Results 7,421-7,440 of 10,577 for speaker:Barry Cowen

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: The Taoiseach has been pressing rewind for three years now.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: The Taoiseach can read it on the plane.

Social Housing and Homelessness Policy: Statements (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: Irrespective of what occurred previously, the Minister of State has a responsibility to this Dáil to pursue policies and implement legislation to address current deficiencies, not those of yesterday, last month or last year. I and many others are fed up listening to the old mantra from the Government. It is as if Ministers press the "play" button to activate the message that everything...

Social Housing and Homelessness Policy: Statements (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: This Government will be adjudicated on its deficiencies. It has not put flesh on the bones of its policies. It is my job to make honest and credible proposals and the Minister of State's job to evaluate all such proposals and produce her own concrete proposals thereafter.

Social Housing and Homelessness Policy: Statements (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: The Taoiseach gave the Minister of State responsibility for housing. I ask her to do her job, rather than engage in a wham-bam type argument across the floor about what was or was not done previously.

Social Housing and Homelessness Policy: Statements (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: The Minister of State should live up to her responsibilities.

Social Housing and Homelessness Policy: Statements (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: I will avoid confrontation with the Minister of State if she chooses not to interrupt. As she admitted, I am making some reasonable suggestions, which I hope will be taken on board. I look forward to the housing Bill, which has been three years in the making. I hope the Minister of State will consider some of the suggestions that I and other Deputies will make in this debate to ensure the...

Social Housing and Homelessness Policy: Statements (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the issue and make suggestions with a view to the Government tackling the problem in a way which leads to results. More than 100,000 households are on social housing waiting lists nationally. That equates to at least 200,000 citizens, which, notwithstanding the financial difficulties faced by the Government, must be acknowledged to be a crisis which is...

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: I note the answer to this question is not much different from the answer to my initial priority question. Again, I am disappointed that the Minister's submission has not yet been made to CER. I am also disappointed that I have not yet had access to it but I await its publication in a matter of weeks, as the Minister said, although I would have thought it would be in a matter of days...

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: In due course? At this stage, we would like to be a little more precise than "in due course". I know the Minister is heading out of the country, along with a lot more of them-----

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: He may be heading out of the country again a few weeks after that. There was an indication that Deputy Durkan and others would have this information before St. Patrick's Day.

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: 51. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if the water charging tariff structure for businesses will be changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11881/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Expenditure (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: The Minister has only a few months left to make it up.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Introduction (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: 1. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the timeline for the public release of the water charges rate and structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12006/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Introduction (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: I tabled my question in the context of the process that has commenced on the part of the Commission on Energy Regulation, CER. I seek information from the Minister so that the public can be made aware of the various options which will inform the document CER puts forward for public consultation, with a view to arriving at a fixed price for water. Has the Minister made a submission to CER...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Introduction (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: I thank the Minister for his response. However, he has merely restated much of what I said at the outset. We are already aware that the Government is obliged to make proposals regarding the free water allowance and the level of Exchequer subvention that will apply to Irish Water. That, as the Minister has said, will form the basis of a mechanism by which we might be able to deduce the sort...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Introduction (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: No, I am not particularly happy, obviously. I would have preferred to hear the Minister say that the submission will be published this week, which would give us an opportunity-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Introduction (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: -----to assess it. Obviously, I will be making a submission to CER, as will colleagues and members of the general public, which will be included in the mix, with a view to arriving at a conclusion at the earliest possible opportunity. The Minister is urging me and everyone else to have patience but it is very difficult to be patient in view of the manner in which this process has been...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Severe Weather Events Response (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: 18. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to reform the national co-ordination group on severe weather in view of the experience of recent storm damage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11882/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (12 Mar 2014)

Barry Cowen: 26. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the functions that will be transferred from central Government to local government after the local property tax is retained in local areas from 2015 onwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11883/14]