Results 12,961-12,980 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: The point should be fairly made in the interests of accuracy that through management of its estate the Prison Service funded the purchase of the 150 acres in Thornton Hall-----

Leaders' Questions (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: -----by disposing of 18 acres in Shanganagh for another purpose, which as Deputy Gilmore said went to a local authority.

Leaders' Questions (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: I believe that is a good thing.

Leaders' Questions (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: Not at all. I was making the point that out of its own resources and its own estate, the Prison Service was in a position to purchase the site we are speaking about.

Leaders' Questions (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: On the question of other money that was spent on the site, there were two High Court challenges, and there was a necessity to carry out various surveys in the interests of preparing the site in any case and in dealing with the High Court challenges that arose. Those were expenses which could not be avoided, given that there were other people who were entitled to make a challenge against the...

Leaders' Questions (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: That will be determined once the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform draws up an alternative proposal.

Leaders' Questions (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy either wants an answer to the question, or he does not. I am prepared to give him an answer if he wishes to hear it. It can be done on a phased basis through direct procurement, or we can see if it can be done

Leaders' Questions (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: This is pathetic. I know the Deputy wants to be taken seriously, but he is the only comic I know who does not smile. The prison can be built through public private partnership, and we need to take into account the changed construction cost conditions that are now in place. This tender was made in January 2007, at the height of the construction cost period, so savings and economies can be...

Leaders' Questions (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: I do. The Deputy can be assured that the prison will be built there on the basis of a proposal to come from the Minister for Finance-----

Leaders' Questions (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: -----as soon as we agree on a design, put it to tender in the normal way and proceed with it. Many of the capital projects are coming in on time and on budget, as the Deputy knows but will not admit.

Ireland-America Economic Advisory Board. (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: I recently met with the Ireland-America Economic Advisory Board during my Saint Patrick's Day visit to the United States. The body provides a structure through which the thinking of the most senior and successful leaders of corporate Irish-America can be conveyed directly, and at the highest level, to the Government. My Department maintains contact with the body primarily through the Irish...

Ireland-America Economic Advisory Board. (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: I raised the tax deferral issue with President Obama when I met him on Saint Patrick's Day. At that time, the President confirmed that this was an issue not to be resolved overnight. He was mindful of the possible impact on Ireland, but he would act with caution and would be ready to discuss any potential unintended consequences. The Tánaiste also met with senior members of the US...

Ireland-America Economic Advisory Board. (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: Corporate America will be making its views known and setting out how it sees the proposal developing and evolving in terms of its meeting policy objectives. While we must respect the right of any government to set out a taxation policy we will need to use the good relationship we enjoy with the US Administration and Congress to ensure all aspects, or any unintended adverse impacts of the tax...

Ireland-America Economic Advisory Board. (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: I have no problem in principle with keeping Opposition leaders informed of any developments that are noteworthy in terms of movement of the original proposition. I take Deputy Gilmore's point that it is important, for example, that the American Chamber of Commerce in Ireland and other business groups are able to convey to their counterparts in the United States that there is a strong united...

Ireland-America Economic Advisory Board. (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: The conference which it is intended to hold in September is a type of global economic forum bringing together people of influence and expertise from the diaspora, not alone from the US but worldwide to discuss developments in the economy over the next ten years. It will also consider where Ireland fits into that scenario and how it can develop a strategic view of its own policy framework in...

Ireland-America Economic Advisory Board. (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: If one considers other diasporas, including those from Israel, India and others, it is clear that we have used our diaspora in the United States and in the UK for the purpose of helping to consolidate the peace process, which was a priority and a precondition for establishing some stability and being able to engage the diaspora. One of the great outcomes of the peace process is that we now...

Ireland-America Economic Advisory Board. (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: As things stand there are no indications that there is about to be a major outflow of American companies from the country. There are issues that will now need to be addressed and on which we will need to work. No kind of exodus is about to begin. Thankfully we have seen second and third stage investments here in higher end manufacturing and in research and development, which will deepen...

Ireland-America Economic Advisory Board. (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: No, they have not. There is no one.

Ireland-America Economic Advisory Board. (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: There are not people lining up to leave Ireland. I have said the opposite. There are people who have been in Ireland and who are investing in Ireland and continue to invest in Ireland. There has been an increase in the first quarter of this year compared with last year, despite the difficulty of the country's economy contracting by 8% this year. The level of foreign direct investment in...

Ireland-America Economic Advisory Board. (20 May 2009)

Brian Cowen: I assure the Deputy that there is no competition or problem. The more delegations that come, both North and South, the more we welcome them. If we get 20 of them in the same month, all the better as far I am concerned. I am aware of the Irish Technology Leadership Group and have met its representatives who are doing very good work. They have made a commitment to also working on the...