Results 13,541-13,560 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: The second point I want to make in regard to the jobs situation is that, as I have pointed out, the measures we have taken, including the pension levy and other difficult decisions, which are impositions on our people and all of which were opposed in this House, were the means by which we have improved our unit labour costs vis-À-vis other competitors by 7% this year alone. This has been...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: There is no alternative coming from the Opposition except to say-----

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: -----that we should spend, spend and spend more. We have an Opposition finance spokesman who says we should cut more and every other spokesman saying we are not spending enough. That is the position of the Front Bench across from me. That is the truth of it.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: That is the truth of it. We cannot have a rational debate on this issue because the Opposition is trying to play both sides of the fence. Third, in regard to the question Deputy Gilmore asked about the smart economy, the innovation task force was set up in response to the innovation alliance which Trinity College, Dublin, and University College, Dublin, came forward with some months ago....

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: So much for the visionaries on the benches opposite.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: In regard to the building industry, as I have outlined, it was always our budgetary strategy to provide for increased capital spend from the public capital programme in an effort not to replace but to alleviate the downturn that was coming in the residential construction sector in any case. The seismic change that occurred since last August when Lehman Brothers collapsed meant that the...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: We will see in due course that residential construction will increase from 25,000 or 30,000 units per annum to 45,000 into the future, which is the sustainable level. In regard to the statements by the chief executive officer of the Construction Industry Federation, I have just made the case, explained what the situation is and how it works. There will be €7.3 billion in public capital...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: That will be a budgetary decision.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy either wants a reply or she does not. The full output will be 20%, allowing for the change in tendering prices so that output and volume can be maintained. Of what is currently committed, up to 70% of next year's budget for the capital programme can be provided for by Departments during the course of this year. That is the factual position.

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. As I have stated previously in the House, it is the Government's intention to use the coming period to afford the Government partners the opportunity to look at how we are progressing in achieving the goals set out in the programme for Government. We will pursue this work throughout the summer recess. The programme for Government...

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: As I stated, the existing programme continues to be implemented. We are simply taking account of the fact that we have had a serious downturn in the world economy, the worst, as I noted, since the 1930s. This means we have to review the assumptions that underlie the programme, define our priorities and move forward with the review, the Commission on Taxation and the various reports coming...

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: I do not know from where Deputy Kenny is getting his information because he is totally wrong. More than 110 major school projects are being conducted this year. A summer works programme is taking place this year, of which 1,100 schools are beneficiaries. I do not know what the Deputy is talking about when he states there is no summer works scheme. The summer works scheme was introduced-----

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: If the Deputy wants to answer the questions, I will sit down and listen to the questions and answers.

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Kenny asked five or six questions and I will answer them all.

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: I know the Deputy did not ask that question but he is trying to suggest that no schools are being built. He is seeking a commitment from me that I will not axe the school building programme.

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: We have no intention of axing the programme. This Government built more schools in ten months that Deputy Kenny's party built in ten years.

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: Is Deputy Kenny or Deputy Kehoe asking the questions? Can the Fine Gael Deputies organise themselves and create some order? Deputy Kehoe is supposed to be his party's Whip.

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: A suggestion was made that no school building was taking place.

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Kenny asked me if the Government would axe the school building programme.

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy asked me four times if I would axe the programme.