Results 18,781-18,800 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Fiscal Policy. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: A number of people commented on radio in the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling that they had no intention of claiming. I do not suggest how many will do so but families will come to their own conclusions as to whether they wish to claim. I am not commenting on whether they should but some people are happy with the service and may not claim. I know people who feel that way about it.

Fiscal Policy. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: Those who are entitled to claim will be paid. We will seek to devise as expeditious a way as possible of providing for what is due to them. We are still considering this at Cabinet based on legal advice and decisions must be taken on the logistics involved.

Fiscal Policy. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: The purpose of Question Time is to clarify those situations, and despite my clarification, the Deputy is seeking to continue misrepresenting my position. It was stated in this House by the Tánaiste, confirmed by me in an interview when attending the ECOFIN meeting the week before the interview to which the Deputy referred and has been made clear by the Government that we will introduce a...

Fiscal Policy. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: That is the position, and when I am asked about this situation, I presume that people have taken on board the clear Government position stated by the Tánaiste in this House last week. I was asked the following week who pays for it; the taxpayer does. I said that the impact would be as follows. Whatever liability the State is deemed to owe families, estates or people who are still alive, we...

Banking Sector Regulation. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that arising from the Clerical Medical Insurance-NIB inquiry, 466 cases have been targeted for investigation. To date, 297 cases have been settled on payment of tax, interest and penalties amounting to a total of €49.51 million. A further 116 cases have been finalised with no additional liability arising. The remaining 53 cases are the subject of...

Banking Sector Regulation. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: I find that most unfortunate, and I ask people and the press to check the record of the House yesterday regarding the Committee Stage of the Finance Bill. In an effort to make some sort of political point, presumably in the context of the by-election campaign, the Deputy has continually misrepresented my position. That is the second successive such question from the Deputy. She was listening...

Banking Sector Regulation. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: As is normal regarding the law on mergers or takeovers, existing liabilities of the bank remain current. People can still sue in the event of malfeasance against them under the auspices of the National Irish Bank. People buy both the assets and the concurrent liabilities of businesses when they acquire them. As I understand it there is no question of a person's right to sue or to claim...

Banking Sector Regulation. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: I understand from my note that the number of cases under investigation has increased from 452 to 466, an increase of 14, as a result of some supplementary information provided by NIB during the final clean-up phase of the investigation.

Tax Yield. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the relevant information available is the amount of tax revenues collected as VAT, excise and VRT in respect of motor vehicles. As regards VAT, all figures are estimates as the information to be furnished on VAT returns does not require the yield from particular sectors of trade to be identified. It is not possible to quantify corporation tax or...

Tax Yield. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: No, it is not. The Deputy is not telling the whole story.

Tax Yield. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: I am glad to have the opportunity to record the achievement of which I am so proud because Deputy Bruton likes to hear only the first part of the sentence and shout down the second part. A total of €220 less in tax is being paid by the average industrial wage earner this year compared with 1997, while his or her wage has increased by €11,000. Instead of an average industrial wage of...

Tax Yield. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: I knew that would prompt Deputy Burton to seek to shout me down. There are about 17 machines on the road and another 20 or 30 are due to come on to it. As soon as that road is completed, we will move on to the N3. The chambers of commerce in the Meath constituency made it clear in committees — I hope members of the press were in a position to attend — who they regard as the strongest...

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: The responsibility for capital project selection and choosing the optimal means of funding such projects rests with the agencies sponsoring and sanctioning such projects. Normally the sanctioning authority will be a Department. I am determined to ensure that value for money for the taxpayer is maximised in the exercise of this responsibility. Accordingly, Departments and implementing...

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: There has been a great improvement in this area and major projects are now coming in not only on time but before time and on budget. The learning curve relating to this process was not sufficiently steep and we did not come to grips quickly enough with certain problems that arose. Some of these problems came about as a result of judicial reviews which arose on foot of people exercising their...

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: I previously served as Minister for Health and Children and am aware it can be the case that when a capital project — for which there have been many calls and in respect of which everyone is agreed — is proceeded with, industrial relations issues begin to arise on the current side in terms of staffing levels etc. People seek leverage and this can cause problems in respect of attempts to...

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: No. I am saying that there are reasons other than those to which the Deputy referred. There are real problems that arise.

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: I have brought forward new guidelines. I have circulated these and I want them to be implemented. That is where I stand and I will be accountable for what I do.

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: I have circulated guidelines relating to contracts for implementation. I will also be engaging in detailed discussions with the construction industry in respect of other aspects of this matter. There has been an improvement in the way the system operates. Deputy Bruton, in his position as an Opposition spokesperson, is trying to suggest that nothing has been done and that they money has been...

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy never made that clear.

Benchmarking Awards. (3 Mar 2005)

Brian Cowen: I refer the Deputy to my previous reply of 1 February 2005. In the first public service pay agreement under Sustaining Progress, the parties agreed that the benchmarking process was the appropriate way to determine public service pay rates. They committed themselves to engage in consultation on the terms of reference, modus operandi, establishment and timescale of a further benchmarking...