Results 9,861-9,880 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: So we are not responsible for the good times but we are for the bad times. I will stand over my record in good times and bad, which is the honest action to take.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I will discharge my responsibilities to the best of my ability in that respect.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy has a different comfort zone to deal with but I will deal with my job as I see it. With regard to the disability sector, we will of course seek to protect to the greatest extent possible people in those positions. We have done it consistently over the years and we will continue to work on it. We have put unprecedented resources in and we still have problems with that sector. It...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: We will deal with that. We are setting out to work within the budget spending limits we have set ourselves and ensure that with the extra costs there will now be as a result of rising unemployment — greater than predicted — we will find savings in other areas to deal with it. That is what we and any responsible Government must do. If the Opposition were in Government, it would have to...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Minister for Finance will make a statement when the figures are published today. The Government will make its decisions and the Minister will come to the House. There is an effort being made in some quarters to suggest we have to engage in wholesale disruption of services all over the place and we must make up the €3 billion by the end of this year. That is not the position. Nobody...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: That is the way the economy is managed through periods of difficulty to ensure we come out the other side.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: We will do it in a responsible way and on the basis of providing for a sustainable level——

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——of public services going forward. It is a challenging environment and there will be difficult choices and decisions to be made over the course of the next weeks and months, and perhaps next year. We will see what the story is after that.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: We will seek to do that. In the meantime, we will maintain the level of output in this economy, which is 30% higher now than it was five years ago. We have a good economy, although it is going through difficulties. It is a far more sophisticated and resilient economy than it has been given credit for by some in this House.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The idea that suddenly all our pluses and benefits are gone is not the case if we are prepared to take necessary action now that is appropriate and proportionate, so we can get out the far side in a reasonably good position——

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——taking account of the realities that this Government, or any Government in current circumstances, must acknowledge. Other governments in the euro area and beyond have to contend with them also.

Programmes for Government. (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 18, inclusive, together. Much progress has already been achieved in fulfilling the commitments in the programme for Government. Clearly, the Government must make decisions in light of the fiscal position which will be indicated on publication of the half-yearly Exchequer returns. We will give priority to those programme commitments which are most...

Programmes for Government. (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: These are budgetary matters taken at budget time in the context and circumstances of what the budget would be. During the election campaign, I set out my priorities with regard to those tax commitments and these are on the record and available for public consumption. All commitments made in the programme for Government and our manifesto were very clear. They were more conservative than...

Programmes for Government. (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I made it clear to the Deputy in my earlier reply that it is a question of using resources. All programmes, including that one, are based on the availability of resources. We have to do the right thing with the resources available to us. I made the position clear during the election campaign, not subsequently.

Programmes for Government. (2 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am not waffling. I made it very clear——

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The National Forum on Europe was established on 18 October, 2001 . The operating costs over the past five years were: Year Expenditure â'¬ 2007 2,075,845.11 2006 1,517,041.49 2005 1,294,947.05 2004 942,340.90 2003 919,537.35

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The grant in aid paid by my Department under Subhead B. National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) in 2007 was €5,812,330 and to date in 2008 (end of May) was €1,633,875. The NESDO Grant in Aid provides funding for NESDO and its constituent bodies, the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF) and the National Centre for...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (1 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: The information requested is as follows: Year Number of Bills passed 1999 35 2000 42 2001 57 2002 34 2003 46 2004 44 2005 34 2006 42 2007 42 2008 to date 9

Written Answers — State Appointments: State Appointments (1 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: Appointments were made to the following State Boards which come under the aegis of my Department during the time frame in question: State Board/Agency: Law Reform Commission There have been 4 board members reappointed to the Law Reform Commission since July 2007 to date, of whom 2 are women. These reappointments were made on 1 September, 2007 on foot of a Government Decision. State...

Written Answers — Programmes for Government: Programmes for Government (1 Jul 2008)

Brian Cowen: Much progress has already been achieved in fulfilling the commitments in the Programme for Government. Obviously, the Government must take decisions in the light of the fiscal situation which will be indicated on publication of the half yearly Exchequer returns to-morrow. We will then give priority to those Programme commitments which are most valuable from a social and economic perspective...