at any time to decide what way it wishes to demonstrate that unanimity. Such debates have taken place and positions have been established...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: Regarding the first issue, on reading media reports this morning it would appear that a significant judgment was handed down by the High Court yesterday. As in the normal course of events, the significance of that judgment will be assessed based on advice from the Attorney General who will advise the Government and the responsible Minister what the policy implications will be for the future....

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I confirm to the Deputy that there the similarities end.

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: Obviously I cannot anticipate the final outcome of continuing Government discussions on this matter but as soon as the Government makes a decision, we will bring it to the Deputy's attention in great detail. The only things that have been gathering dust in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform are all the asylum files that were not handled during the Deputy's party's term in office.

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I will have to come back to the Deputy on when the section of the Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill will be commenced. I do not have the timing available to me this morning. The carbon fuel Bill was a budget announcement and I understand the legislation underpinning that initiative will come forward later this year.

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am not aware of the developments referred to in the Seanad debate yesterday. Subject to that, the Deputy may take it that if the Taoiseach gave a commitment to the House on this matter, that will be the position.

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Tánaiste will bring to the House a number of legislative proposals on the continuing implementation of necessary health reforms to try and improve our health service and build on the successes in certain service areas, despite the critical pressures that still exist, particularly in accident and emergency services and to which she is currently paying particular attention. On the question...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: The increased investment from the private sector is part of the Tánaiste's plan to redesignate private beds in public hospitals to public beds in due course, thus increasing the bed capacity for public patients in public hospitals. The initiative introduced by the former Minister, Mr. McCreevy, in one of his earlier budgets, allowed for 8,000 beds to be made available through the private...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I would hate to think where we would be now with regard to the care of the elderly if those beds had not been in place so quickly. This is a continuing Government priority. I cannot give the Deputy a date for the introduction of the enforcement of fines Bill. The question of whether attachment of earnings orders might be considered as a better means of collecting fines as suggested by the...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I remind the Deputy and other Members of the House that the Government has set up tribunals of inquiry on planning matters in County Dublin and elsewhere. The Oireachtas should await the outcome of those proceedings and respect due process for everybody concerned regarding a whole range of allegations are being made——

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: ——by a number of people who have taken particular positions on this matter. It does not serve this House well when Members come in here to substitute as self-appointed chairmen of such tribunals, making assertions that will be decided upon by the tribunal in due course.

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: On the question raised under a Standing Order 31 request by the Deputy's constituency colleague, Deputy Burton, these are matters the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, and the Department will deal with to ensure that children are found places for their primary schooling in the constituency and elsewhere. She has been remarkably successful in providing extra facilities. This Government has provided...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I would not suggest it is a very profitable company.

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: It is a company that is thankfully now beginning to work its way out of its difficulties.

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: The current state of play regarding that long-standing matter between workers and management to do with the payment of wage increases under Sustaining Progress is a matter on which the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, will inform the Deputy. I am not familiar with the current position as of this morning.

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: On the question about the Government's energy policy, the Minister is preparing a policy proposal for consideration by Government on energy requirements to 2020 and beyond. A considerable effort will be made to improve security of supply by the increased use of indigenous sources of energy where that can be arranged and where it is feasible and viable. The recent budget contained initiatives...