Results 6,281-6,300 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

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

Brian Cowen: I am not. It is just that the Senator gets away with those charges too often.

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

Brian Cowen: No matter what I say, one way or another the Senator will hold that view anyway as he clearly does not believe what I have to say about it. That is fair enough and at least we have cleared that up. From the Senator's perspective, he will maintain that myth regardless of what I say. Similarly, my position seems to be misrepresented by the Opposition because that is the only way it can argue...

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

Brian Cowen: That is the first point but I will quickly get to another. Everything we have done here is prospective from the date of the announcement. In the normal course of events we would announce this on budget day. That it is prospective is a fundamental. That is the case with all tax changes, which are prospective from the date of the announcement. We were not in a normal situation because we...

Seanad: Ethics In Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: As Senators will be aware, there is already a substantial body of legislation in place to regulate the ethical standards of people in public office. This includes the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 and the Standards in Public Office Act 2001, as well as the Electoral Act 1997. There is also a statutory code of conduct for office holders and this House and the Lower House have adopted...

Seanad: Ethics In Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I thank the Senators who contributed to the debate. I will try to deal with a couple of the points that were made. A number of Members do not seem to realise that gifts given to officeholders by a friend or relative for personal reasons only are, regardless of the amounts involved, exempt under existing legislation. We need to address that situation in light of controversies that arose. In...

Seanad: Ethics In Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: People have come out and voted. They have not voted because they think the people they elect are corrupted or unfit for public office. They entrust the running of the country, the parliamentary functions under our Constitution and our executive functions to us on the basis that they believe at this time that whatever Members have been successful, we will face the same sort of outcome. I...

Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The commitments made in the programme for Government stand on the basis of the overall macro-economic stance the Government is taking. It is important to point out that yesterday's results are in line with expectations and profile. By the end of the year we hope to come in within the limits we set ourselves, as has been the case in the past. There will not be windfall gains which have been...

Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The macro-economic strategy which was robustly scrutinised during the course of the campaign and which withstood scrutiny, unlike others, indicated that in the period of government we had an intention to continue with tax reforms, moderate growth in current spending, increase capital spending and, I hope, continue the unprecedented economic performance seen in the past decade.

Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: Obviously, it is the intention of the Government to honour all of our commitments in the programme for Government, as negotiated, over the period of office of the Government. I cannot indicate to Deputy Rabbitte at this remove, not having the line responsibility, as to when and how we can proceed with the continuing examination of that issue and come forward with a means by which we can deal...

Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I think it is reasonable for me to state, as I have, that it is our intention to proceed with the implementation of the programme for Government during the tenure of office of this Administration, that the priorities outlined there are ones with which line Ministers will now proceed having taken up office within the past few weeks, and that, as Deputy Rabbitte will be aware, it will be the...

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Order of Business shall be No. 11, Roads Bill 2007 [Seanad] — Second and Subsequent Stages (Resumed); and No. 10a, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Agreement between the European Union and the United States of America on the processing and transfer of passenger name record data by air carriers to the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is proposed,...

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: On No. 11——

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: ——I understand that there was a debate on this on Thursday last. The Minister is anxious to ensure that the Bill is enacted before we rise. The principal purpose of the Bill is to provide the necessary statutory basis to facilitate the implementation of freeflow open road tolling on toll-based national road schemes. It also provides for redesignation of certain high-quality...

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: Subject to the agreement of the Whips, that is acceptable.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I will communicate with the Minister to ensure the query is dealt with.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Government decided on this issue yesterday.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: Unlike elements of the Labour Party, the Government speaks as one. The current EU-US interim agreement on the use of passenger name record data will expire on 31 July. It was approved by the Dáil and Seanad on 11 October 2006, as required under Article 29.4.6° of the Constitution. Earlier this year the European Commission was mandated by the Council to negotiate a new agreement in...

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: Given what we have seen in London and Glasgow, there are security issues, of which we must be mindful. We must ensure the safety of passengers is paramount.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The efficacy of the situation must proceed.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: As Deputy Kenny noted, the Ethics in Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2007 is before the Seanad today. My understanding is that it will not be taken in the Dáil tomorrow but if the Deputy wishes, it will be taken on the Dáil's return. It will be taken as soon as it is sensible to so do and when Members are available to take it. Were it to be taken all day tomorrow and subsequently...