Results 10,281-10,300 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: That will depend on the budgetary parameters as we go through the next seven years. With respect, the assumptions which are set out in the plan are predicated on growth of more than 4.5% per annum. I have been making the point, generally speaking, that it is important that we prioritise investment to those areas which will improve competitiveness and ensure we continue to see investment...

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: The commitment of the Government to education has been unprecedented and will continue. As I have said, the commitment I hear from the Opposition depends on the day of the week and what spokesman I listen to. On the one hand, it speaks about the deterioration of the public finances and then says we are not spending a sufficient amount, as the Leader of the Opposition said today.

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: The finance spokesperson will come in tomorrow and say that I am increasing spending at three times the rate of what it should be.

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am just pointing out the factual position from the Leader of the Opposition's point of view. In regard to what I am going to do and what this Government will do, we will prioritise investments in those areas which will be most productive for the economy and for society. Education has been an area where, since this Government took office in 1997, we have consistently expanded and increased...

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am making the broader point, one which will affect whoever is in government in the years ahead, that we have to take cognisance of the international economic environment from which we cannot be immune. We have certain commitments with which we have to contend and in the meantime we will prioritise investments in the productive sectors of the economy, including education, physical...

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I remind the Deputy he was a member of a Government which unanimously agreed that, based on bitter experience in the past, the best way of trying to develop the health services was to introduce service planning. On the basis of allocations provided to hospitals, service plans would be drawn up and adhered to in the interests of maintaining a level of service that had been provided on an...

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: Some 70% of the hospital's costs are staff related. The employment of temporary and agency workers cannot continue on an ongoing basis. No permanent positions are being cut or anything like that. The hospital must be managed within its allocation. Otherwise, as the Deputy knows, under the law introduced under the Administration of which he was a member and with which I agree and supported...

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is not gobbledegook.

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: That is the beauty of being in Opposition. You can have it every way.

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: Let me answer the question.

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is a comfortable position.

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I would like to answer the question.

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: If the contention is that we can improve the health service without any reference to the budgets that are allocated, then I fundamentally disagree.

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: If that is not the position of the Opposition——

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I listened in silence to what Deputy Gilmore had to say and I would like to respond to him. If his position is not that the health service can be developed without reference to budgets, then we must live within those budgets; otherwise, we cannot develop the health service. People who come into hospitals with serious cases will of course be dealt with.

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: The issue is that they will be dealt with through the increased allocations being provided. If the position of the Opposition is that once the allocation is made, it does not matter as long as it is sorted out, then things cannot be done that way. Members of the Opposition know it cannot be done that way because it was not done that way when they were in Government. The second part of the...

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: There has been much involvement in the past by local representatives at health board level, but that did not solve the problem. The problem can be solved by supporting the reforms that we are trying to bring about, which will ensure that we have greater investment in community care. We cannot have a situation where the acute hospital sector takes up all the allocation to the extent that it...

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: It will not be a long time, because what is involved is——

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: People can come in here and continue to argue for the status quo. However, the status quo will not solve the problem. If the suggestion from Deputy Gilmore is that nobody wants to hear about the budgetary situation, then I am sure that is true. However, if one is in the job, then one must work within those budgets. If the Deputy was in my position, he would have to do the same. The only...

Leaders' Questions (28 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: No, it is not. There are 63,000 more families receiving home help than when Deputy Higgins was in Government.