Results 11,281-11,300 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Business of Dáil (20 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: The important priority for today is that this legislation be enacted today. For that reason, the Government brought this motion to the House. This is not the end of the matter regarding banking policy and performance. These issues can be dealt with on an ongoing basis on another occasion.

Business of Dáil (20 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am sorry but I have listened to other Members in silence.

Business of Dáil (20 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is important today that we give effect to the policy decision taken. The draft of this legislation has been available since Thursday evening and the Opposition has received full briefings from the Department of Finance on many of the matters involved. In this regard I send correspondence to the party leaders out of a sense of responsibility that I have, no more than the party leaders, to...

Business of Dáil (20 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: ——and when the Dáil returns next week, to deal with any of these matters.

Business of Dáil (20 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: The wider economic issues are ones the Government is busily dealing with during the week, in the context of social partnership and decisions it will take. We are using the time available prior to the return of the House next week to make sure we can finalise our arrangements in that regard. While we all have views on these matters, there is adequate time to debate in this House and to...

Allocation of Time: Motion (20 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: I move: "That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: (1) The Dáil shall adjourn not later than 6.30 p.m. tonight; (2) The Second and Remaining Stages of the Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Bill 2009, shall be taken today and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the proceedings on the Second Stage, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 4 p.m. and the...

Seanad: Commemoration of the Ninetieth Anniversary of the First Dáil (20 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: Táimid anseo inniu ag suí speisialta de Thithe an Oireachtais le ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar eachtra an-tábhachtach i stair parlaiminte na tíre. Nócha bliain ó shin, san áit seo, i dTeach an Ard Mhéara, a bunaíodh ár bParlaimint náisiúnta. Smaoinímid anois baill an Tríochú Dáil agus an Fiche tríú Seanad Éireann, ar na daoine cróga, misniúla, éirmiúla sin a chuir tús...

European Council Meetings. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. I attended the extraordinary European Council in Brussels on 1 September 2008 which was convened to discuss the crisis in Georgia. I was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin. The European Council strongly condemned the Russian Federation's unilateral decision to recognise the independence of Abkhazia and...

European Council Meetings. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: I agree with Deputy Gilmore about the timing and tabling of questions. It is open to Members to withdraw questions when such time has passed that they are no longer urgent. It would help us get through questions more quickly if they were topical and contemporaneous.

European Council Meetings. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: Any change in that area would be more than welcome. In response to the Deputy's supplementary question, one of the benefits of the Lisbon treaty is the proposal for a more permanent representation at the highest levels of the Union for a longer time. The Union very quickly had people from countries which have influence in that region in situ. These include the French President's initiative...

European Council Meetings. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: The most recent difficulties point to the importance of the EU-Russia relationship in strategic terms. The dependence on gas from that part of the world is quite significant in the context of the EU's energy needs in the coming decades. Any bilateral problems which arise — in this case, between Russia and Ukraine — have had consequences for the supply to others, including new members of...

European Council Meetings. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: No, I do not have that detail. This question relates to the specific meeting that was held on the Georgia question. As I said in my initial reply, a series of meetings was arranged, arising from that initiative, to ascertain whether this matter can be resolved peaceably. The EU envoy, Mr. Morel, represents the Union's interests in those continuing discussions. The Deputy also raised the...

European Council Meetings. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: The scope of this question has moved from Abkhazia and South Ossetia to west Mayo, in the Deputy's constituency. The recent decreases in the price of oil and other major commodities are causing serious budgetary problems for the Russian Federation, which is a major supplier of such commodities to many parts of the world. The Deputy's supplementary question relates to this country's...

European Council Meetings. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: One of the fundamental tenets of compliance with international law is respect for the territorial integrity of every country. Regardless of the view taken by the Russian Federation or anybody else of the application for NATO membership by Georgia, it does not entitle any country to invade that territory. By the same token, the decision by the Georgian President to send Georgian troops into...

European Council Meetings. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: The EU is trying to facilitate talks between the parties concerned to see if this matter can be resolved to everyone's satisfaction peaceably and in line with international norms. The only point I would make to the Deputy is that a country having a dim view of another country applying for membership of an international organisation, to which it does not or has no intention of subscribing,...

European Council Meetings. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: No, I have not addressed it. I have many other issues to address.

European Council Meetings. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: I have not addressed it. If it is part of the talks that are taking place, that is fine. I am giving the Deputy my view of it and what I believe the Government's view should be, should the matter arise.

Northern Ireland Issues. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 7, inclusive, together. I attended the commemoration ceremony on Friday, 15 August, held to mark the tenth anniversary of the Omagh bombing. The ceremony, organised by Omagh District Council, was a moving tribute to the victims and their families and to the emergency and medical services who assisted on that terrible day. At the new memorial garden I...

Northern Ireland Issues. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: With regard to the second matter, as the Deputy said, the conclusions of the Gibson report, which were published last week, do not support the allegations made in the "Panorama" programme that at the relevant time vital intercept evidence which might have prevented the bombing or help bring the perpetrators to justice was not passed sufficiently promptly to the police. That was not the...

Northern Ireland Issues. (27 Jan 2009)

Brian Cowen: I have not raised the matter of surveillance evidence with my counterpart. If a question is put to the Minister for Foreign Affairs or the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the relevant line Ministries may be able to shed further light on that matter. Regarding the second matter, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has made his position clear. It should not be...