Results 12,461-12,480 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The enactment of this legislation in no way affects the hearing of any evidence at any existing tribunal, now or in the future.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: They are the facts.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I understand the former Chairman of that committee, Deputy Ardagh, is continuing with the committee's deliberations on the work that has been done in regard to that matter. It is intended that the Bills referred to will be published during the course of this session.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The arrangements for the budget are based on reforms I have been introducing in recent years. As the Deputy pointed out, there will be a unified budget on this occasion where items of expenditure and taxation will be dealt with on budget day. This was something which had been recommended by committees of the House in the past and in previous reports. The benefits of the new arrangements are...

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: What we will get from the Opposition is the usual; we will have some spokespersons talking about what should be the macroeconomic position while other spokespersons will say we are not spending half enough.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am sure the usual incoherence of the Opposition will be repeated this year, as in previous years. I note the Opposition has never yet published an alternative budget, unlike Fianna Fáil in Opposition.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The output statement has made it very clear; it will go before the committees.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Ministers will be giving them.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: A couple of inaccurate statements have been made by Deputy Bruton which I wish to clarify. He failed to point out that the increases from the higher remuneration body are being paid in three phases. Five per cent is being paid back to the date of the report's presentation in September. It is not a question of a payment of €16 million coming out of this year's Estimate at all, as the...

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: ——the press release.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: The payments will be made in three instalments of approximately one third. One third of 16 is not eight either.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: Before we get into the millions and the billions of the budget, I am afraid we are not starting off on a very good footing if Deputy Bruton cannot divide 16 by three yet. Not all of that €16 million relates——

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: What I have noticed in the House is that Deputy Bruton is great at asking questions and being listened to in silence but immediately when he gets a response that is accurate he starts shouting down the Government. I have noticed that is the tactic here the whole time. When Deputy Bruton puts his assertions in the House, I want to clarify them for the purpose of accuracy since he is someone...

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: So much for your situation.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: All of these issues will be dealt with in terms of decisions on the Supplementary Estimates, not in regard to this matter. Decisions on departmental Estimates will be made in the course of the next few weeks. That is always the case as the final balances emerge. Regarding the budget reform process, it is a more transparent process. For a number of weeks now the Opposition Members have had...

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: It would be best if the Deputy put down a parliamentary question on that matter. I could not say, with accuracy, the number of those 41 Bills that have come before Cabinet at various periods of discussion.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: Like the Deputy, I look forward to Christmas too.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: On promised legislation, it is expected that the Bill will be enacted before the end of the session.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: It is a matter for the Whips.

Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Cowen: There is no legislation promised to amend the Competition Act.