Results 2,181-2,200 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Regulatory Reform (6 Jul 2010)

Brian Cowen: In many cases, regulatory impact assessments form part of memorandums for the Government. They come before the Government and are subject to that wider confidentiality rule. However, as for being able to explain the basis for legislation and the reason a particular range of steps or initiatives have been taken, debates on legislation, whether on Second, Committee or Report Stage, offer an...

Regulatory Reform (6 Jul 2010)

Brian Cowen: The 2020 strategy has been adopted at the previous European Council meeting. There will be a detailed legislative response at European and other levels regarding that. I accept Deputy Perry's point that there is an increasing body of legislation and directives that require scrutiny. Under the Lisbon treaty we now have a greater degree of involvement by national parliaments. In the past it...

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Central Bank Reform Bill is being dealt with tonight as well as tomorrow so there is some time to consider it. The transmission Bill is due next year. I hope the legislation on the amalgamation of the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority will be published in the next session.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am not aware when it will be published. A great deal of work is going on in this area and it will require further consideration of other possible measures. It will be in addition to the code of conduct on mortgage arrears we brought forward. We also provided additional staff to the money advice and budgeting service, MABS. Some €64 million has been provided for the mortgage interest...

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: There is no date for the first piece of legislation referred to by the Deputy. The other two are due next year.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: There is no date for it.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: The heads are being drafted at present.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: There is no promised legislation in this area. A number of important pieces of legislation concerning criminal justice have been brought forward which are effective and are helping the gardaí deal with the very serious challenge to our society posed by violent crime. It is important to acknowledge that the gardaí are doing all they can and that they enjoy the confidence of the public in...

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is on Second Stage (Resumed) at the moment.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: These are matters for the Whip. The Whip has set out what he is seeking to achieve for the remainder of this session. I am not sure whether that can accommodate what Deputy Rabbitte is seeking, but these are matters for the Whips to discuss.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: I thought the Labour Party would be staying quiet on that today, given its own particular positions on it.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: Can I take it that Deputy Tuffy will be allowed to support the Bill when it comes forward?

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: It will come before the House later this year.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: We will get it done before Christmas.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not think there will be any prospect of it being debated in the House next week. The schedule is quite full. I am not aware of where the report is, whether it is to hand or not. The Deputy will have to ask the Minister concerned.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: Perhaps if it was promised legislation, I would do that. Perhaps the Deputy should contact the office.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: I understand all the Bills to which the Deputy refers are in preparation. We had a discussion about the position of the referendum during parliamentary questions. That work is ongoing at Government level.

Saville Inquiry Report: Motion (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: I move: That Dáil Éireann: — remembering all of those who were killed and injured on Bloody Sunday in Derry on 30 January 1972, and all of those who have suffered over many years as a result of that day; — noting the further injustice perpetrated by the flawed and discredited report of the Widgery inquiry into the events of Bloody Sunday; — commending the families' long and...

Departmental Expenditure (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: I note that Deputy Ó Caoláin's questions concerned the allowances paid to former taoisigh. This gives the impression, repeated in his supplementary question, that the money is allocated to individual officeholders and subsequently dispensed. These sums are the wages paid directly to the secretarial assistants employed by former taoisigh. The money is not given to former taoisigh; it pays...

Departmental Expenditure (30 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: I emphasised in my earlier reply that these are not the allowances the Deputy suggested in his question for obvious reasons. They are payments to secretaries who work. All areas of expenditure are, of course, kept under review. However, previous incumbents of the office who have utilised the scheme have not done so on the basis of a full-time secretarial assistant every year. The Deputy...