Results 9,601-9,620 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have a record in this area that I stand over.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: Regarding the specific matters Deputy Gilmore raised, I am glad to be able to inform him that, as my colleague the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy John Moloney, informed the House last night, the commencement of planned developments as outlined in the HSE 2008 service plan will be proceeding. Developments will include new day places for young people leaving...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy wants the answer to the question and he is getting it. The HSE hopes to be able to finalise the position regarding the commencement of the developments, including those required to meet the needs of school-leavers with disabilities, over the next ten days. We are trying to ensure that those people are not the sufferers. I stand over the record of the Department of Health and...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: We will seek to deal with that situation in the best way we possibly can. When I talk about corrective action, I mean we must cut our cloth to meet our measure on the basis of the revenues available. That is what we must do and we can do this on the basis of consolidating the progress that we have made thus far, if we go about it in a sensible manner. However, there is no painless or easy...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: It must be done in a certain way and we will do it as conscientiously as we possibly can. There is a contention that the economy has not grown this year compared to last year and it will not grow much this year, if at all. I make the point to those who are trying to run down the economy that output this year compares favourably to last year and is 30% higher than in 2002. The economy has...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: If we can maintain the same level of output this year, compared to last year — which itself was a record output — that is not a bad position to be in, considering the international situation. Every other country is facing precisely the same issues we are and does not have as much ability to take the hit in the way that we have been able. We have tried to devise a strategy, because we...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: We have also used current budget surpluses over that period as a means of providing an enhanced capital programme to try to build up the capacity of the country. Regarding the specific issue raised this morning, I am glad to say that my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy John Moloney, has been able to ensure that the provision of those services...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I can stand over my own record.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I stand over my record.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: With regard to the matter mentioned again by Deputy Gilmore, it is correct that employment was being created when his party was in Government, at a rate of 1,000 per week. We raised this to 1,500 per week, creating 600,000 jobs in the past ten years. He blew over that very quickly.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: So we are not responsible for the good times but we are for the bad times. I will stand over my record in good times and bad, which is the honest action to take.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I will discharge my responsibilities to the best of my ability in that respect.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy has a different comfort zone to deal with but I will deal with my job as I see it. With regard to the disability sector, we will of course seek to protect to the greatest extent possible people in those positions. We have done it consistently over the years and we will continue to work on it. We have put unprecedented resources in and we still have problems with that sector. It...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: We will deal with that. We are setting out to work within the budget spending limits we have set ourselves and ensure that with the extra costs there will now be as a result of rising unemployment — greater than predicted — we will find savings in other areas to deal with it. That is what we and any responsible Government must do. If the Opposition were in Government, it would have to...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Minister for Finance will make a statement when the figures are published today. The Government will make its decisions and the Minister will come to the House. There is an effort being made in some quarters to suggest we have to engage in wholesale disruption of services all over the place and we must make up the €3 billion by the end of this year. That is not the position. Nobody...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: That is the way the economy is managed through periods of difficulty to ensure we come out the other side.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: We will do it in a responsible way and on the basis of providing for a sustainable level——

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——of public services going forward. It is a challenging environment and there will be difficult choices and decisions to be made over the course of the next weeks and months, and perhaps next year. We will see what the story is after that.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: We will seek to do that. In the meantime, we will maintain the level of output in this economy, which is 30% higher now than it was five years ago. We have a good economy, although it is going through difficulties. It is a far more sophisticated and resilient economy than it has been given credit for by some in this House.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The idea that suddenly all our pluses and benefits are gone is not the case if we are prepared to take necessary action now that is appropriate and proportionate, so we can get out the far side in a reasonably good position——