Results 18,181-18,200 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: Interdepartmental discussions are continuing to bring forward that legislation. We are anxious to create a modern legislative framework for charities, but there are issues involved of which the Deputy may or may not be aware.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am sure that Deputy Crawford is so aware, but Deputy Sargent, the man who calls me a chancer at weekends, might not be aware of them.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Crawford's first question concerned a register of persons considered unsafe to work with children. As I said in a previous reply to Deputy Sargent, that matter comes under the aegis of the North-South Ministerial Council. Some moments ago, I replied as to where that stands. It is not imminent.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: The natural gas regulation Bill, which is due next year, will give effect to the restructuring of the natural gas industry.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am not aware that such is required or enters into the setting up of the second committee of inquiry. Obviously there are legal issues involved regarding the report to which the Deputy referred but it is not customary to publish the Attorney General's advices which are issued to the Government.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: The heads of the medical practitioners Bill were approved by Government in June 2004. Further heads are expected this year and the Bill should be published early next year. With regard to the matter raised by the Deputy, everyone would be concerned about circumstances in which elderly people have a less than happy experience in their interaction with the public services, whether the health...

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: Everyone will be aware of the difficulties the postal services, particularly An Post, have experienced in recent years.

Order of Business. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: Thankfully, some improvements have been made but much more remains to be done. The matter is before the industrial relations machinery. The recommendations it makes will be critical and I hope they will meet with the approval of all sides with a view to addressing this question. The social partnership agreements provide a possibility to claim inability to pay. I hope the health of the company...

Estimates for Public Services 2005: Motion. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I move: That, notwithstanding Standing Order 152 (1) or (2) of the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann relative to Public Business, or the Order of the Dáil of 24th February, 2005, the following Further Revised Estimate for the Public Services for the year ending 31st December, 2005, be presented to the Dáil on 17th May, 2005, being a date later than that prescribed for the presentation of...

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: It is obvious that the third anniversary of the Government's election has upset greatly the Leader of the Opposition. Based on what the House has heard from Deputy Kenny, it seems that he has a dull view of the world. I do not agree that the investments being made by the Government are not required. I do not accept what he had to say in regard to the state of the economy and country. In a...

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I do not agree, for obvious reasons. To compare the final cost of projects with the costs estimated before the project concepts went to the planning stage is a ridiculous and objectionable line of argument. The Comptroller and Auditor General's report concluded that real project cost overruns due to underestimation was less than 20%, in line with quoted international trends. That was the...

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am sorry, but it is true.

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Rabbitte knows it all. That is the problem with him.

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am not distorting the figures.

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Rabbitte is the best distorter of figures in the business. When Deputy Rabbitte hears something he does not like, he makes us all out to be cretins and clowns. That is his name-calling. It is the way he carries on.

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: He might do it with others but he will not do it with me. It is the old game with him the whole time.

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: I reiterate that the Comptroller and Auditor General's report concluded that real project cost overruns due to underestimation was less than 20%, in line with quoted international trends. We will point out in the debate which will begin later today the steps the Government is taking to deal with those issues as a policy matter. I make the point to Deputy Kenny that we have been engaged in a...

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: The detail on some of these policy points is best addressed by the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children. However, I will make the following points. No Government, including this Government, seeks to unnecessarily put lives at risk. Deputy Rabbitte was in Government. Since he left office in 1997, some €550 million has been invested in cancer care. That does not suggest to him that...

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: The development of cancer care services has not been put on the long finger. It is not true to say that no decisions have been taken.

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2005)

Brian Cowen: We need to ascertain the way in which we can accelerate the nationwide provision of the BreastCheck service. The Tánaiste has been addressing the matter and has discussed it with me. I leave it to her to decide the way in which she can bring further information to the House.