Results 6,301-6,320 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I had assumed that others would retain the same people on the commission as had served on it heretofore.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: No, I have not. In respect of that particular area of responsibility, I have been concentrating on the Bill that is before the Seanad at present. Obviously annual reports that are received from the commission are considered in due course in the context of any future legislation or consolidation of legislation that may be required in future or given consideration at that stage. I have not...

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The programme for Government will be published as soon as practicable. It will be in line with what has been published and debated in the public domain. The Deputy will have five years to hold us to account.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: With respect, I cannot help the Deputy, as it is a question for the relevant Minister. I am sure it can be replied to. Like every directive, this one is subject to national law if it is to have effect in this jurisdiction. At this remove, I cannot say what the state of play is in respect of the preparation of legislation that will enable us to fulfil our requirements.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: There may be a good reason, but I cannot say. The Minister should be able to answer.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: No legislation is promised.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The only general response I can give is to say the legislation will be dealt with tomorrow and that all Bills and amendments considered are passed by the Government with the advice of the Attorney General, which would be contrary to the Deputy's contention regarding section 51.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I understand it is the intention to establish the committees of the House early in the next session.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am unaware of the details. The issue is for consideration as the Dáil goes on vacation.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Taoiseach indicated in response to a query last week or the previous week that he was open to determining in which way the arrangements of the House could better serve all of us. He emphasised that when we discussed Dáil reform, it was a two-way street. We need an Executive that is accountable to Parliament and parliamentary time and procedures that enable Ministers to get on with...

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Chief Whip will deal with his opposite numbers on this matter in the coming months. Let us try to get the show on the road better than we have done to date.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I cannot tell the Deputy the details of the Bill which is expected to be published sometime this year.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I agree with the Deputy. I am conscious that we do not spend all our careers on one side of the House. I have always been of the view that there is a need for better interaction between Ministers and committees. It is unfortunately the case that committee chairmen sometimes pursue a certain agenda and there does not seem to be much synergy between those agendas and that of the Executive,...

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: ——can conduct their affairs in such a way that there is some alignment between what is happening at Executive level and what is happening at parliamentary committee level. That may not be possible in practical terms but there is a need, given the number of committees, to see how they can work at some level of alignment with what the Government is trying to do. This will better allow the...

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I understand the Bill is on the Seanad Order Paper and will be dealt with in that House in the first instance before coming to the Dáil for debate. Community rating and risk equalisation are central to a viable and competitive private insurance market in Ireland.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am not sure whether specific legislation is promised. A parliamentary question to the Minister would indicate his intentions in this regard.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: I understand motorists can be tested for various substances.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Programme for Government signals that a carbon tax/levy will be introduced over the lifetime of this Government. The matter of the introduction of a carbon tax is one of the issues to be considered by the new Commission on Taxation to be established under the Programme. Consequently, at this stage, the precise design of such a tax has yet to be determined. This will, of course, form an...

Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: The initial application for a Primary Medical Certificate under the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994, is made to the Senior Medical Officer of the relevant local Health Service Executive administrative area. If the Primary Medical Certificate has been refused in this case, the named person may appeal the refusal to the Medical Board of Appeal,...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (4 Jul 2007)

Brian Cowen: On Budget day, 6 December 2006, my Department forecast that Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation would be 4.1 per cent this year. This forecast was based on the normal technical assumption of unchanged interest rates. The Budget day forecast for inflation on a Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) basis — the EU inflation measure — was 2.6 per cent this year. As is the norm, my...