Results 6,981-7,000 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (8 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is the same as saying that we rather than the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who provides guarantees to the Ulster Bank or HBOS in Ireland, should have taken them over. One either deals with the problem and the asset classes regardless of location in terms of cleaning up the banks or one does not. One either fixes the problem or does not. One either deals with the situation as it, or one...

Leaders' Questions (8 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Government is interested in solving the problem.

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: Tax relief was provided in the Finance (No 2) Act, 2008 where an employer provides a bicycle for an employee. The implementation of the scheme for the Civil Service is being dealt with by the Department of Finance. It is understood that implementing the scheme in the Civil Service has given rise to a number of issues, particularly in relation to procurement, warranty and insurance. The...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The scheme of awards which, in the civil service, applies at the levels of Deputy and Assistant Secretary is based on performance by reference to demanding targets. The pool for performance awards is 10% of the pay bill in the relevant year for the group concerned. Within that overall limit individuals can receive payments of up to 20% of pay. Decisions on awards are made by the Committee...

Written Answers — Dáil Reform: Dáil Reform (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Government Working Group on Dáil Reform has met once to date. Its members are the Government Chief Whip, Minister Dempsey, Minister Ahern and Senator Dan Boyle. Various options as regards the operation of the Dáil, timetabling of business etc are being considered and the Group will meet again in the coming weeks to discuss proposals. They will then be submitted to the Government for...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The following table details the cost to my Department of mobile telephony provided to me since May 2008. I have not been provided with PDA services during this period. Year Handset Costs Rental Costs Call Costs Other Total 2008 Nil â'¬114.49 â'¬1,368.31 Nil â'¬1,482.80 2009 to end March Nil â'¬46.17 â'¬99.12 Nil â'¬145.29 All mobile telephony costs which I incurred related...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: Under the terms of Section 5 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009, no members of staff in my Department with less than two years service on 1 March 2009 gave notice to terminate their employment before 1 April 2009.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: There are no staff in my Department under temporary employment contracts on a fixed term basis. There are a number of persons in the National Economic and Social Development Office employed under contract. The expiry of a fixed term contract is determined by the terms of that contract. The decision as to whether to renew such a contract depends on a number of grounds, including the...

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I thank Deputies for their contributions. There has been a suggestion that the changes to the income levy are not progressive. The levy is progressive. Those with higher incomes pay the most and the burden on lower earners is much less. Around 30% of income earners - 670,000 people - remain exempt from the levy, as do medical card holders above the ceiling. That the principle of fairness...

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: Yes, but if one of the children is between the ages of three years and three months and four and a half, the family will receive the benefit of the pre-primary school year, which is worth much more than the yearly early child care supplement per child - in fact, it is double the amount. This amounts to a more targeted approach which will ensure the benefits of pre-school education go...

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I do listen.

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy can keep his patronising "God bless you" to himself. He does not have a sustainable budgetary policy. If he wishes to produce one during the course of the budget debate I would be glad to examine it and see if it adds up.

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The ability to bring to the House figures that make sense has evaded the Deputy for a long time.

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Rabbitte made a point about the deflationary impact of the measure. Clearly, taking money out of the economy has an adverse impact in some respects, but unless we bring some type of order to the public finances, the drift in the deficit means our position is not sustainable. We have had to be careful to emerge with a deficit of 10.75%, taking into account the deterioration in the...

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: In regard to the tables, the question of the impact of individualisation is an ongoing issue. The aim of individualisation was to provide each person with his or her own non-transferable standard rate band. Individualisation involves narrowing the gap between the single and the married one earner band so that, at the end of the process, the single band was to be the same as the married one...

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: Now that comment has finally emerged I had better deal with it. The purpose of trying to sort out our banking system is to secure jobs. If one talks to any business person in this country today about what is the biggest problem for Irish business, they will say it is about getting access to credit. It is about keeping jobs going, finding cash to pay debtors, having the ability to fulfil...

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: Tomorrow, the National Treasury Management Agency will hold a press conference on this issue. People will be able to get an informed view and proper, technical answers to all types of questions related to this matter. We will take this step by step and in a transparent and open way and we will have our debates. Deputy Noonan raised this issue in the proper context and I acknowledge what he...

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: There will not be any question of anything going off the rails. As regards what would be the reaction of international markets, as the Deputy knows there has been much misinformation about the level and exposure of Ireland inc., let alone the banking system in relation to these matters, including in places where one would expect people to know a bit better. For example, in relation to the...

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am sorry, I will retreat.

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I will sit down and listen to other Deputies.