Results 4,701-4,720 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Financial Resolution No.5: General (Resumed). Debate resumed on the following motion: (10 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: This country has to address probably the biggest challenge to its economic independence it has ever had to face, even though this is now in the context of our membership of the EU and the Eurozone. The budget will demonstrate to ourselves and to others that we are succeeding in mastering the challenge. It is no time for half-measures, evasion or long-fingering. While others can suggest and...

Financial Resolution No.5: General (Resumed). Debate resumed on the following motion: (10 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: -----equipping and operation of new cardiac and renal facilities in Cork University Hospital; the planning of a new facility at Sligo General Hospital, using the public private partnership funding model, to include a new surgical department, intensive care unit and other developments; the major development of a new Mater adult teaching hospital; St. Vincent's phase 2 development, including...

Financial Resolution No.5: General (Resumed). Debate resumed on the following motion: (10 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: -----Loughrea, Navan, Fairview, Farnlea and Ballincollig in Cork-----

Order of Business (10 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. a14, motion re implementation of new powers of national parliaments under the Lisbon treaty; No. 41a, financial motions by the Minister for Finance [2009], motion 5, resumed, to adjourn after the Leaders speeches and the order shall not resume thereafter; No. a4, Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009; Order for Second Stage, Second and Subsequent Stages. It...

Order of Business (10 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The arrangements put in place are necessitated by the fact that two Bills must be enacted arising from the budget announcements by the Minister for Finance yesterday, including the social welfare Bill which, in the normal way, must be taken after every budget. Unfortunately in this instance, while we have been able to safeguard the real take home value of benefits, the financial situation is...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table: Name Cost to Date in 2009 National Economic and Social Development Office â'¬3,401,066 Law Reform Commission â'¬3,183,487 National Statistics Board â'¬30,798

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following table. Office No. of Staff SalariesincludingOvertime &Allowances Expenses Taoiseach's Private Office 12 €688,076 €984 Taoiseach's Constituency Office 7 €341,954 Nil Government Chief Whip's Private Office 4 €254,077 Nil Government Chief Whip's Constituency Office 5 €154,346 Nil *Minister of State for...

Financial Resolution No. 1: Excise (Alcohol Products) (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: I move: (1) THAT for the purposes of the tax charged by virtue of section 75 of the Finance Act 2003 (No. 3 of 2003), that Act be amended, with effect as on and from 10 December 2009, by substituting the following for Schedule 2 to that Act (as amended by section 50 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 2008 (No. 25 of 2008)):

Financial Resolution No. 1: Excise (Alcohol Products) (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The motivation behind the resolution is as outlined by Deputy Ó Caoláin, namely, to try to deal with the phenomenon of cross-Border trade which is causing a major haemorrhage in our revenue base. It is important that we seek to do whatever we can in this respect. I take the point that the main problem in cross-Border trade relates to the differential between the euro and sterling, which...

Financial Resolution No. 1: Excise (Alcohol Products) (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputies know, the main features of a budget point out what we are discussing now in terms of VAT reductions, etc. I have been a Member of the House for 25 years and having listened to the Deputies speak without interruption, I ask them to allow me to continue without interruption. The reduction of excise on alcohol products is to assist in seeking to reverse what has been happening...

Financial Resolution No. 1: Excise (Alcohol Products) (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: Responsible drinking is not determined by the level of excise. If it were, this country would not have the alcohol problems it has given that in many cases we have the highest excise levels in the European Union. That is a rather nebulous and fallacious argument.

Financial Resolution No. 1: Excise (Alcohol Products) (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am just making that point that it is a nebulous and fallacious argument. In dealing with that issue, the important issue is to have proper education on prevention and promotion of responsible drinking. I take the point that binge drinking is an unwelcome phenomenon in this country and one which needs to be addressed. It will not be addressed in respect of the excise duty rates on...

Departmental Staff. (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: First, any revision of guidelines would be a matter for the Minister for Finance and the public service in the first instance. To come back to the specific point, I want to make it clear that the situation as it stood at the time was that the person concerned had certain rights and entitlements under the existing contracts he had as an employee of that organisation. The issue then arose on...

Departmental Staff. (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: I do not have the file in front of me but I want to make clear that the advice the Minister took came from the senior official in the Department.

Departmental Staff. (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: I have not been before the committee listening to the ins and outs of this in the way the Deputy has been. I would rather have the full file in front of me because I would then have no problem answering the questions.

Departmental Staff. (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: Perhaps if the questions were put down for the relevant Minister, the Deputy would get the full answer. I cannot be expect to have all of that in front of me.

Departmental Staff. (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy cannot ask me a question and then decide if I have the information. The purpose of questions is to table specific questions to get specific answers. I have sought to extend the courtesy of replying to the Deputy based on the knowledge available to me without notice but if the Deputy wants to play another game that is her business.

Social Partnership Negotiations. (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 5, inclusive, together. The Government has made it clear for some time that the public finance position is unsustainable. Our tax revenues have fallen sharply back to 2003 levels. This means we will have a deficit in the region of €22 billion this year. To bridge this gap, we are borrowing more than €400 million per week. We have made it clear...

Social Partnership Negotiations. (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: Quite the contrary. It is not about political expediency at all.

Social Partnership Negotiations. (9 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: Are we back into this process again?