Results 2,481-2,500 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 80 together. Meetings of the North South Ministerial Council are scheduled in agreement with the Northern Ireland Executive. I will meet with Sinn Féin and the SDLP this week and I expect to meet with Prime Minister Cameron shortly. The next meeting of the North South Ministerial Council will take place on Monday, 5 July. At that meeting, as is the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: The eCabinet system is in operation across all Government Departments and Ministers' Offices and at Government meetings. Work on it began in 2002 and it was implemented on a phased basis between 2004 and 2007 at a cost of some €5m. A breakdown of the costs, including licensing, maintenance, etc. per year, to date in 2010, will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly. The system electronically...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: My Department outsourced its payroll administration to the Department of Finance from 2004 to January 2008. The costs associated with the issuing of payslips to staff of this Department by the Department of Finance during this period will be included in the Minister for Finance's answer to this question. In February 2008, my Department outsourced its payroll administration to the Financial...

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: I answered the question. I merely make the point that there are citizens of our country in another part of the world at the moment concerning whom we are to start a debate at 4.45 p.m. I ask that we might get on with that debate which will enable us to deal with other issues tomorrow.

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy is aware that the Government, as a matter of priority, is bringing forward, in addition to the steps it has already taken which have led to the demise of many head shops, legislation to underpin the decision now and for the future. That is being worked on as a matter of urgency in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Government is extremely unhappy with regard to the situation that has developed. I and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin, have already made clear our condemnation of yesterday's attack by Israeli military personnel upon the humanitarian flotilla sailing towards Gaza. These actions, which resulted in at least nine people being killed and approximately 30 being injured, were...

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: We do not have to wait for a European Council meeting to have this matter resolved. We are calling for the immediate and unconditional release of our citizens who are being detained by Israel. We call on Israel to respect its international obligations under the Vienna Convention. We want to ensure full consular access by Irish Embassy officials to those detained - that is still not...

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: The first obligation of the Government is to ensure Irish citizens engaged in participating in the flotilla are released from detention and are not being subjected to deportation but are allowed unconditionally to return to this country. We believe the presence of our diplomatic personnel in Israel provides us with better prospects of this happening sooner rather than later. I make the...

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: Reportage on this matter accurately reflects the discussion which the Minister for Foreign Affairs had with the ambassador of Israel to Ireland. We set out our position and the ambassador set out his position. The Minister further made known our opposition in a subsequent briefing with the press. I have indicated in previous replies the points amplified by the Minister to the ambassador in...

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is important that the international legal requirements of the situation are respected. What the Minister and I are concentrating on, and what the people of Ireland will expect us to concentrate on in this instance, is representing our citizens unambiguously and forcefully based on the situation in which they now find themselves. I believe that Israel would be best advised, in the...

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Order of Business for today is, No. 10, motion re membership of committees; No. 10a, motion re interception of Gaza humanitarian flotilla; No. 4, Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. tonight and that business...

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: The appointment of a chief executive is a matter for the board of the HSE and does not require legislation. That power is given to the board of the HSE with the approval of the Minister. There are means by which matters such as this can be discussed in the House, including by way of parliamentary question and other means.

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: The first two matters are under consideration. I cannot add anything to what I have already said about them in the House on a number of occasions in recent weeks. Work is ongoing on those matters. Other Bills that are before the House will be taken in due course.

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: On the matter of the proposed legislation, the heads of a Bill were approved today by Government and further work will ensue with the Attorney General, the Office of the Minister for Children and the Department of Health to progress that legislation as a matter of urgency. As the Deputy said, the banking reports have come to hand and are now with the Department of Finance. The Minister for...

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: Obviously, the Minister for Finance will have to consider the reports. He will go to Government and report on them. He will also work on drawing up draft terms of reference, which will be discussed at our next Government meeting on Tuesday next. We will then proceed to put those draft terms of reference to the Oireachtas committee, as was agreed, for its consultation and arrange for the...

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: Obviously, I do not agree with the Deputy's suggestion. We are giving statutory expression to a practice already in place in regard to the jobseeker's allowance, both in respect of the requirement to take up an offer of suitable employment and the payment of a reduced rate of jobseeker's allowance or supplementary welfare allowance for claimants who refuse to participate in an appropriate...

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Bill will be taken this session. I do not know if it has been agreed by the Whips as to when it will be taken but in the normal course the social welfare Bill will be taken as a matter of priority in this session.

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: To answer Deputy Burton's point, the report of the Governor of the Central Bank arrived last night. The Minister for Finance has to read it, consider it and bring it to Government in the normal way. I made the point that we should use the days ahead for the purposes of preparing draft terms of reference in order that we can make all that information available, including the publication of...

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am simply making a point about the composition of the deficit. What we are seeing from the Deputy's party's is a reduction of its commitment in regard to the deficits on expenditure programmes and also its bringing forward taxation proposals even though the party claims to be a non-tax raising party at this point.

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2010)

Brian Cowen: I was referring to the current deficit for next year, not to the total debt.