Results 11,081-11,100 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: If that is his position, then he has changed his position.

Leaders' Questions (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: If the Deputy did, then——-

Leaders' Questions (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: If that is the Deputy's re-established position this morning upon inquiry, then clearly the action that had to be taken was precisely the action that was taken. The consequences that arise from that is the issue with which we are now contending.

Leaders' Questions (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: We are dealing with it. In dealing with it, the question is about getting the processing industry and those who supply it back into production. It also raises the responsibility we have to assist that process in a way which ensures that the taxpayer is asked to make a contribution that is commensurate to what we can achieve, without leaving the taxpayer open to contingent liability. That...

Leaders' Questions (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——and how the logistics of this can work. We are doing it without the Deputy's prior advice.

Leaders' Questions (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: In regard to a key matter raised by the Deputy, it is open to the local authority veterinary service and the departmental veterinary service in respect of any producers or processors of meat in the organic or other sector to have the source of their supply certified and product available and marketable for sale at any time, and that is ongoing.

Leaders' Questions (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Government is proactively seeking to safeguard the interests of households that are experiencing difficulties in making mortgage payments as a result of circumstances beyond their control. Our priority is to ensure, as much as possible, that mortgage arrears do not result in legal proceedings seeking home repossession. The Government has insisted that banks participating in the...

Leaders' Questions (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy was making some good points, but he concluded with a facetious comment. The fact is that the common management of the Money Advice and Budgeting Service will remain in place. Front line services will not be affected in any way. I did not suggest that the service represents a panacea in this instance. It is important to make people aware that an objective service is available to...

Leaders' Questions (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy should check the record of the House. Deputy Gilmore inquired about the rise in the waiting list for social housing. In his supplementary question he also asked me to indicate what changes in housing policy we are making to adjust to these new realities. I am simply pointing out what those are.

Leaders' Questions (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is not as you are. The new incremental purchase scheme has also been introduced, which works with the Affordable Homes Partnership and others, who have made some very good proposals on shared equity to ensure that people who are in rental accommodation at present could get onto the ownership ladder in accordance with and as appropriate to their own particular needs.

Leaders' Questions (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: Under the development plan over the next seven years we intend to meet the needs of some 100,000 households in all of these categories. Housing remains a priority of our capital investment programme. I believe €1.5 billion this year and commensurate money next year is an indication of our determination in not only working with the industry, but also bringing about certain changes in how...

Northern Ireland Issues. (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. At its sixth plenary meeting last February, the North-South Ministerial Council noted the completion of the Government's consultation with the social partners on the subject of the North-South consultative forum and noted the position regarding the review of the civic forum in Northern Ireland. Discussions with the social partners and various...

Northern Ireland Issues. (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: On the first matter, I agree that I would have rather seen the civic forum established far sooner. It requires political sponsorship and support. As the Deputy knows, we have been working through the North-South Ministerial Council in an effort to carry out whatever preparations people wanted in order to establish the scope of the issues. This is not an area of activity like social...

Northern Ireland Issues. (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: I agree with the Deputy. Historically, much of the leadership in the area of contact and working together has been in sporting and other voluntary organisations which have always ensured, to the greatest extent possible, that politics has not been allowed to hinder or in any way separate contact between people who have common interests, whether these be sporting, recreational, cultural or...

Northern Ireland Issues. (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: I agree the civic forum should be set up as soon as possible. I believe also that if it is to have the beneficial effect it could have we must accord to it the importance and capacity it can have, rather than a greater capacity. For example, the Deputy mentioned the question of a common currency. Any and every matter can certainly be discussed in a civic forum but these are major political...

Northern Ireland Issues. (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: The establishment of the North-South forum is a strand 2 matter, which is a matter between the Executive and the Government. The British Government has no problem with its establishment, but the mechanics of establishing it require consent and agreement on the structure by the Executive and this Administration, and we would like to proceed with that quickly. A review is currently taking...

Northern Ireland Issues. (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: The answer is "Yes". Such practical co-operation is precisely the sort of thing to which a forum could lend inter-community support. The idea of the civic forum is to articulate support from within the communities for these type of initiatives and to stretch policy makers in making responses commensurate with the articulated aspirations. This is precisely the value of a civic forum with a...

Constitutional Issues. (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 5, inclusive, together. In replies to parliamentary questions in both November 2006 and November 2007, the former Taoiseach reported comprehensively on the progress being made in the implementation of the findings of the Sullivan report. The Attorney General has now informed me that all of the recommendations have been fully implemented.

Constitutional Issues. (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: I take that point. I was going to say in my initial reply that I would like a specific question put down on that matter in the interests of accuracy so that we could put on the record of the House the exact circumstances that arose in the case of the specific instance referred to. I recall that issue but I do not have exact recall of the circumstances of it. I recall in general terms the...

Constitutional Issues. (10 Dec 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Sullivan review arose in the context of an information and notification deficit that occurred in the Attorney General's office over the handling of the CC case. The review's purpose was to ensure that in those cases that met the criteria of being important and sensitive, there would be arrangements in place whereby the Attorney General would be informed and consulted on their progress....