Results 13,481-13,500 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

European Council Meeting: Statements (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: Lean ar aghaidh.

European Council Meeting: Statements (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: Hear, hear.

Written Answers — Social Partnership: Social Partnership (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: On 8th April the Government announced its decision to establish a new Environmental Pillar in Social Partnership. This decision, which was in line with a commitment in the Programme for Government, will ensure that environmental considerations are fully reflected in Social Partnership discussions and will add an important new voice to the process at this time of great national challenge. The...

Job Creation (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. Arising from discussions with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and IBEC, the Government has proposed some specific further measures to be taken reflecting the framework agreed with the social partners in January and subsequent consultations. The Government plans to introduce a new scheme to support jobs in addition to the already...

Job Creation (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: This proposal was formally put by the Government in the past week to ICTU and IBEC on foot of progress in discussions that are ongoing. There is agreement in principle and there will be a formal signing off when they come back to us in due course. I expect the steering committee on social partnership to meet in the next few weeks — certainly before the break — and we will then be in a...

Job Creation (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: In regard to home repossessions, our approach is based on helping people to manage the situation through the supports we already offer and ensuring they come to a sensible understanding with their financial institution on how to proceed. A code of conduct is in existence which we intend to put on a statutory basis in order to ensure there is proper behaviour and an understanding and empathy...

Job Creation (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: In any employment strategy the most important means by which we can maintain and create jobs in this time or any other time is to be a very competitive economy, acknowledge the changes that have taken place in the internationally traded environment and ensure we can provide quality goods and services at a competitive price to meet demand, albeit depleted demand in the context of the current...

Job Creation (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: As regards the suggestion of a buoyancy effect in the midst of a deep recession, the reduction of VAT in the neighbouring jurisdiction, for example, has not had the buoyancy effect because demand is the problem. In addressing the public finance position, we must protect our taxation base. In fact, all the advice for the coming months concerns the need to broaden the tax base, rather than...

Job Creation (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: We are open to implementing schemes and using the social partnership process as a monitor in any way that will convert passive income support into support for job retention and employment. The fundamental context in which all that must happen is to improve the competitiveness of the economy, something that is being done in many ways. However, in respect of short-term measures, the initial...

Job Creation (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: I cannot answer every specific question. In regard to Bus Éireann, with a drop in passenger numbers and activity, that reflects back in terms of what the company can do to retain jobs and to maintain that position against a background of reduced revenues and passenger numbers. Unfortunately, it is one of the difficulties that company faces in having to manage its affairs. There is an...

Job Creation (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: In regard to the question on prompt payments, we are involved in ensuring payment to people due moneys from the State within 15 days. That decision was made only recently and it is being implemented. It will be applied across the board very shortly. The Deputy mentioned the farm waste management grant, which is a different issue. The issue there is an over-subscription beyond the moneys...

Job Creation (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy can refer to any stage payment. It is based on the availability of resources and trying to ensure we pay, as best we can, for the over-subscription involved.

Job Creation (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: That is the way it is with the rural development programme and the oversubscription of that scheme.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: Obviously the Competition Authority report will be considered by the Cabinet when the Tánaiste presents it in due course, probably next week or the week after. The important point on competitiveness in the economy is the need to continue with the direction of policy that has been validated by people outside and domestically in terms of the need to bring order to the public finances, to look...

Leaders' Questions (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: As I said, Ministers are considering the implementation of policies that have been referred to in Fine Gael's documents in a range of areas. I will not make any adverse remark about the putting forward of proposals by Fine Gael and I do not believe in engaging in petty partisan politics in any aspect of this. The best thing for me to do is to give my considered response on behalf of the...

Leaders' Questions (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: ——on the basis that Fine Gael's proposal is a serious attempt to show people that every effort will be made by the House to address the issues before us in as constructive a way as possible. Now that the elections are over, the next three years may provide us with that opportunity.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: The matter raised last week by Deputy Gilmore is being followed up. The community welfare officer is an important front line service which provides significant support to disadvantaged people. Notwithstanding the pressure it is under, it is critical that the service be maintained. As a result of a significant level of staff absence due to sick leave, as the Deputy pointed out last week,...

Leaders' Questions (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: In regard to the specific issue Deputy Gilmore raised last week and which has been resolved on the basis of the most up-to-date information, there is genuine regret on behalf of the Health Service Executive that this issue arose in the first place. It is a problem that need not and should not be repeated. I hope that is the case. As I said, there are ongoing industrial relations issues...

Leaders' Questions (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: There are no industrial relations issues in regard to the specific question raised by the Deputy, and he expressed the hope that they would not arise elsewhere. My point is that there is a need for a long-standing industrial relations issue to be resolved so that we can move on.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am entitled to make that general point as well as answering the specific question.