Results 921-940 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen
- Public Service Reform (23 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: A number of the recommendations in the report relate to the Department of Health and Children. The action plans are set out and are part of the process. The specific issue regarding a better allocation of work and assignments within the Department of Health and Children is a matter of priority and the recommendation in this regard has been taken very seriously. I expect that the project...
- Public Service Reform (23 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware, an independent panel has been established to carry out a review. It is usually the case that reviews ongoing in Departments involve existing personnel from other Departments coming in. There is quite a fair level of engagement with the staff in respect of how organisational programmes are worked through. The Minister for Finance established an independent panel to...
- Northern Ireland Issues (23 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 9, inclusive, together. The Hillsborough Agreement provided the basis for a significant step in the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement by allowing the completion of the devolution of policing and justice powers. The appointment of Mr. David Ford, MLA, a locally accountable justice Minister, was a further important landmark in consolidating the...
- Northern Ireland Issues (23 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: As I stated, we are very anxious to move forward on all of these issues and the Government stands ready to do so. The Executive in Northern Ireland is under the second and third requirements in the St. Andrews review. It has to come forward with the internal outcome of that review process. The prospect of getting some decisions at the North-South review is dependent on getting some...
- Northern Ireland Issues (23 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: A direct request to the Minister for Health would provide the exact circumstances of the current status of the report. That said, the publication of the report requires the agreement of both sides. We would like to see any assessments that are being made about how we can co-operate further, and pending any decisions that will be made to co-operate, we would like to see all of these avenues...
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: I have already indicated on the record that the Minister did not say anything that was not in line with what the situation was at the time and I do not see any purpose in continuing with that line of approach. It was an issue to be addressed and if the Deputy wants to have it dealt with seriously, we should take it seriously. The meetings will begin tomorrow and we should allow those...
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: This is not on the Order of Business but it is important to repeat to the Deputy what the Minister for Finance said this morning. These are treaty matters which have been dealt with and negotiated. The competence issues are very clear with regard to taxation policy.
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: This is not Question Time but I will make the point again to the Deputy. There are technical discussions taking place-----
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: I just made the point-----
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: I made the point-----
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: This is the Order of Business. I made the point clearly that there are technical discussions continuing that will take days-----
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: I am entitled to speak without interruption. That is the position.
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: If and when negotiations take place-----
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: -----this Government will decide on those issues. The Deputy can be assured of that.
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: The Deputy should listen.
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: I answered a question asked by the Deputy about our negotiating position. I said I would not tell him if I had one. It is not very clever to suggest what it would be in public. That is what I said. We should get away from word games and treat the substance of the issue.
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: It is not. What is very hard to get from the Deputy is his position on anything without revising it. It is the same as he has revised his political career every five or ten years.
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: The Deputy asked a question on Leaders' Questions.
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: I told him I would not divulge a negotiating position to anybody if we were in negotiations. We have not opened any negotiations, as I have told the Deputy. If the Deputy was prepared to read the statement from the European group, which he is not-----
- Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)
Brian Cowen: He will not refer to it because it is supportive of the Government position and everything the Government has been seeking to do in order to achieve stability, in stark contrast to anything the Deputy has had to say in this House regarding the achievement of stability. He only tries to see if he can get a few votes from it. That is his game.