Results 761-780 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: What I have been doing, since taking office and since this crisis emerged, is to take every step possible, in the national interest, to secure our future and allow this country to move forward again.

Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: I have been opposed at every turn by the Deputy, which is fair enough; that is his democratic entitlement. However, he should not suggest that the policy initiatives his party suggested were correct, when everyone in Europe is saying precisely the opposite.

Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: They have said we must build on and accelerate the initiatives we have made to solve the problems in the banking system, and the Governor of the Central Bank, who is far more of an expert in this area than the Deputy or me, has confirmed that is what we must do to bring financial stability to the State. The Deputy also attempted to make a broader political point, which was that he would have...

Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: It does not exist.

Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Government, over the past couple of weeks, has sought in every possible way to make sure the parameters of the discussion and the ultimate deal were consistent with our own interests in terms of the adjustments we would have had to make even if we had never had a banking crisis. Even if we did not have a banking crisis, these are adjustments we would have had to make. Second, and very...

Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Regarding the National Pensions Reserve Fund, Deputy Gilmore cannot get away from the fact that the idea of the Labour Party coming forward as the guardian of the fund is at total variance with every public policy position he has outlined since the legislation was brought forward in 2000.

Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: The debate that will ensue today and tomorrow will put it on the record.

Introduction of New Member (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a ghabháíl le Piaras Ó Dochartaigh ar bheith tofa mar Teachta Dála do Dhún na nGall Thiar Theas sa toghchán a bhí againn an tseachtain seo caite. Is lá bródúil é an lá inniu dó féín agus dá chlann agus ba mhaith liom mo chomhghairdeas a ghabháil leis. I congratulate Pearse Doherty on his election as a Deputy in the by-election in Donegal...

Order of Business (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 5, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the agreement between the European Union and the United States of America on the processing and transfer of financial messaging data from the European Union to the United States for the purposes of the terrorist finance tracking programme, back from committee; No. a15, statements on the EU-IMF programme for Ireland...

Freedom of Information (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Questions for the operation of financial institutions are a matter for the Minister for Finance to ensure up to date and accurate information. There are valid and legitimate issues of commercial and financial sensitivities regarding freedom of information and the banking institutions. The wider policy issues are to be considered on a continuing basis by the Dáil through a series of...

National Reform Programme (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Europe 2020 Strategy has been adopted as a successor to the Lisbon Strategy for Jobs and Growth. Its goal is to enable Europe to emerge stronger from the current economic crisis as a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy. The strategy addresses the major challenges facing Europe today, including the economic crisis, climate change, globalisation and an ageing population. The June...

National Reform Programme (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: It was agreed that we would hold back the draft programme until the four year plan was agreed because that was the priority as far as the European Union was concerned. Arising from that work, we can now turn to the draft reform programme, which will incorporate the four year plan. The five headline targets that have been set out are for employment, research and development, climate change...

National Reform Programme (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Various targets and scenarios are set out by various organisations, including the European Commission, the OECD, the IMF, the ESRI and the Department of Finance. One can consider a range of growth scenarios. The assumptions we made in respect of our plans reflect a knowledge of the flexibility of the Irish economy, its resilience and its broad base. In many cases, the models used in...

National Reform Programme (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is not a question of picking what one feel's like picking but of looking at the various assumptions that are made in various forecasts. As the Deputy is aware, forecasts are based on various assumptions. Whether one agrees with them all or not depends on what one's experience of the economy has been. Prior to this crisis, in the previous ten or 15 years the Department of Finance on...

National Reform Programme (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: There is an annual review in the programme itself and surveillance and monitoring on a quarterly basis.

National Reform Programme (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Yes, of course.

National Reform Programme (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: It will be a matter for Governments between now and the end of the programme to decide if they wish to take up the funding based on the terms and conditions that apply. That is the issue. One cannot predict too far into the future given the volatility of bond markets at the moment but one would hope at some stage that some degree of normality would return and we could go back into the...

National Reform Programme (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not agree with the contention made by the Deputy. The policy framework that we are setting out is about stabilising the economy and then moving forward to growth for the economy, albeit recognising that very serious adjustments must be made. A precondition for growth, investment and increased resources for the State is the establishment of a growing economy, which cannot be established...

National Reform Programme (30 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: The issue is what is sustainable for this country in the present circumstances and how do we ensure that we are in a position to promote policies of social inclusion. That last can only be done on the basis of sustainable finances. If one does not have sustainable finances, what one is really saying to people is that we will maintain the present level of provision for as long as we can but,...

National Recovery Plan 2011 - 2014: Statements. (25 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: What?