Results 18,181-18,200 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Programme for Government (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy does not have an answer to my question; that is his problem. His words are bluster.

Programme for Government (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: He has no answer to the question as to how he would fund the State beyond July?

Programme for Government (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Which one is that?

Programme for Government (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Where?

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: I will make a general point before taking up the Deputy's specific question. The Central Bank and the Financial Regulator have set capital levels for the banks to ensure they can absorb losses across all parts of their loan books, including mortgages, and the loss assumptions used by the Central Bank followed an extensive examination of the banks. The assumptions applied were tougher than...

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy does not add any validity to his point by engaging in rhetoric about inflaming markets and impending catastrophes. I accept there are difficulties in the mortgage sector. Of the more than 1 million mortgages in this country, some 930,000 are being dealt with as planned. Of the remaining 70,000, some 36,000 are in arrears. We have redesigned the mortgage interest relief scheme...

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: As Minister for Finance I withdrew reliefs, as the Deputy Kenny knows. I was the first-----

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: At the moment, in order to apply for social housing, one needs to have handed over possession of one's home. The idea is that people would not have to take that ultimate step before being able to apply for social housing. They would not be disbarred from looking at social housing as an option, and being able to apply for it, while still living in their homes and trying to deal with the...

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: First, the €6 billion adjustment is a judgment that the Government has had to make in the context of the full circumstances of our situation. I do not know if everyone took the opportunity to meet Commissioner Rehn earlier but, as the Deputy will know from his party spokesperson, the Commissioner has indicated the support of the European Commission for the front-loading of €6 billion as...

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: We have indicated that the date will be mid-November. We have to finalise that plan and we have to approve it as a government. That work will continue in the coming weeks. I will not have an exact date until the decision is made but that is the indicative timeframe we have in mind. What is important is we have stepped out of the markets, we will bring forward a four-year plan followed by...

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: My answer to Deputy Gilmore is that there is no strategy that is not without risk. No one can say this with certainty but I want to be clear. First, we are not doing this in an effort to convince markets, we are doing it because it is imperative that we reduce the gap between what we spend and what we bring in. That is important for the country. It is important for sustainable policies...

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: No. In terms of the growth issue, the investment side of the equation is in regard to a capital programme, which has been historically high; it has been twice the European Union average and has been a far better stimulant to the Irish economy in terms of the putting in place of infrastructure than some of the stimulus packages that are often spoken about by the Deputies opposite as being, in...

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: We must close that gap. That gap will not change.

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Quite apart from whether there was a banking crisis-----

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: -----the issue today is a €19 billion recurrent gap that must be closed. On the banking issue, clearly, the identification of the figure we believe is involved and spreading that over a ten to 15 year period-----

Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: -----is a way in which we can manage the situation but the point we are concerned with here is how does Ireland recover, create jobs and grow? It cannot grow on the basis of deficits of the order of 11.9%. It must reduce these deficits to restore confidence domestically and abroad. That is the basis and thrust of the current Government consideration.

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Before I come to the Order of Business, Deputy Gilmore also asked me if I could be clear about the date of the four year plan. As I said, I can only give an indication and whether it is the week beginning 15th or 22nd remains to be seen based on discussions we are having and the approval of the plan overall. Second, it is not the case that the plan is being provided to the European...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: First, in regard to the date of the plan, it will be published after the approval of it by Government. The indicative date we were given was around mid-September. We will decide on the week beginning the 15th or 22nd when we finalise our consideration of it.

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: I want to be clear and try to answer the questions the Deputy is asking me. Second, on the question of whether a plan is being provided to the Commission, the plan will only be provided to the Commission once the Government approves it. I will now move on to the Order of Business.

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (9 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: During that week.