Results 8,621-8,640 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (25 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am not standing over any profligate or unauthorised spending. No one can stand over that. The process that is being undertaken is being conducted by the Committee of Public Accounts. The Comptroller and Auditor General has been asked to examine all this and detail the situation so that decisions can be taken on it. Obviously, there are questions to be answered. This needs to be dealt...

Leaders' Questions (25 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: On Deputy Enda Kenny's point about information being brought to the Committee of Public Accounts, I understand from listening to a radio interview this morning with the committee's Vice Chairman that it was agreed between the committee's legal advisers and FÁS that certain data protection issues arose as to why certain stuff was redacted. That is a matter for legal advice. The real issue...

Leaders' Questions (25 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I understand the legitimate anger and concern that people have expressed on some of the issues brought to public attention in recent days and times regarding this organisation. I can reply to the Deputy's questions with the same forcefulness. The apprenticeship situation derives from the sectors themselves in respect of numbers taken on and the numbers which go through the system. Let us...

Leaders' Questions (25 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I do not believe certain items of expenditure should have been incurred. In regard to that specific issue, it is clear. We must ensure that the accountability of the organisation is such that we find the full remit of what was going on. That process is in place. That is not for the purpose of deferring the issue, it is to ensure we find the full outcome based on what was going on. I...

Leaders' Questions (25 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: That issue is in hand. I am not aware of another agency that has this issue before it but clearly Ministers should contact agencies under their remit and have the chief executives confirm that their arrangements are in compliance with whatever regulations are in place.

Order of Business (25 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 8, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income and Capital Gains) (Republic of Turkey) Order 2008, back from committee; No. 9, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Malta) Order 2008, back from committee; No. 10, motion re leave to introduce Supplementary...

Order of Business (25 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I reject the contentions made by both Opposition Deputies on this matter. The functions conducted by the Combat Poverty Agency are held by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs. The question of them being incorporated into the office for social inclusion is logical in the circumstances. The amendment that has been put down enables a full discussion to take place during the debate on...

Order of Business (25 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I would not accept the contentions made by the Deputy on that basis.

Leaders' Questions (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is important that discussions on these matters take cognisance of possible reactions outside this House and to ensure we are responsible and prudent in this regard. The joint board of the Central Bank and Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland, CBFSAI, has submitted to the Minister for Finance a report on the financial position of the six major institutions covered by...

Leaders' Questions (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have given a formal statement in reply to Deputy Kenny's initial inquiry about this matter. I emphasise it is important that people act not in a speculative manner — I am not suggesting Deputy Kenny is doing so — but in a responsible manner in respect of this matter. They should not suggest that any particular way forward is the panacea for all ills. We are in the midst of an...

Leaders' Questions (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: In regard to the first matter raised by Deputy Gilmore, the position as of 30 September was that a continuation of the situation was not tenable. The continuation of capital outflows at the rate experienced over previous days and weeks meant the stability of the banking system was at risk. In regard to the question of recapitalisation, I made the point that we are trying to ensure a strong...

Leaders' Questions (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am acutely aware of the situation. The Government is not standing by or sitting back in this situation. The Government is actively engaged in trying to deal with a number of these issues. One of the biggest issues relates to the question of obtaining capital requirements for the banks so that they will in turn ensure they change their loan arrangements because they are reviewing their...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The total cost incurred by my Department in respect of the Moriarty tribunal since 1997 up to 31 October 2008 was €33,768,417. For 2008, up to 31 October, the figure was €2,977,619. It is not possible, at this stage, to estimate the final costs.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am aware the tribunal is in the final phase of preparing its report. In response to inquiries from my Department in July the sole member indicated it was his intention to complete his work by the end of this year. I understand this timetable, although likely to be subject to a slight overrun, is more or less on schedule. As the Deputy said, the last public hearing was on 7 May and Mr....

Tribunals of Inquiry. (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I should make it clear that work is ongoing in the tribunal, although there are no public hearings. It relates to the statement made by Mr. Justice Michael Moriarty in his ruling on 29 September 2005. He stated: While engaged in a fact-finding exercise I recognise that the tribunal is nevertheless bound by the principles enunciated in re: Haughey [1971] 1R 217. The procedures I have...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is not certain public hearings are completed. Depending on circumstances, the recalling of certain witnesses may be required for additional cross-examination in respect of the procedure in which he is currently engaged. It is less likely there will be additional public hearings but they are not excluded, depending on how the procedure in which he is presently engaged concludes.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: There has been correspondence between Ministers whose various line Departments liaise with tribunals regarding some of these matters. Cases will be made in reply regarding the need for continuity and need to maintain counsel. In the event of counsel not being retained, resigning or not continuing with its work, the first reaction in this House would be Deputies Gilmore and Kenny saying we...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: These are the facts.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: These are the charges which have been made on the record.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (19 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputies cannot have their cake and eat it. If that had happened, those political charges would be very robustly put. The chairpersons of these tribunals would make the case in reply regarding some of these and I presume that correspondence is on the record. The protraction of the work of this tribunal has in part been due to litigation involving a total of four sets of proceedings...