Results 16,321-16,340 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: No.

Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: On the policy issue, the DPP is statutorily independent and the Taoiseach is not answerable to the Dáil on matters pertaining to the discharge of that officer's functions. However, in October 2008 the DPP introduced, on a pilot basis, an initiative whereby he proposed to give reasons for decisions not to prosecute in respect of offences involving a death where the alleged offence occurred...

Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: Different work may be allocated to different people, whether to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Garda Síochána or whoever. The important thing is that it is effectively and efficiently done. In fairness, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, working within the budgets it has - all budgets are finite - has been able to increase the number of front line staff as a...

Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: As I said, like other public service organisations, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is required to critically examine how it operates and to seek to deliver greater efficiencies. The DPP has taken steps to achieve these efficiencies without adversely affecting front line prosecution services. As a result, he has been able to meet an increase in the volume and complexity of...

Leaders' Questions (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: We have set up a banking inquiry to look into all issues related to lending practices and other things that have been happening in the retail banking sector and the building society sector. That will be dealt with as we set it out and that is the place where we can deal with all of those issues. On the specific matter of the Bank of Ireland, the facts of the situation as I understand them...

Leaders' Questions (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: I understand he is not receiving any additional pay or pension entitlements. Contrary to how this is being portrayed, this is a payment into an overall fund that provides for pensions for most Bank of Ireland staff. If it was not made, the fund would be short of resources to meet its obligations to all Bank of Ireland pensioners and staff who will retire in future. It is a payment that is...

Leaders' Questions (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: The facts of the situation are contrary to how the Deputy is asserting them. I understand the public perception and I hold no brief for the Bank of Ireland pension fund. I am just setting out the facts of the situation. From the Government's point of view, we have capped the salaries and we have ensured no bonuses are being paid. There can be no enhancements of pension entitlements...

Leaders' Questions (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: Concerning what has arisen in regard to Irish Nationwide, I do not believe it was ever brought to my attention that such a problem existed. A Building Societies Act was passed in 2006, before which discussions took place about how the legislation would be brought forward but there was no indication of this situation. This is one of the problems in regard to the regulatory system we have...

Leaders' Questions (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: I made the point to Deputy Gilmore because he asked specifically about this matter. I said there was no information then that the difficulties that have arisen now were about to arise in Irish Nationwide. That is a fact. He made a point about the legislation and characterised it as an effort to enrich individuals. It was about providing an opportunity for building societies as to whether...

Leaders' Questions (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am not involved in any golden circles and do not know anything about them. I simply brought forward legislation-----

Leaders' Questions (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: If I may answer the question-----

Leaders' Questions (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: -----apart from Deputy Rabbitte's interruptions, I make the point that the legislation was brought forward to provide both for the retention of mutualisation and for demutualisation if a building society so required. Whether building societies demutualised was a matter for the membership of those societies to decide. It was not a question of forcing anything through the House but of...

Leaders' Questions (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: The debate on the Bill is in the record of the House. The purpose and objective of the legislation are set out and were there for some time in regard to their preparation. To answer Deputy Gilmore, the fact is there is no question from our point of view but that the banking inquiry should ask all necessary questions in regard to these matters and get full accountability for them. That is...

Death of Polish President: Expressions of Sympathy (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: I wish to express again my sincere sympathies and condolences and those of the Government following the tragic air accident which claimed the lives of the President of the Republic of Poland, His Excellency Lech Kaczynski , his wife, Maria Kaczynska, and 94 others at Smolensk in Russia on 10 April. The untimely death of President Kaczynski came as a great shock to me. He paid a state visit...

Order of Business (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 9, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Defamation Act 2009 (Press Council) Order 2010, back from committee; No. 10, motion re ministerial rota for parliamentary questions; No. 3, Central Bank Reform Bill 2010 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that Nos. 9 and 10 shall be decided...

Order of Business (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: We are talking about publishing the local government (Dublin mayor and regional authority) Bill during this session. We planned for that to take place during 2010. On the children's referendum, that report is to hand and is being considered by Government but no decision has been made.

Order of Business (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: No decision has been made.

Order of Business (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: No decision has been made.

Order of Business (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is on the B list. The Minister has examined a number of approaches to the application of waste facility levies and now considers it appropriate to consult key stakeholders having regard to changed circumstances in the waste management market and in the broader economy.

Order of Business (20 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: Publication of the Bill will probably be next session and redrafting will likely be required on foot of the consultation. Work is ongoing on that. I have made no decisions in regard to the other matters.