Results 8,321-8,340 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have gone with the Minister of State, Deputy Hoctor, who is a great friend of mine, to the vote in north Tipperary and vice versa. One sees the camáin being taken out of the boots of cars. I have given an undertaking to the people I represent. That boundary has not been breached since the foundation of the State.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is possible for us as public representatives to galvanise ourselves and create some collective political will to deal with issues we know in our hearts and souls to be anomalous. We will accept them if we have to but perhaps we should consider doing our job.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Gilmore would be surprised how much support he would find among those seated behind him for such an approach. Perhaps I am speaking more often than he to those Members, but I know he is working on it.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Gilmore is held in high regard by those seated behind him. On the civil partnership Bill, it was stated in the Dáil that the Minister would bring his proposals to the Government by the end of March. He has met that deadline. The proposed scheme draws on the options identified by the working group on domestic partnership, under the chairmanship of Ms Anne Colley, and the...

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: We will deal with the Bill this year.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: No, they are being drafted. The Minister said in the Dáil that he would bring his proposals on how to address this issue to the Government. That was done.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I wish to respond to that.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: Deputy O'Dowd makes an important point and it is important that we are accurate about the statutory position. Submissions can be made to the commission, as the Deputy observed. The commission then brings forward its recommendations to this House and it is open to us to accept all, any or none of them.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is time that this sovereign Parliament took upon itself the responsibilities arising in this area. If we have a difficulty with the commission's recommendations and can devise a consensus around modifications or changes, why should we not do so on behalf of the constituents who are declaring such dissatisfaction? Perhaps the difference between me and Deputy O'Dowd is that I never joined...

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The commission puts forward a recommendation. We can agree to change that recommendation on the basis of consensus. What is the problem with that?

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I understood from the Taoiseach's reply on yesterday's Order of Business that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform hopes to bring forward proposals on below-cost selling during this session. It is my understanding that the more comprehensive general sale of alcohol legislation will be taken later. The Minister is prioritising the below-cost selling aspect of the Holmes report...

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I understand from yesterday's Order of Business that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform provided some information to the Taoiseach in reply to questions on this issue from Fine Gael Members. I cannot recall it accurately.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: Yes, but there is a specific aspect for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and he indicated, through the Taoiseach, that he is making progress on that.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Michael D. Higgins was in government in the past. He was an eminent colleague and I remember him with great affection.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: My recollection is that the Deputy was far more unhappy with the subsequent three-year arrangement. I would have thought he and I were philosophically closer than he may have been to others.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The property services regulatory authority Bill is being prepared by the Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan, for this session.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I understand the social housing Bill will be introduced in this session. The heads of the George Mitchell scholarship fund Bill have not yet been prepared. As it is on the C list, I would say that it will not be introduced until later this year, at the earliest. The fund is in operation at the moment anyway. The Office of the Attorney General is trying to work through some legal issues,...

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I understand that the social housing miscellaneous provisions Bill will be introduced in this session. The Green Paper on local government was discussed at Cabinet level this week. I do not know when it will be published, but I assume it will be as soon as the discussions which comprise the deliberative process have been finalised and the requirements of the Official Languages Act 2003 have...

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The national monuments Bill will not be introduced in the House this year. Deputies will probably have to wait until next year. The problem is that many issues have to be considered by the Government when giving priority to legislation. While all these Bills have their own individual merits, priority usually has to be attached to matters of more immediate concern.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: There are three health Bills on the A list. Obviously, they are there on the basis that, in the absence of any serious legal problems, they will be published and debated in the House during this session. That is the purpose of putting them on the list.