Results 9,161-9,180 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: People can come in here and continue to argue for the status quo. However, the status quo will not solve the problem. If the suggestion from Deputy Gilmore is that nobody wants to hear about the budgetary situation, then I am sure that is true. However, if one is in the job, then one must work within those budgets. If the Deputy was in my position, he would have to do the same. The only...

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: No, it is not. There are 63,000 more families receiving home help than when Deputy Higgins was in Government.

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: There are 10,000 home help packages that were not available a few years ago. Reforms are being implemented and primary care is a critical part of those reforms. The amendment of the consultants' contracts, by bringing them into clinical directorates in hospitals, and the management of services in our hospitals are an important part of that. The fundamental point is that allocations have...

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Gilmore and I both know that is the case. We must start from the reality that there are finite budgets, however much they are increased, and we hope to increase them again in the future. The amount of resources going into the health service in the past five to six years is unprecedented. As Professor Drumm said, we must ally resource allocation with reform in the delivery of the...

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 8, inclusive, together. In recent months, my predecessor, the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, visited the United States to participate in the traditional ceremonies celebrating St. Patrick's Day and to address a joint sitting of the Houses of Congress. In the course of these visits, he met with President Bush, where they discussed the issue of the...

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is unfair to the former Taoiseach for Deputy Kenny to characterise his efforts as having faded in recent times before he left office. That is certainly not true and there is no basis for making the claim.

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: There is no basis for making the claim. I have read the papers relating to meetings and representations he made on this issue.

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: There is no basis for making the claim. Deputy Kenny is aware that the domestic political situation in the US means this is a divisive and difficult issue on which to get a comprehensive approach because the US Congress and Government have sought a comprehensive approach to resolve this. It has not been possible to resolve it thus far despite the bipartisan efforts of people of such...

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: The questions tabled relate to the recent visit of the former Taoiseach to Washington and his visit on St. Patrick's Day. The remit of the questions does not extend to the supplementary questions being asked by Deputy Kenny.

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I do not mind. Any room to manoeuvre we get, the better.

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is important we deal with the Administration on the basis of settled policy at the time. There are many things said in the context of electoral contests. One has to listen to that and note it. There have been statements, which were they to be followed through in a certain fashion, would cause us some worry. We must allow the domestic contest to proceed to its finality and then deal...

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I will respond to the Deputy's second question first. As I stated, I will take every opportunity to progress the efforts not alone of Government but of the Oireachtas as a whole in regard to resolving the issue of the undocumented Irish. While I do not wish to repeat myself, political conditions in recent times have not been particularly opportune to advance this case. The domestic...

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I will invite him to the all-Ireland final.

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I certainly hope so.

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I certainly hope so. We wish the company well with its restructuring proposals. Deputy Gilmore asked whether I will meet President Bush. The honest answer is that I do not know. He will visit Northern Ireland and I do not know whether I will have an opportunity to meet him then. I met him on a couple of occasions previously. I met him when I was Minister for Foreign Affairs at the US-EU...

Official Engagements. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: On the question on the undocumented Irish, I indicated to Deputies Kenny and Gilmore as much as I can state on what my approach will be and my determination to continue to seek a solution, emphasising that we need agreement from the other side which has certain concerns and issues to be dealt with in the context of considering our requests or representations. We must respect that and if we...

Northern Ireland Issues. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 17, inclusive, together. On 10 March, my predecessor, the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, met Gerry Adams and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, in Government Buildings. During the meeting, they discussed the devolution of policing and justice, the upcoming investment conference and general North-South issues. In the period around the tenth...

Northern Ireland Issues. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: What report?

Northern Ireland Issues. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I will write to Deputy Gilmore regarding the Justice for the Forgotten issue because I do not have the information. We are working hard to establish the North-South parliamentary body. It was envisaged the full complement of the institutional architecture of the Agreement should be implemented in the spirit and word of the Agreement. We have been quite patient and we have made every effort...

Order of Business. (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 17, statements on Constituency Commission report, Dáil and European Parliament constituencies; and No. 2, Legal Services Ombudsman Bill 2008 — Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the following arrangements shall apply in respect of No. 17: the statements of a Minister or Minister of State and...