Results 9,901-9,920 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. Vacancies arise in my Department from time to time for a variety of reasons, including staff transferring to other Departments, retirements, career breaks and resignations. In accordance with the business needs of the Department and the relevant Civil Service rules and procedures, it has been the practice to fill vacancies through...

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: It applies to the Department's full payroll.

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: The figure of 3% applies to the full payroll. The Department has been given an opportunity to reduce the payroll by 3% by the end of 2009 in respect of all employees, regardless of their status.

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: The reduction in payroll is envisaged on the basis of taking 3% off the payroll costs. One achieves this by examining whether to recruit people as a result of vacancies arising, the position regarding overtime and a range of issues. Such flexibility must be given to management to achieve the payroll cut. I am simply saying the payroll cut applies to the full payroll costs of the...

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: The decision to manage staff resources within existing staff resources in effect means that staff vacancies arising will, in general, not be filled by means of external recruitment, which will result in a permanent reduction in the authorised staff complement for the Department. This will necessitate reviews of how staff are deployed within the Department to ensure that key areas of...

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: The answer to the first question is not to my knowledge. Second, I have just explained how the payroll cut will be achieved in the Department.

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: A census of staff serving in my Department as of 31 December 2007 was conducted in February of this year. Some 5% of the 79% who responded to the survey voluntarily disclosed a disability. My Department is an equal opportunities employer and staff are recruited solely on the basis of ability to fulfil specific roles. My Department exceeds the legislative requirement of employing a 3% level...

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: I explained the various codes of practice employed within my Department and I have also indicated that based on a survey, we know approximately 5% of our employees meet the definition regarding disability. With regard to the specific query raised outside the ambit of this question on comments by the Minister of State, Deputy McGuinness, those were personal and do not reflect Government policy.

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: I will have to check with the Deputy regarding the report on modernisation about which he inquires. I will get back to him on the issue which is outside the ambit of the questions in front of me. On the communications unit, I have explained the situation regarding how it is envisaged that payroll costs would be cut in the Departments. It is not specific to individual units or members of...

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: Having explained three times how the payroll costs are to be handled, I do not wish to repeat the explanation again. On the question of Civil Service and public service modernisation or public sector reform, as it has been described, I expect the task force, which I set up on obtaining the OECD report on the matter, will report to us very shortly. The task force will set out in a coherent...

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: I cannot fathom the meaning of the second part of the Deputy's contribution.

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: The survey to which I referred is evidence that a policy exists, that this policy is monitored, that the targets set down are being exceeded and that there is adherence to the codes of practice. The Deputy's contention seems to be that a survey was carried out, that people disclosed their views and that there is not a policy, but the position is quite the contrary.

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Ministers of State in question have cross-cutting responsibilities which range beyond their work in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. They are doing their jobs. The reduction in payroll costs relates to staff. I have already outlined, on approximately six occasions since I began answering questions on this matter, how that reduction is to be made.

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: No decision has been made in respect of those matters. All we have done is outline how the 3% payroll cuts are to be achieved.

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: We should await the outcome of the task force report and the OECD report before considering any of those matters.

Departmental Staff. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am not aware of the identity of the civil servants who made those comments, if they exist at all. The OECD people stand over their report. I recall reading that article. I am not aware of those who felt so strongly or if they made themselves known.

Data Protection. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, together. My Department applies best practice and uses industry standard information security protection devices and software to protect all data within its systems. The Department regularly reviews and updates these security procedures and products as a matter of course. No computers, disks, laptops or memory storage devices containing...

Data Protection. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: With regard to the Department of Social and Family Affairs, I understand there is no evidence to suggest the information was used. The Minister provided a full and frank disclosure upon being notified of what had happened so the people concerned could take whatever precautions they wished to ensure their personal information would not be used by anybody in an unauthorised way. It is...

Data Protection. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: It is important that the person responsible for equipment lost or stolen notifies authorities as quickly as possible, and immediately if possible. The procedures in place to deal with equipment reported as lost or stolen in my Department is that, where a device is reported missing or stolen, the user account associated with that device is immediately disabled. BlackBerries are centrally...

Data Protection. (24 Sep 2008)

Brian Cowen: The answer to that is not in my knowledge. I have not been notified of any adverse subsequent development beyond the fact that the events took place. The Ministers concerned have brought the events to public notice and have indicated what the people who may have been affected would need to do to reassure themselves that their information was not improperly accessed or used in a way that was...