Results 13,401-13,420 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Second Stage. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am glad to introduce this, my fourth Finance Bill to the House. In my first Bill in 2005, I concentrated on reducing the tax burden on low and middle income earners. In my second Bill in 2006, I reformed and refocused the structure of investment tax reliefs and set a minimum tax which the well-off must pay. In my third Bill earlier this...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Second Stage. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: Ah jaysus——

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Second Stage. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: That is the best conspiracy theory the Deputy has come up with.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Second Stage. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I want to write that one down, now, for the first day of the Dáil. That is the best one she has come up with in a long time. We have had a few good ones but that is the best.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy should stop.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: Throw him out.

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: The value-for-money and policy reviews process encompasses formal value-for-money reviews, as well as all other policy reviews conducted and commissioned by Departments which have an impact on value for money. Under the new arrangements, the Government approved some 90 formal value-for-money reviews to be carried out for the period 2006-08. That programme of reviews focuses on significant...

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: That is available to committees anyway. Taking this specific structured review of value for money, we are talking about approximately €6.5 billion of expenditure being reviewed. We can have ambitious programmes of reviewing 25% of public spending and not get it done properly or we can do it properly in respect of what is achievable and what should, and can, be done. It is not exclusively...

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I have answered the Deputy's question. The total area——

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: The total area under review — the 92 areas — covers over €6.5 billion. That is a significant amount of money. It is open to the committees and I have invited the Chairmen of the committees to monitor this process.

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: That is only one of 92 areas. The Deputy should not suggest that is the issue.

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: The issue is the €6.5 billion. The point I make is that there have been reforms in the budgetary process which are bringing greater accountability and a greater sense to the Oireachtas as to the outputs expected for the money being spent and which also ensure that during the course of next year — the first full year — we can mark that performance against the proposed outputs. Then we...

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I am trying to be in order.

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: To answer the questions in reverse order, I am aware of Deputy Ó Caoláin's outright opposition to public private partnerships. PPPs can be and are used to meet public sector benchmarks. We establish if there is a way to carry out a project through public private partnership which is better than through the traditional procurement method. There is no doubt that the private sector is in a...

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: It is necessary to defend it because it is under constant attack from the Deputy's quarter.

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: I do not agree——

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: Let me answer your question.

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: As I move specifically to answer, I do not agree with the idea that we should continue to review every aspect of governmental activity when it is clear that we have already had a review of the issue under the schools initiative. We have put forward reforms and improvements, like the public sector benchmark requirements, which deal with a great many of the issues. We cannot continue to roll...

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: We reviewed it ad nauseam. While Deputy Ó Caoláin wants to go off and have a chat about it at the Committee of Public Accounts my intention is to be a member of a Government that will get things done for people. Deputy Ó Caoláin can go off and have a chat about it.

Departmental Expenditure. (26 Jun 2007)

Brian Cowen: That is my answer to the question.