Results 2,901-2,920 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Task Force on Innovation (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: The issue has been raised and I will check up on it before I get back to the Deputy.

Ministerial Responsibilities (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together. On 23 March 2010 the Government appointed Deputy John Curran as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at my Department and at the Department of Defence, and Deputy Dara Calleary as Minister of State at my Department, the Department of Finance and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation with special responsibility for public...

Ministerial Responsibilities (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: No. It is an administrative matter that is being attended to, and I do not attach importance to it. The public service board has not been appointed and I was anxious to get through it, given the context of the current discussions with the public service on the draft pay agreement. It will be dealt with in due course.

Ministerial Responsibilities (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: No change.

Ministerial Responsibilities (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: No change on the change.

Ministerial Responsibilities (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: That is the Minister of State's responsibility and he is working on it.

Ministerial Responsibilities (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: That is his responsibility, but under a different Department from mine.

Ministerial Responsibilities (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Minister, Deputy Pat Carey, is now dealing with that issue, as he did in the past.

Ministerial Responsibilities (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: Yes, that will continue in existence. It will answer to the Minister, however, rather than to the Minister of State, so it could not be regarded as a downgrading.

Ministerial Responsibilities (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: Not that I am aware of.

Order of Business (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 9, motion re implementation of new powers of national parliaments under the Lisbon treaty; No. 10, motion re by-election for Donegal South-West; No. 21, Central Bank Reform Bill 2010 - Second Stage (resumed); and No. 3, Nurses and Midwives Bill 2010 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that (1) No....

Leaders' Questions (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: My position in this matter has been consistent all along, namely, it is a matter for individual persons who are in receipt of such pensions as to what they wish to do. I also made the point to Deputy Kenny last week that the Attorney General's advice is that the immediate and total abolition of pensions for a single category of pensioner would be unconstitutional. As the Deputy is aware,...

Leaders' Questions (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I refute again the misrepresentations the Deputy has made. I make the point that it is not possible to give back a pension and at the same time to give it to charity. People either give it back or they do not. It is not a matter that can be designated by the individual pensioner.

Leaders' Questions (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: I have set out the position. One has to return it. One does not have discretion as to the purpose for which it will be used. If one wishes to use it for that purpose, it is a matter of one retaining it and deciding to do something with it.

Leaders' Questions (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: That is a different point of view. I outlined the position for the purpose of setting out the facts. The second point I want to make to the Deputy is that, as I have outlined already, we took proportionate steps on this matter. We were proactive on it. We decided to reduce the pension and from next term have arranged for its abolition. In the meantime if there are people who wish to...

Leaders' Questions (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy will know, regardless of what legal advices he may have, the legal advices a Government - of which he was a member - has to take relates to the Attorney General. The Attorney General has given his view on this matter; he has explained it. We have legislated for it and in the meantime this does not in any way pre-empt people from gifting their pensions if they so wish.

Leaders' Questions (5 May 2010)

Brian Cowen: We have a mandate to govern. It derives from the Dáil, in the same way as when the Deputy was a member of a Government. That mandate is legitimate, proper and appropriate. On the question of the by-elections, that is a matter for the House to consider at any time. As the Deputy said, there is a matter to be discussed here and at the instigation of Sinn Féin it will be debated in the House.

Leaders' Questions (28 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: Without having been given notice, I would not have that sort of information. It would be a matter for the Minister for Finance to reply to the Deputy.

Leaders' Questions (28 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: No. As the Government, including the Minister for Finance, pointed out on the occasion, the arrangement in question is a technical reclassification which changes on a once-off basis the deficit figure for this year. It has been factored in by the bond market and market analysts, as confirmed by the continuing support that exists for the Irish economy. That a private offer was successful at...

Leaders' Questions (28 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: During the period 2007-09, there was a sea-change in regard to the view of the regulatory system and its adequacy. For that reason, whatever work was ongoing had to take account of the new circumstances after autumn 2008. On the membership of any advisory group, I am sure the members in question were recommended within the Department. There has been a very close working relationship between...