Results 7,681-7,700 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Programme for Government. (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: I agree the summer school scheme has been a good one. It was devised at the Cabinet table and is a practical response to the need to empower local boards of management to get on with work themselves rather than going through rigid departmental procedures that are time consuming if nothing else. A significant amount of remedial work in particular has been done under the summer works scheme....

Programme for Government. (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: I mean devolved. Hundreds of projects have been carried out under the devolved scheme. I have seen many instances of it in my constituency. Such projects gives a great sense of ownership to the community rather than it being something that comes from on high. It allows many people with various skill sets in local communities to do the work and, as Deputy Crawford indicated, do it more...

Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 19, Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008 — Second Stage (resumed); No. 20, Employment Law Compliance Bill 2008 — Second Stage (resumed); and No. 1, Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008 [Seanad] — Second Stage. Private Members' business shall be No. 56 — motion re economic crisis (resumed), to conclude at 8.30 p.m., if not previously concluded.

Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: There is a meeting of the Whips this evening to decide next week's schedule but we need this enacted quickly.

Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Minister for Finance will listen to the debate to see if there will be Government amendments on Committee and Report Stages. There may be drafting amendments in the normal course of events. It was indicated, contrary to what the Deputy said, that legislative changes were required in respect of all the elements announced in the €2 billion package, including the early childhood...

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: I reject the Deputy's contention. I also reject the idea that he does not wish to impugn my integrity when he has been putting out statements that impugn my integrity. I would rather Deputy Kenny desisted from that sort of hypocrisy.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Kenny did it as recently as last night, never mind his 32 years in politics.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: He did it last night.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: The briefing he gave suggested I am protecting people, and I do not even know who they are.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Kenny put his point and now I will put my point.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: I will make my points.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: The position is——

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: I have answered that question. It was a preliminary remark, and I want to get to the heart of the matter.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: What is suggested in the briefing by Deputy Kenny and his people is that I am protecting someone. I am not protecting anyone but the Irish taxpayer and the Irish national interest. That is my sole concern.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: I hold no brief for anyone other than those people because they are the people I serve.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Kenny can be listened to in silence but I cannot be listened to in silence, is that it?

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: One of the points raised by the Deputy was whether the Ministers in the Taoiseach's Cabinet entourage supported a €300 million deal with select golden circle customers of Anglo Irish Bank. We were not involved with this, it was an internal bank matter. It had nothing to do with members of Government or any parties in the Government.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am entitled to reply to the question, Deputy Durkan. Of course, the old tactic is that if one throws enough muck some of it might stick. That is one of the reasons Fine Gael is so often on that rather than this side of the House.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is the old tactic. I want to make it clear to Deputy Kenny that every decision taken by this Government in respect of trying to handle a difficult financial crisis has been in the interest of the taxpayer and in the public interest, and in the interest of no one else. The Deputy asked about 29 September but there was no discussion on 29 September on those matters. What was being...

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: I have made it abundantly clear that far from seeking to protect anybody, which is the nice juvenile conspiracy theory the Opposition has been going around with for the last three weeks——