Results 18,161-18,180 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Public Expenditure: Motion. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: When it had the opportunity when it was in office, it put no capital investment into public transport.

Public Expenditure: Motion. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: Shouting me down will not change this.

Public Expenditure: Motion. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: Since 1997 the Government has invested a cumulative €2.3 billion in public transport. This has lead to major increases in capacity, especially in the greater Dublin area——

Public Expenditure: Motion. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: ——including the introduction of the Luas with a capacity of 20 million passengers per annum, an increased 30% capacity on DART services and rail lines to suburban areas.

Public Expenditure: Motion. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Government has also halted neglect of the rail network by increasing capacity and making our railways safer. When the Government took office, a railway safety programme had to be introduced before any investment could be made because the Opposition left it in an unsafe state.

Public Expenditure: Motion. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: Further improvements are underway and more will be done in the years ahead. The Government has embarked on a hospital modernisation programme, with the largest infrastructure capital expenditure in the last 50 years. Waiting list data collected by the Department of Health and Children at the end of 1997 reported some 45% of adults waiting in excess of 12 months for surgery. This was...

Public Expenditure: Motion. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: This year the Government will spend €7.17 billion in investment in education. This is an increase of over €4.24 billion on the levels we inherited in 1997, leading to major improvements in services. The pupil-teacher ratio has fallen at primary level from 22:7 to 17:4 and at secondary level from 17:7 to 15:4. Some 9,000 more teachers are employed and approximately 6,000 special needs...

Public Expenditure: Motion. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: This House should not have a crazy debate that suggests this never happened. It is true more needs to be done. There are pressures on services that need to be addressed.

Public Expenditure: Motion. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: This is the reality.

Public Expenditure: Motion. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I will not accept the claim that there are no benefits from the policies pursued by the Government.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Whistleblowers Protection Bill 1999 was a Private Members' Bill introduced by Deputy Rabbitte on 15 June 1999 and was accepted by the Government. The purpose of the Bill was to provide protection from civil liability to employees who make certain disclosures reasonably and in good faith on the conduct or the business and affairs of their employers. A memorandum for Government was...

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am not aware of any terms of reference. Nothing has come to Government, to my knowledge.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am not aware that there are any such plans. I note, however, that as a result of what has emerged over the past few days, the board has indicated that the new executive director is to be appointed forthwith. I hope the Abbey will be in a position to deal with the issues following the recent revelations.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: The legislation does not refer to obesity. It proposes a register to give effect to the recommendations of a child protection joint working group. The legislation arises from the North-South Ministerial Council. A cross-governmental working group reported to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on proposals for reform of vetting of employees by the Garda Síochána. The Minister...

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: No decision was taken on this matter. It was an informal meeting of EU Finance Ministers and decisions cannot be taken at such meetings.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: A discussion took place on this matter. The concept is to try to find ways and means of capturing the civic sentiment of society in the aftermath of the tsunami and other tragedies. It is a question of how one encourages civil society to respond in addition to countries trying to meet their overseas development aid commitments. Part of the discussion was about debt relief and setting...

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: It is not something to which I would subscribe. Ireland's overseas development aid commitment has increased by over 240% since we took office. Donation relief, which was first introduced in the Finance Bill of 1996 and subsequently amended in this year's Bill, is a means of encouraging people to make donations to NGOs or other bodies working in the developing world. It makes tax relief...

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy knows, the Bill was published on 20 December 2004 and is currently awaiting debate on Second Stage. It is a matter for the Whips to include it for discussion.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I would never be so courageous as to instruct the Whip.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I understand that the charities Bill is due next year.