Results 6,241-6,260 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: He did not. He never mentioned stamp duty. The Senator should look at the record.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I thank the Senators for their comments. We made a commitment in response to others creating uncertainty and speculation. I stated my position in the Budget Statement. It should be remembered that in the period before the budget, people were talking about wholesale reform of stamp duty by cutting rates and changing thresholds. That was the context in which the debate was taking place. In...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am referring to the stereotype that is often attributed to the party——

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: That would be an argument in favour of accepting the Opposition proposal of €600 million at full implementation — whenever it would decide how to implement it — at a minimum of three years for the benefit of 45,000 or 50,000 people to be paid for by 2.15 million other people who were not in the process of buying a house at that time. This is not an equitable situation or a properly...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I will not have my honour impugned in any way in respect of my efforts in this matter. I will get rid of another canard. The Taoiseach made no reference to stamp duty in his Ard-Fheis speech. The suggestion by anybody that disagreement occurred between the Taoiseach and I on this matter is incorrect.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: Furthermore, as a matter of fact——

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am giving Senator Norris the facts.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I have no problem with giving the facts. Senator Norris may contribute after me if he wishes.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: Usually Senator Norris is not short in stating what he wishes to state. It is fine that Senator Norris wishes to speak when I speak if it is an intellectual exercise for him. It is not my idea of coming here to debate an issue. The point is that the Taoiseach and I were in full agreement in response to an irresponsible initiative brought forward by Fine Gael, which was changed within weeks,...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: It would have increased the risk. While I do not suggest that my view is unanimous, I suggest that experience and logic is far greater on my side of the argument, as has been proved. When the proposal that came from the Opposition benches was subjected to even the most cursory of scrutiny, people saw the whole mosaic falling apart straightaway. The Bill is my response to that initiative by...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The sooner people who will be 15 years in Opposition realise this, the better. I have always believed that those who underestimate the intelligence of the people will fall by that sword. The Opposition parties threw them a pup and they threw it back at them. The Opposition parties deserve every bit of it. I want stability. I do not suggest this is the most reforming measure I have ever...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: It was so complicated and inequitable that it offered relief of €40,000, €50,000 and higher to people buying houses of €1 million or more. The better-off the house buyer the better he or she did. The Labour Party backed it up. I pointed out to Deputy Rabbitte that the Opposition parties did not know when they were going to implement it, so before Deputy Bruton got from the drawing...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: They suggested the €600 million cost for the initial adjustment could be implemented in year one and they set out a macro-economic framework over a three-year period, which immediately undermined their economic credibility completely.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: My macro-economic framework, the Fianna Fáil manifesto and the programme for Government contain a provision to cover the additional cost of this proposal, which is prospective from the date of its announcement and which is retrospective only because the Dáil had been dissolved and enactment of the legislation could happen only at the first available opportunity when the new Dáil met. I...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am referring to the budgetary context of the programme for Government for the next five years.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: It is provided for by this Administration.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Senator's problem is Fine Gael did not provide for its proposal.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: That is bluster. Where are the cuts?

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Senator continues to misrepresent my position, despite my exposition of detail on it.