Results 1,201-1,220 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Burton is another conspiracy theorist. I made sure I attended a dinner which had been arranged and which other people in previous positions, including people on the Deputy's side of the fence, had attended. It was a quarterly meeting to which people are invited. I spoke generally about the economy and all the rest of it. There was nothing specific about Anglo Irish Bank in relation...

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: The matter that referred to was a request regarding issues that were under litigation. On the advice of the Attorney General, this information is not made available to anyone, nor is it within the remit of the Ombudsman's Act to obtain it. There was a suggestion that there was no legal certainty in these matters. The Oireachtas enacted legislation prior to the investigation in question...

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not accept that. It is not the case. The case mentioned in the report to which the Deputy referred is before the courts.

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy has made a few assertions which I would like to answer with some facts. That case is before the courts. The Ombudsman does not deal with issues before the courts. The Office of the Ombudsman deals with administrative malpractices and complaints that come before it. If a person seeks to resolve a matter through the courts, it is dealt with by the courts. The Ombudsman in that...

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: That simply is a Department putting its view in respect of-----

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: There was no question of not co-operating. There was no question of that because-----

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: On the allegation that is being made, yes. The allegation that is being made is that the Department failed to co-operate with the investigation. The investigation sought to obtain the legal strategy in respect of cases that were before the courts. That is not within the remit of the Ombudsman Act. That office does not deal with legal matters before the courts. This is the point.

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Department made it clear from the outset of the investigation, having consulted as normal with the Office of the Attorney General, that it could not accept that a number of areas of the proposed investigation came within the ambit of the Ombudsman Act 1980. In fact, the Ombudsman's report of 2001 on nursing homes subventions acknowledged that "the Ombudsman's jurisdiction relates to...

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Not at all. It is a question of the Department and the Minister-----

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am sorry Deputy-----

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Just as the Ombudsman is entitled to put her position, the Department and the Minister are entitled to put their position.

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: The allegation of non-co-operation relates to an area that is not within the ambit of the Ombudsman's Act.

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Says the Attorney General, who advises the Government.

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: To be honest-----

Business of Dáil (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: To be honest, it takes some doing to take a lecture from a Deputy who was a member of a Government that conducted the Brigid McCole case. ^ ^

Agreements with Members (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos.1 to 5, inclusive, together. These are political agreements that my predecessor entered into as leader of the Fianna Fáil Party with individual Independent Deputies. On becoming leader of Fianna Fáil, I confirmed to the Deputies concerned that I would continue to implement those agreements. The House is aware such arrangements have existed for more than 13...

Agreements with Members (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not understand the question. The position is clear. In respect of the specific matter regarding the roads programme, that will be dealt with in the Estimate for the Department of Transport. As for issues relating to future policy on the licensing of gaming and so on, as the Deputy noted a report is being prepared by the Minister for Justice and Law Reform. He is considering that...

Agreements with Members (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: I thank the Deputy.

Agreements with Members (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do of course.

Agreements with Members (10 Nov 2010)

Brian Cowen: Yes, there is a person in my office those Deputies who wish to inquire about something may ring. He also has other duties and does not sit there waiting to receive a telephone call from two Independent Deputies. If Independent Deputies wish to contact my office, there is a person with whom they deal. I am sure that if a Fine Gael Deputy is looking for Deputy Kenny through his office, there...