Results 10,781-10,800 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is some comfort to them.

Order of Business (29 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 16, Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2008 — Committee and Remaining Stages; No. 10, motion re statement for information of voters on the Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2008; and No. 17, Student Support Bill 2008 — Second Stage (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 10 shall be taken...

Order of Business (29 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I must respect the Ceann Comhairle.

Order of Business (29 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I respect the fact that the Ceann Comhairle runs the House.

Order of Business (29 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: That will be my privilege. I will make the following comment on the issues raised by Deputies Kenny and Gilmore. It is very important to recognise that the country will make a major strategic decision on 12 June next. All parties will vigorously campaign for a "Yes" vote because we believe it is in the national interest to do so and in the interests of the citizens we serve, and for no...

Order of Business (29 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: In the interests of a respectful debate, on any objective assessment of the balance sheet of the pros and cons of membership of the EU, the great majority of the evidence suggests that voting "Yes" and our continued membership and centrality in the EU provides the best mechanism for the advancement of this country's interests at home and abroad. Any objective assessment of the situation...

Order of Business (29 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: Those who wish to get involved in the exaggerated arguments of the past will not deserve the respect of the Irish people. They will not persuade them in any case because I believe in the discernment and common sense of our people to recognise that over the past 35 years, the one thing to which we can point, apart from good policy making in the main, has been the framework that the EU has...

Order of Business (29 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: If we get our act together, I believe the people will respond.

Order of Business (29 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The broadcasting Bill is due this session. The other Bill regarding a fair deal is an issue that has taken longer to come to the House than we expected because of legal issues. They are not insurmountable. The Attorney General is working on this and the Minister met him again last week. I believe it will be a matter of weeks before we have it resolved. Certainly, we believe there is a...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 54 together. As I have informed the House on previous occasions, the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 already allows the Standards in Public Office Commission to carry out investigations on its own initiative, where it considers it appropriate to do so, on breaches of the provisions of the Ethics legislation, by persons in the Commission's area of...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 80 and 95 together. The Programme for Government states that the Government will continue to move ahead with decentralisation and ensure that no public servant is obliged to accept decentralisation against their wishes and that promotion opportunities remain available. I have no plans to review the programme. A progress report by the Decentralisation...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The 2008 spending plans were set out in detail in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2008 which were published on 21 February 2008. The Estimates provide for total gross expenditure of just under €62 billion made up of approximately €53 billion current expenditure and €9 billion capital expenditure. These are the settled spending allocations with which all Government Departments...

Written Answers — Spending Evaluation Programmes: Spending Evaluation Programmes (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Orders of Reference for the Select Committees of the 30th Dáil specifically encompass consideration of spending evaluation programmes in the form of Value for Money Reviews and I wrote to the Chairpersons of all Dáil Select Committees on 1st February this year encouraging them to ensure that the Committees schedule time to consider Value for Money and Policy Reviews in detail, and where...

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: In response to Priority Questions 1 and 2, I have already set out the fiscal position at end-March. In this regard, I would remind you again of the Government's policy. While our fiscal position may have weakened from that envisaged at Budget time, the current situation is manageable given the strong position of the public finances such as our low debt to GDP ratio. Also, the fundamentals of...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: As I have previously indicated, the responsibility for undertaking project appraisals rests in the first instance with the individual Departments and Agencies. They are prepared to facilitate and inform the internal decision making process. It has not been the practice to publish these appraisals as they generally contain commercially sensitive information, the publication of which could be...

Written Answers — Efficiency Reviews: Efficiency Reviews (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The efficiency review referred to by the OECD is the one I announced in Budget 2008. The nature and terms of reference are set out in the Budget Booklet at Page B.24. In accordance with these terms of reference, all Government Departments and Offices were required to examine all administrative spending within their area, including spending by state bodies under their aegis, and to report...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: Section 110 of the Finance Act 2007 made provision for a charge to stamp duty where license agreements and other such arrangements are used when land is purchased for development without conveyance or transfer. The provision ensured that these arrangements will incur a Stamp Duty charge where a landowner receives a payment amounting to 25% or more of the market value or consideration...

Written Answers — National Partnership Agreement: National Partnership Agreement (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy is aware, the social partners meet today to open negotiations on a new pay agreement under Towards 2016. The Government's objective in entering these talks is to achieve a sustainable agreement compatible with improving competitiveness and productivity. Pay developments in the period immediately ahead must reflect the more challenging economic and competitiveness scenario that...

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: I have noted the IMF report and it is important to be aware that in relation to the Irish housing market there are some significant variables of specific relevance to Ireland such as household formation and flows of immigration that were not included in the technical model. While this is acknowledged by the IMF it does mean that their analysis is not a wholly representative picture of the...

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (24 Apr 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy may wish to note that while the outlook is for weaker, although still positive, employment growth this year, Ireland's unemployment rate is expected to remain low by international standards, below the European average. In terms of the housing market, affordability in Ireland is supported at the current time by such factors as continued income growth, interest rates that are...