Results 6,841-6,860 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Appointments to State Boards. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As I indicated, I am open to suggestions as to how we can improve the quality of those appointed to the boards. I do not believe membership of a particular political organisation or party should disqualify persons from appointment to a State board.

Appointments to State Boards. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I would deplore any tendency in that regard. Participation in political parties of every type, description and orientation is an important part of the public life of the State and should be esteemed rather than devalued. That is important in making appointments to boards. I do not accept the proposition that because a person is a member of a political party it somehow necessarily...

Appointments to State Boards. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: A review and audit of the current membership of a board would, in effect, undermine its position.

Appointments to State Boards. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Members of the relevant boards in the financial authorities have very grave responsibilities. I would not attempt to review their performance other than in the context of fresh appointments being made to those authorities or a public concern being raised about the public performance of their duties. No public concern about their duties has been brought to my attention.

Value for Money Initiative. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As I outlined to Deputy Bruton on 4 June, it is important that the Oireachtas should engage with evaluation of spending programmes under the value for money initiative. In this regard, the Deputy will be aware that the orders of reference for the select committees of the 30th Dáil specifically encompass consideration of the reviews completed under this initiative. The Deputy will also be...

Value for Money Initiative. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am certainly open to considering it, although the public accounts process encompasses some of what the Deputy is referring to regarding the evaluation of value for money. A perusal of the report submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General makes that very clear. Regarding the specific value for money initiative we are discussing, the practice to date has been that the Government...

Value for Money Initiative. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I read the transcript.

Value for Money Initiative. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy began by raising the question of the 800 agencies. My views on the matter are well known. It is under consideration in the budgetary process. I agree that our public administration has become far too fragmented and divided. The Deputy used the term "quango" in reference to these bodies and agencies, all of which are not quangos in the sense that clearly the Central Bank is an...

Value for Money Initiative. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It was agreed in the circumstances of the health reform programme and the demands associated with its implementation, that further value for money reviews would not be initiated until 2006. Two reviews that were scheduled to take place in 2002 on the accident and emergency departments and on the GMS were effectively overtaken by the extensive reviews undertaken in the context of the health...

Economic Competitiveness. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The deterioration in the economy's competitiveness relative to that of our main trading partners has been driven by a combination of factors. These include a strong euro, the global rise in commodity prices and wage increases in excess of productivity. The relatively high rate of inflation we have experienced over the last number of years has also played a role. At this stage, price levels...

Economic Competitiveness. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Government collectively has a very important fundamental duty to maintain our cost base under control as much as possible. My Department does not control the cost of electricity in the State, which is one of the cost factors which bears on our inflation. We have established as a State an independent system of regulation to determine energy prices. That independent process is informed...

Economic Competitiveness. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Deputy Bruton made the case that I was personally responsible for the price of electricity.

Economic Competitiveness. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I wish to point out that neither I nor my Department is responsible but that the Government collectively has to take the decisions that ensure we have the lowest possible price in the Irish market. The Deputy referred to inflation in respect of public sector costs generally. I can assure him that, as Minister for Finance, I keep a very wary eye on any such increases in public expenditure....

Economic Competitiveness. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As regards the health service, primary responsibility for the formulation of proposals rests with the Minister for Health and Children. The matter is collectively considered by the Government at regular intervals. In regard to the costs of the health service, I do not accept Deputy Burton's assumption that the for-profit sector is necessarily more expensive than the public sector provision.

Economic Competitiveness. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The public sector provision also carries a considerable cost driven by normative salary rates which are well in excess of those of many of our European partners at all levels of the service.

Economic Competitiveness. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The budget will provide a framework with regard to our costs and competitiveness for the future. I do not accept Deputy O'Donnell's casual reference to the fact that we lost control over our exchange rates when we joined the euro. The reality is that Ireland has been locked into some form of monetary union since the earliest part of the 19th century. For a large part of that history we...

Economic Competitiveness. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: ——and the dissemination of inaccurate information played a major part in that debate.

Economic Competitiveness. (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy must wait for the budget.

Unemployment Levels (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In view of the changing global economic environment and the slowing domestic construction sector, the prospects for employment have weakened in 2008. In July of this year my Department forecast that survey-based unemployment would average 5.8% this year. My Department is currently updating its economic and fiscal forecasts in the context of the latest information that is becoming available....

Unemployment Levels (25 Sep 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My Department will arrive at a full figure when all the data is assembled from the ESRI, whose views are always entitled to the highest respect, and from other relevant organisations.