Results 3,841-3,860 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

State Visits. (24 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 1 to 10, inclusive, together. I participated in the informal meeting of the European Council on Thursday 11 February. As I will be making a statement to the House later today, I will give a summary account of the proceedings now. As the House is aware, the Council agreed a statement in relation to the challenges facing the Greek Government in order to...

State Visits. (24 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: Visits by who? Is the Deputy talking about visits by me or the spy?

State Visits. (24 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: It would be very inappropriate to raise with the United States President a bilateral matter between Ireland and another country in which he has no involvement whatever.

State Visits. (24 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is a matter of concern for the Government and has been taken up by the Minister for Foreign Affairs with the Israeli authorities. If I have a problem in regard to America, do I go to Israel? The situation is very clear-----

State Visits. (24 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am not giving a smart answer, but rather a very frank answer. I do not see any connection, whatever. I do not believe it would be appropriate. I have many things to discuss with President Obama in regard to US-Irish relations but I do not see that as one of them. That is a matter which must be dealt with by the government concerned, through which there has been an involvement or...

State Visits. (24 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am making the point to the Deputy that I do not see the relevance of this to the questions that are put down here. If Deputy Kenny wants to ask a question about this, he should put it down. As regards the matter he is raising, every citizen is concerned when the integrity of the Irish passport is compromised and it is a question of taking the matter up with the authorities concerned. The...

Written Answers — Innovation Fund: Innovation Fund (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: Introduction of 'Innovation Fund Ireland' is a commitment of Building Ireland's Smart Economy - A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal and the Renewed Programme for Government. It aims to ensure greater availability of venture capital to help achieve our vision for transforming Ireland into theinnovation hub of Europe by supporting innovative SMEs and to help scale indigenous...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is the policy of my Department to facilitate staff who wish to donate blood during normal working hours. At regular intervals during the year all staff are invited to donate blood and staff who wish to make donations are credited with time off to enable them to do so.

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: There are no cloud computing systems currently in use in my Department.

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: Details of the amount spent by my Department on hiring or use of outside consultants in 2007, 2008 and 2009 is set out in the following table. This data includes consultancy expenditure recouped from the Change Management Fund in the Department of Finance. Year Consultancy Expenditure 2007 â'¬570,258 2008 â'¬889,514 2009 â'¬323,612 Every effort is made by my Department to minimise...

Termination of Ministerial Appointment: Announcement by Taoiseach (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: I wish to announce for the information of the Dáil that on 18 February 2010 the President, on my advice, accepted the resignation of Deputy Willie O'Dea as a member of the Government. Pursuant to section 4(1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1946, I have assigned the Department of Defence to myself with the effect from 18 February 2010.

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is agreed by everyone with knowledge of the area, at home and abroad, that the question of the establishment of NAMA is an essential part of any recovery strategy for this country. We await EU state aid agreement on that and we expect it in the coming weeks. Regarding the question of how we maintain jobs in this economy, we have made it clear through the budgetary strategy that we will...

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: On a number of occasions the Minister for Finance has brought forward the strategy we are adopting with regard to Anglo Irish Bank, which is now nationalised, and Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Banks. Over the coming weeks the comprehensive strategy will be brought to the House for a decision. It will be based on the continuing effort by him to improve and strengthen the banking system...

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: Will we have to endure two more years of the rhetorical nonsense Deputy Gilmore goes on with and that passes for political comment?

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: This country has a Government that has displayed the capacity to take whatever decisions are necessary to restore international credibility to our public finances, which is clearly not present in the Opposition. This is a Government determined to pursue a policy that will bring recovery, that will see growth returning to the economy and can only do so on the basis of the strategy outlined...

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: The reality is that Deputy Gilmore is involved in populist policies that do not provide a solution to the serious problems we face. Deputy Gilmore would not have provided any guarantee to the banking system and we would have had a meltdown.

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: The number of jobs lost as a result would have been in the tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands. Let us cut through the nonsense. As Deputy Gilmore goes around the country suggesting he has a solution to problems by not reducing spending and claiming he will tax those with all the money and ensuring that those who are out of work will get back to work, he has no indication of how he...

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: -----which is to get this country out of trouble far more quickly than would otherwise be the case.

Order of Business (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 8, Finance Bill 2010 - Financial Resolutions; No. 9, motion re referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of an initiative for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on the rights to interpretation and to translation in criminal proceedings; No. 10, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of a proposal that section 17A...

Order of Business (23 Feb 2010)

Brian Cowen: I refer to the statement and continue with that position. I do not believe there is a time limit in respect of which the motion must be brought before the House. The matter is one for Government.