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

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: If Sinn Féin is not taking €15 billion out in expenditure, is it taking it out in tax or is it taking it out at all? Will it be taken out of one bank and put in another? Is the party bringing it down somewhere else and putting it somewhere.?

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: What does the Deputy want me to do with the deficit?

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am answering the questions but I am clearly upsetting the Deputy.

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: Rather than putting the questions, I will answer them as well.

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: Do I not welcome the formation of that group?

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: That is for sure. The Deputy should not worry about. I will not contaminate the Deputy's group with my presence. If the Deputy is saying we should leave the €15 billion in, then one is talking about continuing with the deficits we have. It is clearly the case that there is no access to funds available to this country on that basis and, therefore, by July 2011, when the Deputy goes up to...

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: Sinn Féin was not short of funds before. It has very creative ways of finding money.

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is not. The next way one closes it------

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy cannot take this because Sinn Féin does not have a credible alternative.

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: If he is not taking €15 billion out in expenditure, he will have to take it out in taxation. We have, therefore,-----

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy has suggested I have the wrong proposals. I have explained to him in the House over a number of weeks why I think ours have a better chance than his. He said, "No, we would not take it out" and then he said, "We would take it out". When I ask him how he would so, he is not prepared to say. The bottom line is in Sinn Féin's documentation there is an 80% adjustment through...

National Recovery Plan (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: That is what it says. I am not missing anything. That is the basic point and that is the biggest jobs killer of all.

Regulatory Reform (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, together. I have outlined to the House on many occasions progress on the implementation of the OECD's 2001 report on regulatory reform in Ireland and the Government's 2004 White Paper on regulation. The better regulation unit in my Department is tasked with driving and supporting key projects across Government. In this context, it chairs...

Regulatory Reform (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: The supplementary documentation I have relates to the OECD report, which is a more general regulatory report. I did not see the programme last night but I am aware from reports about it that there are clearly issues which are unacceptable and must be investigated and examined closely. The vast majority of services in this area are supplied by the HSE and HSE personnel but, as the Deputy...

Regulatory Reform (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: We are moving into specific territory, but to be as helpful as I can, I do not accept that the Government has been seeking to make it more difficult. For example, the supervisory function of HIQA has been a good introduction for the health services in general and has led to a more objective uniform standard being provided. There has been a great increase over time in the provision of home...

Regulatory Reform (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: -----taking on work in a helpful way. We must make sure the work is done on a neighbourly basis.

Regulatory Reform (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not think it played any role in creating an illusion or mirage. What the Deputy's point shows graphically, as I have said myself on other occasions, is that international commentary in previous years did not foresee the scope, depth or severity of the financial crisis that came upon us in the autumn of 2008 and that we have been seeking to deal with since. In the planning that was...

Regulatory Reform (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: Not very many people, if anyone, did. There are many who, with hindsight, point to this, that or the other to suggest that they were saying it all along but that was certainly not the case in the years preceding the crisis. There were risks but a confluence of the realisation of all of those risks was not regarded as being worthy of short odds. The international and domestic problems that...

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: It must be clearly understood that if we are to be in a position to borrow to maintain our public services, State pensions, unemployment benefits, schools and hospitals and pay those who work in them, we must adhere strictly to the agreed parameters of the national recovery plan we have drawn up and agreed with the European Union, ECB and IMF. The plan is the sole basis for drawing down the...

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: A priority for this Government is to protect the most vulnerable in our society, while ensuring that those of us who can afford to carry the heaviest burden do so. An additional €10 million has been provided for the disability sector. We have also prioritised the free pre-school education programme. We have not reduced the contributory old age pension in order that those in our elderly...