Results 11,361-11,380 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am not sure but I think I indicated, in the course of conversations on the Finance Bill on Committee Stage, that I commissioned an independent consultant's report on whether it would be right to introduce the commencement order, given the state of the building industry and where it was in the cycle at this stage. The advice I obtained was not to proceed, in view of the present state of the...

Order of Business (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is not the law of the land.

Order of Business (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: On a point of information, it is not the law of the land until the commencement order issues. It is an enabling section. I obtained independent advice not to commence the section. The report recommended——

Order of Business (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am not aware it is promised.

Order of Business (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is not possible to indicate when the last item referred to by the Deputy will be introduced. The electricity (transfer of transmission assets) Bill on the EirGrid question is due this session. On the question of the labelling, our staff will have to revert to the Deputy to try to ascertain to which Bill he is referring.

Order of Business (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I do not.

Order of Business (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: On the licensing issue, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has asked for a report by 31 March, from Mr. Holmes, reviewing the on-licence, off-licence issue. I cannot say any more than that, to remain in line with the Chair's ruling. That is as helpful as I can be, except to say that the Dublin Port tunnel is a great success.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am not aware that is an accurate reflection of what Deputy Fahey said. Fine Gael is conducting a witch hunt. It is a political witch hunt that runs into sand regularly.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I would listen to what the tribunal has to say about its workings and how we can best assist it. It is the best arbiter of how we should conduct ourselves on the proceedings there. In a formal statement at the beginning of this year the tribunal made it clear that it does not regard as helpful continuing evaluations on a weekly and daily basis, mostly from Fine Gael members in an effort to...

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: What is that statement?

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: According to Deputy Kenny, it is half a million euro.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: No, it is not. That is more dishonesty on the part of the Deputy and it is disingenuous of him.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: In case he is under any misapprehension, I want to make it clear to Deputy Kenny that the Taoiseach is giving his evidence truthfully, the same as other people at the tribunal. The evaluation of that evidence will be decided upon by the judges who have been appointed by the Oireachtas, not by the Deputy who is neither qualified nor able to evaluate that evidence.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Kenny is coming into the House every second day, asking whether I agree with this or that statement. If the man said it, I am sure it is true. That is what the judge is doing. That evidence has to be evaluated. It cannot be decided by Deputy Kenny. We will not have political mob rule in Parliament.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: All the Deputy's efforts to try to distract the Government will not work. The Government will continue to do its work. The only person who is not doing anything apart from coming in and dealing with this matter is the Deputy. In fairness to this man, he has something to say about other things, but the Deputy has nothing to say.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: That only happens with the Labour Party.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: The second matter is an issue in which people are far more interested. The Minister for Health and Children has asked the chief executive officer of the HSE to request a report on the circumstances that led to the decisions of the HSE to suspend breast radiology services at the hospital, to place a consultant radiologist on administrative leave and to initiate a clinical review of breast...

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is transfixing the Opposition.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: Given the adversarial nature of our political system, there is nothing I can say to the Deputy that would fill him with sufficient confidence. His job is to try to ebb confidence away from the Government. He is not interested in confidence in the Government. That is my first point. My second point is meant slightly humorously. If ever I want advice on coups or conspiracies, I can knock on...

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2008)

Brian Cowen: I want to make a serious point, one which I made yesterday. I read comments by Deputy Gilmore in a good speech he made in May 1997 when the tribunal was being established.