Results 9,201-9,220 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: There is a misguided view that increases in fuel prices will yield a benefit to Government, as if the consumer has that extra money to spend and will continue to spend the same amount of money on other goods and services. Clearly, where people have a certain level of income and must use vehicles, the increased VAT yield from an increase in fuel prices is offset by the reduced consumer spend...

Leaders' Questions (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is important to point out that the revenues available to the ESB and others are factored into their capital programmes for providing alternative energy sources.

Leaders' Questions (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: Yes, but if the people who will pay for it are to be the generators, they will simply pass it on. They have factored that money into their capital plans to move——

Leaders' Questions (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——to alternative energy sources. With regard to reducing the lower VAT rate from 13.5% to 12.5%, that would cost approximately €400 million in a year. The likelihood is that any reduction in the VAT rate would be absorbed by retailers and wholesalers and not passed on to consumers. That was the experience of one of my predecessors, as I said earlier, when he reduced the 21% VAT rate...

Leaders' Questions (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I empathise with the dilemma those two gentlemen are in at the moment in terms of being placed outside the hospital setting. The placement of adults with spinal injuries outside acute hospital settings is a challenge in many parts of the country. The development of services in this area is something that has been required and I am sure is ongoing. Specifically, in regard to the two cases...

Leaders' Questions (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: The fact that there are problems in this particular case is part of the wider issue I have acknowledged in terms of making rehabilitation services generally available and as good as people would like and expect them to be. I am aware of many instances where things work out very well. Perhaps the Deputy knows such examples also. One should not characterise the fact that there is a problem...

Commissions of Investigation. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. Mr. Patrick MacEntee, sole member of the Commission of Investigation into the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings 1974, handed over his final report on 12 March 2007 and it was published on 4 April 2007. The total amount spent on the commission of investigation was €2,632,702. All costs in regard to the commission of investigation...

Commissions of Investigation. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: That is an ongoing matter between both Governments in terms of trying to advance the issues, the long length of time since it has happened and despite every effort, including the establishment of the commission of inquiry, the provision of the Barron reports and the work of Mr. MacEntee, it has not been possible to get to the bottom of it. I have a particular interest in the matter as one of...

Commissions of Investigation. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have not dealt with that case. We have processes in place, including a secretariat and Ministers to take up these matters and, where appropriate, I will obviously take them up when an appropriate occasion occurs in a meeting between the British Prime Minister and myself. I have had reason to do that in the past in other capacities. In defending the cases the State is honouring commitments...

Commissions of Investigation. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: Obviously I will check to ascertain my predecessor's views on these matters. If it is on the record of the House that he is in agreement, I do not have a problem with trying to devise a process that would allow the Houses of the Oireachtas, if they felt it appropriate, to state once again our position regarding these matters. Mr. Bradley and the former Archbishop, Lord Eames, indicated that...

Commissions of Investigation. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: People will recognise the political background against which these efforts have been made. For example, mention was made into inquiries into a number of cases which affected both sides of the community were handled at the same time by Judge Peter Cory. I was there at the time. In that context we were able to have him investigate the Finucane and Nelson murders and the killing of the two...

Commissions of Investigation. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have no idea where it is on the Supreme Court's list, which as Deputy Gilmore knows, is a matter for the superior courts. Hopefully, as the Deputy said, it will be as soon as practicable and possible given, as he mentioned, the length of time and the particular subject matter we are addressing. As I said in an earlier response, I have no objection in principle to doing anything that would...

Commissions of Investigation. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I do not think I, as the appellant, have any role in that matter since the papers have been lodged. However if there is any appropriate contact or inquiry I can make on it I will check it out.

Fire Services. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: My predecessor in office, Deputy Bertie Ahern, met twice with the families of the two fire fighters who died last September responding to a factory fire in Bray, County Wicklow. He took the opportunity to convey the sympathy and condolences of the Government to both families on their loss. During the meetings, discussion focused on the concerns expressed by the families for the safety of...

Fire Services. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy knows, in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, Wicklow County Council, the Health and Safety Authority and the Garda Síochána each announced it was carrying out an investigation into the fire, so three inquiries are currently underway, each dealing with particular aspects of the tragedy. In these circumstances, it is best to await the outcome of the inquiries and then...

Fire Services. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: As I said, I can make inquiries of them as to when they expect to have their inquiries completed, if that is in order, which I am sure it is. I will tell them the matter has been raised in the House and inquire in what way they can complete their investigations.

Fire Services. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: The provision of a fire service in its functional area is, as we know, the statutory responsibility of the local authority——

Fire Services. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——which is Wicklow County Council in this case. Without revisiting the issues raised at the time, I do not think it was a question of whether it was a part-time retained or full-time service. It was an unfortunate accident which occurred when two gentlemen——

Fire Services. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: In so far as one's understanding of it is at the moment——

Fire Services. (4 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: Fine. If there is another view, that is fair enough. That is perhaps why we should await the outcome of these inquiries and wait for those who are competent in these areas to comment further. I am just giving the response to Deputy Gilmore's point. My understanding, subject to the outcome of the inquiries, is that this was not the critical issue in this case, although I am not seeking to...