Results 2,601-2,620 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

European Council Meetings (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I refer to the activities that have been going on and when the next reporting mechanism is available. It will arise at the June Council in terms of considering a progress report from the Van Rompuy task force deliberations on economic governance, which will be discussed. There will not be a review of the decisions taken at the European Council or by ECOFIN subsequently in the sense that...

European Council Meetings (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I cannot comment on unattributed statements by anyone. We need a more stable exchange rate. It helps people to plan better and allows investors to make long term decisions. It is a far better situation than the fluctuations we are seeing at present. That volatility is not helpful. It does not allow for orderly progress in developing trade and increasing prospects for everyone. We want...

European Council Meetings (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I will deal with one of the Deputy's questions, the one relevant to the questions tabled, which concern what was decided upon at the last European Council meeting and the agenda for the next one. I fundamentally disagree with Deputy Ó Caoláin's analysis that the proposals for the better co-ordination of economic policies represent in some way a diminution of our sovereignty. We live in an...

European Council Meetings (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: The issue of Israel and Palestine will not be raised at the next Council meeting. It is not on the agenda and it was not discussed at the last Council meeting. For those reasons, I believe this is irrelevant to the questions before me.

European Council Meetings (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I have just explained that the agenda has been outlined. The Foreign Ministers deal with issues relating to the Middle East on an ongoing basis. It was envisaged when Mr. Van Rompuy took over the job that perhaps, at one of the European Councils during the course of the year, part of the meeting would be devoted to some foreign policy issues. I presume it would arise in that context, as...

European Council Meetings (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I have just explained to the Deputy-----

European Council Meetings (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I have just explained to the Deputy. In an effort to be helpful, of course we wish the return of both Deputies to the House after their journey to Palestine. Of course we all commend the work of all organisations, NGOs, governments and others who are assisting the people of Gaza on an ongoing basis. They are enduring tremendous hardship, particularly in the aftermath of the attacks that...

European Council Meetings (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I respectfully suggest this is a supplementary question not contemplated by the questions tabled. It is unfair on other Deputies who stick to supplementaries that are relevant to the question for me to answer questions that are not within the purview of the questions tabled. It only encourages people to decide to ask whatever supplementaries they wish regardless of the question being...

European Council Meetings (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: The point I am making is that the money that was paid into Anglo Irish Bank, which was part of our deficit this year, will not be part of the figure next year. It was a payment to the bank for this year.

European Council Meetings (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: It was the Commission that insisted on the reclassification, so it understands the implication in terms of its addition to the current deficit figure. However, it also accepts that it is a non-recurring part of the deficit. It is a question of where it goes in the accounts. The underlying point is that we hope to reduce the deficit to 10.5% or 10.75% this year. Moving into next year, the...

Leaders' Questions (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy will know that on 8 March last, the Minister of State with responsibility for children and youth affairs announced the establishment of an independent review group on child deaths. The group presently comprises Ms Norah Gibbons and Mr. Geoffrey Shannon. It has been asked to examine existing information on all deaths of children in care over the past ten years. It will produce an...

Leaders' Questions (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: As I explained to Deputy Enda Kenny, on 10 March the Minister of State, having set up the review group on 8 March, wrote to the chairman of the HSE asking for a validated list of all deaths of children in State care in the past ten years which would be given to the review group for its consideration. The Minister sought that within two days of establishing the group.

Leaders' Questions (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am sorry, but for Deputy Olivia Mitchell's information, he set up the review group on 8 March 2010.

Leaders' Questions (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Minister of State immediately asked for a validated list-----

Leaders' Questions (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: -----to be forwarded to the review group so that it could deal with the matters he outlined to it. The HSE has advised the Minister of State that it will take it until the end of June to complete an accurate and consistent list of deaths of children in care in that respect. That is the information that is available to the Minister of State and its work is ongoing. I agree I would rather...

Leaders' Questions (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: The privacy of children in State care will continue to be protected in any proposed amendment to the legislation in question. The review group, whose members are respected professionals in this area, has been notified of these arrangements. We are proceeding along these lines to ensure the work gets done.

Leaders' Questions (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is not possible to give a direction which is contrary to the law. There are legal problems which need to be addressed. We want to ensure the review group's objective set out by the Minister of State, that is an independent report which would deal with the question of the deaths of children in care over the past ten years. It is not, however, possible, to give a direction if there are...

Leaders' Questions (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: That is not correct. I have just made the point three times to the Deputy that the Government this morning decided on whatever legislative changes are required. Legal issues are involved. It is not a question, as Deputy Gilmore is seeking to portray, of people thumbing their nose or whatever. There are legal issues involved in this question and they must be resolved. The Government...

Leaders' Questions (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: Whatever information is required by Mr. Shannon and Ms Gibbons to enable them to do their work will be undertaken as a matter of urgency. A Bill will be brought to Government, approved and brought into the House as soon as is practicable to enable that to happen in the coming weeks. Issues exist which must be resolved and they can be resolved once a legal basis is provided for interaction...

Leaders' Questions (25 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am making the point in defence of the Minister of State.