Results 9,261-9,280 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

EU Summits: Supplementary Questions. (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy has raised many issues and I will deal with them as best I can. With regard to any reports about what might be likely to happen, these are speculative by their very nature since no meetings have taken place yet. The European Council is meeting on Thursday and it will begin rather than finalise a process of consultation. These are speculative opinions being expressed which are...

EU Summits: Supplementary Questions. (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: Both the President of the Commission and our Commissioner spoke about accepting and respecting the decision of the Irish people last Thursday. There is a precedent. When the Danish people rejected a previous treaty, ratification continued in other states. The collective decision, which has already informed this particular treaty, was that each member state indicated it would proceed with a...

EU Summits: Supplementary Questions. (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: The position is that I will confirm to the European Council the outcome of the referendum, give our assessment as to the reasons for this outcome and begin a process of dialogue with our partners to determine what are their views on the matter and how we can go forward. As I said, the indications at the General Affairs Council meeting on Monday were that our partners wish to demonstrate...

EU Summits: Supplementary Questions. (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: As I said, no qualification has been put on acceptance of the decision. Ratification arises from a collective undertaking by the states at the signing of the Lisbon treaty to proceed with instruments of ratification in each state. Each state took on that undertaking. We took on an undertaking, as did other countries. I make the point that respect is a two-way street. If one wants...

EU Summits: Supplementary Questions. (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: There is too much of that sort of talk. The situation arises specifically from an undertaking given at the time by the states to each other. I was simply making the point when the Deputy tried to make a comparison with another situation that there is another situation which I could say goes in the opposite direction. It is not relevant. What is relevant to the ratification process is the...

EU Summits: Supplementary Questions. (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: That is the situation. On Deputy Kenny's question about where we go from here, we must have a discussion with colleagues. They have indicated to us that they will try to assist us if they can in regard to how we would like to proceed. We have to have that discussion, the outcome of which I cannot anticipate. The only thing I can reiterate is that the treaty cannot be ratified unless all...

EU Summits: Supplementary Questions. (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: Otherwise there is no agreement. I am sure the Deputy entered negotiations on the political scene for a united Ireland. We did not end up with a united Ireland, but with the Good Friday agreement and we all have to live with it. It is not our ideal but it is the balance we have found.

EU Summits: Supplementary Questions. (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is a work in progress, as is this treaty and many other treaties. Let us practice what we preach.

Leaders' Questions (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I explained the last time the Deputy raised this matter that the Exchequer yield from excise, as excise is set at a nominal amount, does not increase as the price of fuels increase. On the other hand, the yield from VAT, which is set as a percentage of the price, increases as the price of fuels increase. As Members will be aware, VAT receipts are falling and in a situation in which tax...

Leaders' Questions (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am sorry but again I must point out that the VAT intake has been reduced, so I do not know where he is getting the idea that the Exchequer has seen an increase. Overall economic activity has decreased because of the higher oil price, therefore the Exchequer take on VAT has decreased as well. That issue was raised by a Fine Gael spokesperson in a press statement last week.

Leaders' Questions (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: The fact is that oil prices are higher due to rising commodity prices in general. If we use the taxation system as a means of assistance, we will provide benefit to the producers and not to the consumers. The benefit will go to those who are already getting a higher price for their product. The Deputy is making the point that there is a windfall available to the Government, but that is not...

Leaders' Questions (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: It does not both ways. It works the only way it can. One cannot double count. One can only count once. The fact is that a greater percentage of consumer spend goes to those areas which have higher prices, but on the basis of fixed incomes, the same amount of money is collected by the Government. Due to the higher oil prices, the reduction in economic growth rates means that the overall...

Leaders' Questions (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is true that some of the economic scenarios referred to earlier in the year have come to pass. We have had an international credit squeeze. We have seen unemployment rise, although there are 200,000 people unemployed today in a workforce of 2.2 million. The last time we had that figure, there were only 1.25 million people working. Unemployment has risen to over 5.5% as a result of...

Leaders' Questions (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is important to point out that the question of holding a debate on the European issue and the economy is something I should welcome during the course of this term, whenever it ends. It is important to have such that debate. In putting matters in perspective I am not suggesting we ignore the challenges, which the Government is very much aware of, but rather that we emphasise the need for a...

Leaders' Questions (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am answering the question.

Leaders' Questions (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am sorry——

Leaders' Questions (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am not prepared to be interrupted while I am speaking, no more than I interrupted the Deputy when he was speaking. We are trying to answer the Deputy's critique that we are indifferent about the state of the economy. We are certainly not and are proceeding in a responsible fashion. The budgetary stance we took this year was the correct approach, despite the criticism we received and we...

Order of Business (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 10, motion re membership of committees; No. 20, Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008 [Seanad] — Second Stage (resumed), to adjourn at 6 p.m., if not previously concluded; and No. 21, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the development of a prison in the district electoral division of Kilsallaghan in the County of Fingal (resumed). It is proposed,...

Order of Business (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I assure Deputy Gilmore there is no question of being in denial about the result of the referendum. We all know what the result is. The question arose in terms of the European Council meeting, which will be held this week, coincidentally the week after the referendum. Normally there would be statements in the House after a Council meeting. If we held a debate then, we would have the...

Order of Business (17 Jun 2008)

Brian Cowen: I can answer if the Ceann Comhairle wishes. The Whips can discuss the formula——