Results 10,061-10,080 of 10,577 for speaker:Barry Cowen

Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Barry Cowen: With regard to the Social Welfare Bill that will be taken on Thursday, will the Taoiseach give enough time for us debate the specific details of the savage cuts that have been proposed which have an obvious bias towards families-----

Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Barry Cowen: -----women, the disabled and even rural Ireland? Will he give sufficient time for us to go into the great detail that is required to debate these properly and allow people to vote accordingly?

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An tUachtarán) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2011: Second Stage (2 Dec 2011)

Barry Cowen: When?

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An tUachtarán) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2011: Second Stage (2 Dec 2011)

Barry Cowen: I thank Deputy Catherine Murphy for introducing this Bill. It is a very reasonable measure which would move forward a piece of political reform which has been talked about for some time but has not been acted upon. This is a very appropriate time to begin the process of reforming the constitutional provisions for Uachtarán na hÉireann, given, as we have just been through an election, that...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Dec 2011)

Barry Cowen: Question 67: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of money spent on capital investment in schools in County Kildare from 2000 to 2011, broken down by scheme and school. [38174/11]

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Barry Cowen: There are many more elected Members.

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Barry Cowen: While the backbenchers spoke here.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (30 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: Question 101: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the rates of payment of old age contributory and non-contributory pension for the years 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. [37854/11]

Written Answers — Petroleum Exploration: Petroleum Exploration (29 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: Question 73: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his policy in relation to shale gas exploration on land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37219/11]

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: Question 390: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a social dividend from National Asset Management Agency properties will be leveraged to alleviate the social housing waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36439/11]

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: Like other speakers, I thank the proposing party, Sinn Féin, for bringing forward this motion and affording us the opportunity to speak in support of it. One must look back at the history of the child benefit payment, the children's allowance as we know it. In the previous Government's time in office, from 2000 to 2009, it was raised by 330%. When we spoke about this issue and others...

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: That is very predictable.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: It is wearing thin and it will wear thinner as the weeks pass. When the country gave the Government its mandate, it was given the authority to address the issues that will confront it. Much of that mandate was based on its canvass, its communication and the message it gave the electorate. The message that rang loud and clear then rings loud and clear now. "Child benefit is a red line...

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: Yes, it did and if the Deputy remembers in the previous 12 years they increased by 330%. When the Deputy remembers two years, he should remember 12 as well. This Government too will be measured by the policies it implements, but it will be judged in the first instance next week on the commitments it gave, the commitments it repeated and the manner in which it sought to implement them.

Energy Regulation (29 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: Question 52: To ask the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if he has had discussions with the Commission for Energy Regulation regarding the provision of pay as you use electric meters in houses of customers that have difficulty paying utility bills; and if he is satisfied that there is a sufficient supply of such meters to meet demand. [37220/11]

Written Answers — Stag Hunting: Stag Hunting (24 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: Question 20: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he intends to reverse the ban on stag hunting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36590/11]

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (23 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: Question 129: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for statutory redundancy in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when a decision will issue. [36424/11]

Commercial Rates: Motion (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: Like others I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the motion. As a member of Offaly County Council for 18 years I am acutely aware of the value of rates to a local authority. I am also acutely aware that a county like Offaly has a low rate of large bulk industries and a depends on State agencies such as Bord na Móna, the ESB, Coillte etc., which may be diminished if the Government has...

Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: I appreciate that the Minister will not tell me her intentions in this regard for the budget. Unfortunately, the response to the first question I asked let it slip that employers' sick pay is a kite that will not be taken down by backbenchers, or has not been taken down yet anyhow. We spoke on this issue previously and I asked six weeks ago whether some consideration or initiation of...

Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Barry Cowen: Is the Minister looking at the prospect of payments being made directly to landlords under that scheme?