Results 6,021-6,040 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

European Council Meetings. (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: With regard to the referendum commission, the process has begun with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government writing to the President of the High Court asking for the nomination of a High Court judge as chairman of the referendum commission. On receipt of this, the commission will be established in line with precedent. There is a provision in the Estimates of the...

European Council Meetings. (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: With regard to the question about the non-ratification of the treaty, the European treaties will be then based on the Treaty of Nice and previous treaties. It is an important issue for the Union because the Commission must be appointed. The tenure of the Commission expires in November and the basis on which it is to be appointed is a fundamental issue. Is it to be appointed under the...

European Council Meetings. (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: I believe there are two sides to this debate, maybe even three, but let us have a debate on the facts. If people have a view of the world that is different from mine, in this democracy they are entitled to articulate that view and seek support for it. However, let us at least have enough respect for our people to say what is not in the treaty and not talk about what is not in it.

European Council Meetings. (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: What I am saying is, and I said this before the intervention of Deputy Ó Caoláin in my primary remarks in response to the many questions he asked, I do not believe everything is right about the European Union, but I do believe that on any objective analysis of the pros and cons of membership, we would need a very heavy weight on that side of the scales to get within even reaching distance...

European Council Meetings. (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: On the point made about the protocol, the protocol comes into effect when it is ratified by the states. That is why it is called a protocol. That is proof as to why it has full legal status. It requires ratification. One condition precedent was laid down by colleagues when I went to them after the rejection of the Lisbon treaty and explained as best I could, on the basis of what I saw,...

European Council Meetings. (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: Let me answer that. The Lisbon treaty represented a consensus many years in the making, in which we were centrally involved during our Presidency. Great honour was brought to this country from the work we did at that time. When we rejected the Lisbon treaty we went back to our counterparts and explained the reasons for its defeat. Our colleagues said they would seek to accommodate our...

European Council Meetings. (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: I thank Deputy Gilmore, as I thanked Deputy Kenny in respect of the grouping to which he is affiliated, for the work and clear exposition of the Irish position that they gave to colleagues, in terms of the value and worth of the guarantees we sought and the need to provide legal clarity and certainty on those in the interests of avoiding a re-run of issues in this debate. The Council...

European Council Meetings. (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: Absolutely. I enjoyed it too.

European Council Meetings. (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: In legal terms, that is true and I would not suggest otherwise. However, I am stating clearly that the idea that we make decisions that do not have political consequences or effects is the most politically naive view I have heard in this House, even from a person as experienced as the Deputy. There is no question-----

European Council Meetings. (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: Far be it from me to ever try to put words in the Deputy's mouth. I am not sure they would come out the same way as I put them in, in fairness to him.

Leaders' Questions (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: Of course the Minister for Health and Children was not saying that at all. The Minister for Health and Children was making the point that, before last Monday-----

Leaders' Questions (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: -----evening, it was being suggested that it would be necessary to close theatres and wards. That would be the job of the board of management and the management of the hospital. The board met on Monday evening and thankfully was in a position, with no changes to the budgetary arrangements, to make a decision that ensures that this in fact will not be the case. I think that what the Minister...

Leaders' Questions (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Minister, Deputy Harney, did not say that.

Leaders' Questions (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: That is the problem with Deputy Kenny. I heard the quote.

Leaders' Questions (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: Here are her words. Deputy Kenny had approximately ten minutes when he should have had only three.

Leaders' Questions (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: What it means is that there is a need to manage the resource and direct it to the priority areas where it is required. It was directed not just in this specific case but generally to all boards of management in voluntary hospitals and to the HSE in respect of those hospitals that are run by the HSE. The reforms are ongoing and they are providing savings and putting clinicians at the front...

Leaders' Questions (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: The reduction in the budget-----

Leaders' Questions (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: If I might complete the point-----

Leaders' Questions (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: -----because I listened in silence to what Deputy Kenny had to say.

Leaders' Questions (24 Jun 2009)

Brian Cowen: Based on that assessment by Fine Gael, in order to get some consistency into the argumentation-----