Results 8,841-8,860 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I will have them for the Deputy in half an hour. That is the answer to that aspect of the question. In terms of the detail he wants, there is no problem in getting that. The context in which Deputy Gilmore is putting the question is to suggest that this Government is interested in having a different level of treatment for different patients.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: We are not.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: Allow me to answer the question. In the same way as we did in regard to nursing home care——

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——we are not trying to provide differentiated treatment. The whole idea of bringing in the fair deal scheme is to give equality of treatment and equality of eligibility for people, whether public or private. That is what we are trying to achieve. It is the same with the hospital system. All we hear from people who, on the one hand, want to see capital developments in the hospital...

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——is the suggestion that the only way one can build it is go the traditional route. If we are to have an improved health care system, as the OECD suggests, we need to look at different types of delivery systems and different models of delivery so that we can get outcomes for patients. That is what we are doing.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: We are getting delivery and it is far faster than under traditional systems.

Corporate Procurement Plans. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. There is a corporate procurement plan in place in my Department. This plan was put in place to implement the requirements of the national procurement policy framework and it reflects my Department's commitment to effective and efficient resource allocation and service provision as prescribed by the Public Service Management Act...

Corporate Procurement Plans. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: This is an area I will have a look at in the context of the reform of public services. It is important that procurement plans or procurement policy are not structured in such a way as to cause delay by requiring people away from the organisation to do the procuring when those in front line management positions are in a position to identify prospective suppliers. They would have built up a...

Corporate Procurement Plans. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: As I indicated, effective and efficient procurement policy procedures and practices can have a significant impact on the accountability and value for money aspects of the purchase of goods and services by the State. The potential for real savings from more effective procurement policies is significant. Achieving savings is important as it frees up resources which can be redirected to the...

Corporate Procurement Plans. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: No. The use of public private partnerships is appropriate in certain but not all circumstances. PPPs are also a good vehicle by which we can encourage private sector investment to work with public sector investment to provide much needed infrastructure. Within the system of evaluation of public private partnerships, the use of a public sector benchmark ensures an assessment of the options...

Corporate Procurement Plans. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: We are allowed to smile in the House.

Corporate Procurement Plans. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I do not believe it is possible to restrict access to the competitive tendering systems in place based on the location of a business. At a certain level of procurement expenditure, one is required to place a notice in the Official Journal of the European Communities and bring the tender to the attention of all competitors within the European wide system. This is good because it ensures our...

Corporate Procurement Plans. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: In fairness to public service procurers, people want to deal with reputable organisations and firms based on the quality of their product and the fact that they can provide it at short notice and the way those seeking the product want it. I do not believe one can place conditions in terms of what trade union is represented and so on. One is dealing with the procurement of a product which...

Independent Members. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 6, inclusive, together. These are political agreements that my predecessor entered into as Leader of the Fianna Fáil Party with individual Independent Deputies. I have confirmed to the Deputies concerned that I intend to continue to implement those agreements. As the Deputies will be aware, such arrangements have existed for almost 11 years. The...

Independent Members. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: A respectful reference.

Independent Members. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: The situation is very simple. The Independent Deputies who support this Government came to a political agreement with my predecessor, which I confirmed before I became Taoiseach. I thank them for their support. In fairness to the Deputies concerned, they just want to be kept informed on those areas of policy in which they have a particular interest, on which they have indicated they seek...

Independent Members. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: That is in terms of their interaction with the Government. Supporters of the Government would, of course, be——

Independent Members. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: On the matter of the Independent Deputy, the Deputy can be assured Deputy Beverley Flynn will continue to give very effective representation to the people of Mayo. The one guarantee we have for the next four years is that she will deliver far more than those who are in Opposition.

Independent Members. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: The interaction of the Deputies is with my office and staff, who deal with all internal issues, the same as with any other Member. There is a specific contact person for those Deputies through my office, which is an arrangement of convenience for them and me in ensuring the lines of communication are open and effective. The people concerned do their general work but provide a specific...

Independent Members. (14 May 2008)

Brian Cowen: Not looking at anyone else.