Results 10,701-10,720 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I understand the earliest date for that Bill is next year.

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: On the question of the status of the Morris tribunal report, I understand it has been completed. I will have to ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to indicate to the Deputy directly the logistics for the printing and publication of that report. I understand it could well be published in the next month or six months, although I am not too sure of that. I have some...

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I will have to check on the details for the Deputy, as I do not know the answer to that question. The issue of how we can pull these three pieces of legislation together has come up on a number of occasions. Upon taking up my new position I will talk to the Attorney General about the matter and how we can move the process along.

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: That committee is reporting to a Cabinet committee, whose membership comprises, as the Deputy said, the Ministers for Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Environment, Heritage and Local Government; Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Attorney General. I will check progress on it.

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: On the first matter the Deputy raised, this is an issue on which reports were sought from the Road Safety Authority and others about how they view a reduction in the limit. We have noted what they have had to say but there has been no decision or consideration by Government of that matter. It is important to point out that one would have to consider a full comprehensive assessment of what...

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I understand legislation may be required if we were to go down that road, but as I said we are at a preliminary stage in our considerations.

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The heads of the Bill are not ready yet but a conference on the matter will take place in June, which will facilitate further public dialogue.

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I welcome the developments in that area.

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have answered questions on this matter a number of times in the House. As the Deputy is aware, the Attorney General is working through some issues with the Department of Health and Children with the aim of finalising matters so the Bill can be brought forward for discussion here. I cannot be any more specific than that.

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I understand legislation is being contemplated by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. In fact, the heads of a Bill are agreed. Obviously, in the context of the social partnership talks, this issue is on the agenda.

Leaders' Questions (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: On the situation Deputy Kenny refers to regarding the slow-down in global growth, from which we will not be immune, it is clear that the issue of competitiveness and higher productivity is critical to ensuring that we come through this period in the economic cycle better than others, as we did in the past. In the context of pay talks, which have just commenced, I indicated the need to focus...

Leaders' Questions (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The higher remuneration body referred to the pay comparability of officeholders with the lower quartile of the private sector. The references I made last week were in respect of the highest earners who were earning millions of euro that they were obtaining obviously with shareholder approval, which is in compliance with company law but which, in terms of the message it sends — I was simply...

Leaders' Questions (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I did not see the programme, although I heard about it. If I can get an opportunity to see it, I will do so in due course. The homeless issue is important and something we need to address. Resources have been increased in this area from €12.5 million a few years ago to over €52 million this year, and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government provides this funding...

Leaders' Questions (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is somewhat unfair to suggest that the Government is indifferent to this issue, or that it has not been making significant progress in this area. Anybody who is dealing with the issue would recognise that additional resources have been provided and that improvements have been made. The emergency accommodation in major urban centres has been addressed and sleeping rough around the country...

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 1, the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill 2007 — Amendments from the Seanad; No. 18, the Legal Practitioners (Irish Language) Bill 2007 — Order for Report and Report and Final Stages; No. 17, the Student Support Bill 2008 — Second Stage (resumed); and No. 19, the Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (EirGrid) Bill 2008 — Second Stage (resumed). Private...

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I understand that explosions are not expected until later this year.

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: For the purposes of clarification for Deputy Gilmore, I understand that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government indicated that he would have this matter examined in the context of the designated land Bill.

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: To clarify what the situation is rather than what Deputy Gilmore may understand it to be——

Order of Business (30 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: If the Deputies' position is that it is as they believe, there is not much point in asking me for clarification. I am in the process of clarifying the matter for them so there is no further confusion about it and Deputy Gilmore does not have to get up every morning about it, which is why I am standing up in the first place. The matter will be examined in the context of the designated land...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (29 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: Moneylenders are covered by a range of provisions under the Consumer Credit Act, 1995 (CCA) including the annual licensing process and the register of licensed moneylenders system as administered by the Financial Regulator (FR). Licensed moneylenders are currently subject to the 'Interim Code of Practice for Licensed Moneylenders' which was introduced by the FR and comprises general...