Results 9,581-9,600 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I will answer the question now because Deputy Kenny made many assertions. He made many nonsensical assertions that need to be corrected.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Kenny spoke about us cleaning up a mess. Compared to the term in office in the past when they doubled the debt, we have halved the debt.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: We have halved the debt. During the time of halving the debt we have seen unprecedented capital investment which has built up this economy. We have created a quarter of the total number of jobs created ever in the past ten years.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: Those are the facts. On this suggestion——

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——which is Deputy Kenny's problem, that this boom has been squandered——

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——we have 2.2 million people working in this economy. I accept there is rising unemployment and there will be some more unemployment, but the fact of the matter is that the ESRI, which Deputy Kenny quotes selectively, also makes the point that the continuing investment that we are making in the capital programme is the right choice——

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——that it builds up the capacity of the economy, and that the work that we have done in that area is the correct way of going forward, in terms of investment in science and technology and innovation, the national skills strategy, Transport 21, etc.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: That all has been good work that Deputy Kenny tries to denigrate.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: That strategy is entirely correct.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy can do all the shouting he likes now. That strategy has proven correct for this economy. In fact, the budget stance we have taken this year——

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have listened in silence to Deputy Kenny but he refuses to listen to me.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: That is his game the whole time.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: He is not. He is speaking while I am speaking.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is a sign of a weak argument, if one can not listen to what is being said. I listened to what Deputy Kenny stated.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The point is this, a budgetary strategy this year which provided a fiscal stimulus of 1.5% into this economy was the right stance given the outcome that we have now seen. We can take corrective action which is proportionate and allows this economy to withstand the challenges that are in front of us, but we will not do so——

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The ESRI has not suggested that we should take such corrective action, as it would totally disrupt the provision of services for remainder of this year.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I make that point because there is a contention by the Opposition that this is what the ESRI is saying, but in fact it is not saying that. What we will do——

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: We freely acknowledge that tax revenues will be down this year and the Exchequer returns for the first six months show this. We will work within the approved spending limits that we have set ourselves and we will ensure that we devise a budgetary strategy and carry out the Estimates process and the next budget in a way that will see this economy recover as soon as possible.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: We will not defer the corrective action that is necessary now because we know from bitter experience under Administrations of which Deputy Kenny was a member that deferring corrective action only exacerbates the problem. The position of the Opposition is that it has a finance spokesman who says I spent too much, yet Deputy Kenny and everyone else say I spent too little. Fine Gael has...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I will not get involved in political-speak; I will be very direct with Deputy Gilmore. The Deputy was a member of a Government which provided €1 million for emergency services——