Results 5,901-5,920 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: I do not accept that contention whatsoever. I will deal with the issues raised by the Deputy in the order that he raised them. In regard to getting credit flowing again, the situation is not just about the recapitalisation issue and the bank guarantee which, by the way, were regarded by the IMF as fundamental to maintaining financial stability in the State at the present time. The third...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: Now the shouting starts.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am entitled to respond. I listened in silence to other speakers.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am responding to the important points made.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: We will wait for another few minutes.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am outlining my Government's approach because it is being misrepresented by the Opposition.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am entitled to do that and I am entitled to point out that a paucity of alternatives is being provided by the Opposition.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: In regard to the question about jobs, the quickest and best way to provide jobs for our economy is to return growth to our economy. However, we cannot return growth to the economy in the context of a public finance position that has to be rectified if people are saying we must spend, spend and spend more. We cannot do that.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: The second point I want to make in regard to the jobs situation is that, as I have pointed out, the measures we have taken, including the pension levy and other difficult decisions, which are impositions on our people and all of which were opposed in this House, were the means by which we have improved our unit labour costs vis-À-vis other competitors by 7% this year alone. This has been...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: There is no alternative coming from the Opposition except to say-----

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: -----that we should spend, spend and spend more. We have an Opposition finance spokesman who says we should cut more and every other spokesman saying we are not spending enough. That is the position of the Front Bench across from me. That is the truth of it.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: That is the truth of it. We cannot have a rational debate on this issue because the Opposition is trying to play both sides of the fence. Third, in regard to the question Deputy Gilmore asked about the smart economy, the innovation task force was set up in response to the innovation alliance which Trinity College, Dublin, and University College, Dublin, came forward with some months ago....

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: So much for the visionaries on the benches opposite.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: In regard to the building industry, as I have outlined, it was always our budgetary strategy to provide for increased capital spend from the public capital programme in an effort not to replace but to alleviate the downturn that was coming in the residential construction sector in any case. The seismic change that occurred since last August when Lehman Brothers collapsed meant that the...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: We will see in due course that residential construction will increase from 25,000 or 30,000 units per annum to 45,000 into the future, which is the sustainable level. In regard to the statements by the chief executive officer of the Construction Industry Federation, I have just made the case, explained what the situation is and how it works. There will be €7.3 billion in public capital...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: That will be a budgetary decision.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy either wants a reply or she does not. The full output will be 20%, allowing for the change in tendering prices so that output and volume can be maintained. Of what is currently committed, up to 70% of next year's budget for the capital programme can be provided for by Departments during the course of this year. That is the factual position.

Programmes for Government. (1 Jul 2009)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. As I have stated previously in the House, it is the Government's intention to use the coming period to afford the Government partners the opportunity to look at how we are progressing in achieving the goals set out in the programme for Government. We will pursue this work throughout the summer recess. The programme for Government...

Written Answers — Value for Money Reviews: Value for Money Reviews (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: As part of the implementation of the Government's Value for Money Review and Policy Review Initiative, my Department undertook a review of the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) and its constituent bodies — the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF) and the National Centre for Partnership and Performance (NCPP). This...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: The following table details the amount of Prompt Payment Interest paid by my Department in the last five years and to-date in 2009: Year Prompt Payment Interest Paid â'¬ 2004 10,160 2005 5,041 2006 7,170 2007 941 2008 2,361 January-May 2009 395 Procurement of goods and services by my Department is carried out under procedures set out in Department of Finance Public...