Results 11,901-11,920 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: I do not have that information. If the Deputy puts down a specific question in that regard, I can get accurate figures for him. In examining the causes of Irish consumer price index inflation over the past year, it is important to distinguish between external factors, which are beyond domestic policy control, and internal factors. Externally, the single most important cause is higher...
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: With regard to the question of how inflation is measured, the harmonised index is the best in terms of international comparators and knowing where we stand vis-Ã-vis other countries. I accept the point that when mortgage interest rate repayments are included, the CPI is higher and that these are real payments being made by real families. A significant investment is being made in social and...
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: I contend strongly, in response to Deputy Morgan, that Ireland's adoption of the euro, which is a source of stability by comparison with other international currencies, has helped to protect us from much of the recent turbulence on the financial, equity and currency markets. We get more protection by sharing our sovereignty with others, on the basis of a co-ordinated economic policy and a...
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: I reject the rather dated notion that an independent and free Ireland should be isolated in the Atlantic, away from everybody.
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: That is exactly what the Deputy is advocating.
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: It is precisely what the Deputy is advocating.
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: I hope a referendum on EU matters will be put to the Irish people this year so we can have a debate about the real issues, including the alternatives outside the EU for Ireland, past, present and future.
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: If Ireland had not joined the Union, it would be a totally different country from the modern country in which we live today. I remind Deputy Burton that I have increased mortgage interest relief by a factor of two and a half.
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: The Deputy asked how we can encourage people in the rental sector to buy homes for themselves. Over the past 12 months, I have increased the ceiling on mortgage interest relief from â¬4,000 to â¬10,000 for a single person and from â¬8,000 to â¬20,000 for a married couple or widowed person. I have provided a means of paying all interest on a mortgage of â¬400,000 over 35 years at 5%,...
- Social Welfare Fraud. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: I have been informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the official complement of joint investigation unit officers is 15, with officers working to varying time allocations. The number of officers on joint investigation unit duties at the beginning of 2008 was nine. They spend between 25% and 100% of their time on joint investigation unit duties. An allowance of â¬5,954 is paid to higher...
- Social Welfare Fraud. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: This type of work is not just carried out by officers from the joint investigation unit, it is also done by compliance officers from the Revenue Commissioners, who actively engage in similar duties as part of their routine daily audit and compliance activities in sectors like construction, private security and entertainment. There has been an ongoing exchange of information with the...
- Banking Sector Regulation. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: The issues raised by the Deputy fall within the remit of the Financial Regulator. The Financial Regulator's annual report for 2006 identified a total of approximately â¬167 million relating to overcharging issues dating from the early 1990s to the present. The most recent information available from the Financial Regulator is that 36 financial service providers and over 250 individual...
- Banking Sector Regulation. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: I will bring this matter to the attention of the Office of the Financial Regulator as the Deputy requested and consider in what way its remit can be used to deal with institutions that are not in compliance with the Consumer Credit Act and the various consumer protection codes, which apply to all resident financial institutions. Some months ago we dealt with a Bill in which these issues were...
- Banking Sector Regulation. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: The Financial Regulator has various powers which involve reimbursement and ensuring that these issues do not recur. In addition, if anything beyond the civil code has taken place, information will be passed on to the Garda and the fraud squad for follow-on investigation. We have in place a Financial Services Ombudsman who has proven effective in individual cases in which he used his...
- Banking Sector Regulation. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: I have not yet reached a decision. Part of my consideration will be to discuss this personally with the ombudsman to find out his views on what should be done.
- Renewable Energy Resources. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: I stated previously that taxation can play a part in attaining environmental objectives, including the promotion of energy efficiency and the reduction of emissions. Using taxation as a mechanism to subsidise activity that yields overall benefits to the economy is a tool that has been used by successive Administrations, often delivering very positive results. To promote the development of...
- Renewable Energy Resources. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: I have not read the report to which the Deputy refers but will have it examined. The European Commission strongly supports the use of these fuels and recently the commissioner with responsibility for this area highlighted the need to support bio-fuels because they are the most immediately feasible way of slowing the growth in greenhouse emissions in the transport sector and reducing our...
- Renewable Energy Resources. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: The White Paper on energy policy, which is the blueprint for the development of Ireland's energy sector, provides for looking at renewables, bio-fuels and alternative sources of fuel for a more competitive energy sector in Ireland. I made the point that with the big switch of grain to bio-fuel production in the United States and the drought in Australia grain prices are rising again after...
- Economic Competitiveness. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: Last month in my budget, I indicated that the outlook is for a moderation in the rate of economic expansion this year. At the time, my Department forecast GDP and GNP to rise by 3% and 2.8%, respectively. These forecasts reflected the transition to a more sustainable level of output in the new housing sector and a more moderate rate of growth in some of our major trading partners was...
- Economic Competitiveness. (30 Jan 2008)
Brian Cowen: In general terms, as we face into more moderate growth rates in the immediate years ahead, the level of resources that will become available means that we must use the existing level of resources as efficiently as possible. The role of Government is to ensure that this happens. In respect of competitiveness, inflation and price stability, we will continue to have a budgetary stance that...