Results 10,341-10,360 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: This decision must be implemented in order to meet the budgetary parameters that we have set ourselves. That is what the Government is committed to doing.

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: We are bringing forward a counter-motion supportive of the Government in response to the motion from the Labour Party. This outlines our position and recognises the economic situation we face. Difficult decisions must be taken, including those on education. The counter-motion also outlines the significant improvements seen in education in recent years. It outlines our commitment to...

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: He further said if there was a problem in a particular school he would seek to examine the matter sympathetically to see if he could increase the complement there if it were justified in particular, given circumstances. The Minister has been open to seek to achieve this. The Minister has outlined the position in full and has indicated his intentions already.

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: I understand precisely the tactic Deputy Gilmore seeks to employ in an effort to sow divisions in the Government. There is no division in the Government about the necessity to deal with the issues——

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: We have concerns as have every party when there are issues affecting education.

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: We have seen outstanding results from investment in education and there will be continued investment in education next year. There will be €586 million spent on improving, constructing and extending schools throughout the country.

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: Some ten years ago the figure from the party on the opposite side of the House was €80 million.

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: Let us be under no illusion. There will be continued and serious investment in education. However, we face budgetary parameters. Were the Opposition parties in Government, they would have to contend with this issue also. I say to the people simply that we will continue our investment in education next year and in the years ahead and in better times we will accelerate that investment....

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——but motivated by ensuring we sustain, to the greatest extent possible, the solid achievements built up in the past ten years. This is the purpose of adapting and making the adjustment now. If we do not——

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——it is clear that the budgetary situation will deteriorate further and the cuts contemplated would be even greater.

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: Even with the discipline we are exercising — the €2 billion expenditure cuts involved in the budget and the €2 billion extra in taxation — we still have a current budget deficit which must be addressed in future years. Further strategic decisions will have to be taken.

Leaders' Questions (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: Any suggestion to the contrary is not being honest with the people. Whatever the popularity stakes, I will be honest with the people.

Official Engagements. (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 17, inclusive, together. On 16 June, I met Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Belfast on the occasion of the visit of President George W. Bush. On 13 July, I attended the Euro-Mediterranean Summit which formally launched the "Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean". This summit, in Paris, was an initiative of President Nicolas Sarkozy. The summit...

Official Engagements. (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: What was agreed in discussions on our position in the aftermath of the Lisbon treaty at the October meeting was that we would outline a progress report. The conclusion of that meeting was that we would work with the institutions and with other member states to see if we can address the concerns that arose out of the research we conducted. We can then chart a way forward from there. That...

Official Engagements. (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: I will take the second question first. The issue of recapitalisation does not necessarily mean that one will get more expansive lending facilities or policies. One of the issues that arose in the debate here concerning the Bill which forms the basis of the bank guarantee scheme — as set out before the Houses of the Oireachtas and subsequently enacted — was a strong assertion from...

Official Engagements. (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: If there are banks which do not wish to take up the terms of guarantee, that is a matter for them and we would not then guarantee their liabilities or assets. If they do not wish to take up the stringency of the conditions that we have attached, it is a matter for them. That is the first point.

Official Engagements. (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is not a question of enforcing a guarantee on a bank that does not want to take it up. When we made our initial decision in regard to the Irish banks which were incorporated in the State, a strong argument began to emerge in this House that others needed to be accommodated very quickly. The point I made at the time was that perhaps they were joining a club but they did not know the price...

Official Engagements. (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: That is a matter for them.

Official Engagements. (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: If people do not come into the scheme, the exposure of the State to those guarantees does not arise.

Official Engagements. (29 Oct 2008)

Brian Cowen: Let us be clear about this. There can be no question but that providing a guarantee was and is necessary in order to provide us with the time and space to see how we can bring back stability to the banking system. As far as I am concerned——