Results 5,601-5,620 of 10,577 for speaker:Barry Cowen

Order of Business (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: I would have thought-----

Order of Business (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: It is not agreed. I agree with the relevance and importance of the legislation, if not with much of the content in it. While I accept and support some elements of it, we will be forced to vote against it in the event that the Government rejects amendments we might put forward to improve the legislation. The Tánaiste referred to the relevance, importance and necessity of the...

Order of Business (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: This is Thursday. The only reason for it is to allow backbenchers to return to their constituencies to campaign. Does this signify we are on an election footing or are there more bottle banks to be opened today that I am unaware of?

Order of Business (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: Not one house has been built in my constituency in four years. This is the Government's legacy.

Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: I want to ask the Tánaiste about the changes being applied by the Government to the beef genomics programme. This represents a bad deal for farmers. Lest the Tánaiste is not aware of it, it is being talked about across all counties in the country as a bad deal for farmers. There is serious concern about the current structure of the programme, which has serious implications for...

Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: I thank the Tánaiste for her answer, about which I will not get too excited. The meeting to which the Tánaiste referred was attended by approximately 1,000 people.

Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: The Minister was asked to go back to the drawing board.

Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: Every farming organisation is at the end of its tether in regard to this issue. They have briefed Deputies on it here in the Oireachtas and at public meetings in their constituencies. The time for talking is over in terms of farmers putting forward suggestions. Their suggestions have already been made. I would have thought the Tánaiste, as a member of Government, would be aware of...

Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: We are representing farmers.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Flood Risk Insurance Cover (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: 65. To ask the Minister for Finance if he has considered mandatory insurance based on the United Kingdom Flood Re model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24366/15]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Insurance Cover (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: 97. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the transfer of information between the insurance industry and Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management; the timeframe on the future implementation of information exchanges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24366/15]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Expenditure (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: 98. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide, in tabular form, the total funding of flood defences, by county, for each year from 2008 to 2014 and for 2015 to date. [24367/15]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: 256. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to re-introduce town councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24361/15]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: 257. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the independent review into planning irregularities in six local authorities; when the review will be published; if he will commit to a debate in Dáil Éireann on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24362/15]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: 258. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of his departmental review of the building regulations introduced on 1 March 2015; if the review will be published; the timeframe for its completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24364/15]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Expenditure (18 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: 259. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown, by county, of the number and total value of housing adaptation grants for persons with a disability; the housing aid for older persons and the mobility aids grant in each of the years from 2010 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24365/15]

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Second Stage (16 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: While many elements of the Bill are welcome, we will oppose it unless amendments are accepted that protect and maintain Part V obligations at 20%. I urgently request sufficient time for a meaningful debate on housing in general. Inaction or poor action on the part of the Government has sleepwalked the State into a housing crisis that many would describe as a national scandal. Up to 100,000...

Topical Issue Debate: Water Quality (16 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: I, too, thank the Minister of State for his response, on foot of which I have further question. In regard to the Minister's statement that the Government has approved a national strategy to deal with this issue on foot of the scale of the problem having been quantified by various Departments in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, will the...

Topical Issue Debate: Water Quality (16 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: Last week the Minister, Deputy Kelly, informed us that up to 200,000 houses were taking water through lead pipes and that the content of lead contaminating water is at a level that requires those pipes to be replaced. He assured the public that he had prepared and would shortly announce a programme of rectification which would be funded in part-grant form, similar to the septic tank grant...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Barry Cowen: I thank all the contributors for their expertise and the submissions they made in light of the request for a consultation process on this issue. I have no questions per se. I acknowledge and appreciate everything that has been said. I agree with much of it, especially the first contributor who mentioned the lack of leadership on the part of Government in putting forward a draft commission...