Results 11,961-11,980 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: That will be next year.

Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: The call to regulate this sector was practically uniform in the past.

Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am aware of that but maybe if I get to the second sentence I will be able to follow the Deputy's thought patterns.

Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: The competitiveness issue is an important one. We have indicated to the regulator the need to conduct a review, which is taking place with all parties in this sector with a view to seeing in what way we can ensure that energy prices will be more competitive than is currently the case, vis-À-vis those with whom we are trading. That must be done in the context of the existing regulatory...

Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: I do not believe any of that has been promised as yet, as far as I am aware. As regards the other matter, before the second piece of communications legislation comes before the House for consideration, there will be many opportunities for the Deputy to bring her views to the Minister's attention through parliamentary questions and otherwise.

Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: We expect that legislation to be published at the end of the week. The other legislation the Deputy asked about is being drafted and should be brought forward in the next session.

Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Bill is currently being drafted and will probably be brought forward in the next session.

Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: It will be dealt with in the Revised Estimates volume.

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. Of the 179 civil servants currently serving in my Department, 28 have applied through the central applications facility to relocate under the decentralisation programme. The breakdown by grade is two principal officers; seven assistant principals; five higher executive officers; four administrative officers; five executive...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: Any such sites will continue to be managed by the OPW as part of its portfolio. It is important to point out that to date a total of €276 million has been spent on the programme but there have been offsettings, savings or reallocation of property to other schemes valued in the region of €556 million.

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: The right thing to do in the new economic circumstances in which the Government found itself in preparation for the 2009 Estimates was to confirm that there will be a deferral in terms of the provision of accommodation pending review in 2011 in respect of those sites where it was felt, first, there was not a contract in place and, second, it would not have been possible to proceed between now...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: What was actually being decentralised was 10,000 posts. We were not decentralising 10,000 Dublin people out of Dublin; we were decentralising 10,000 posts.

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: That is what we were doing. It is posts that one is transferring.

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: When those people——

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: When people decentralise and go on to retire, the post remains and is filled where the vacancy arises. It is the posts that one is transferring. It is important to point that out. It is not the case that when people's time is up they will not all relocate back to Dublin. That is not the idea, the idea is to transfer posts. That is a very important point, which I thought would have been...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: The point is well made at this stage and I do not have to labour it any further, if the Deputy will excuse the pun. The question of costs relates to property costs, which I have given. The needs of the programme are assessed in the context of the Estimates process each year. Funding is approved on the basis of the particular projects being progressed in the relevant period. Originally in...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: I can only answer for my own Department. I can give other information as is available to it. With regard to the property aspects of the decentralisation programme, the notional cost was included in the budget of 2004 because it could not be predicted with great accuracy——

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: Sorry, it is not a notion. A total of 6,000 people will be relocated by 2011. A total of 3,400 are already in the process of being decentralised. They will be going voluntarily and in line with trade union agreements and in line with the strategic plans of Departments. I often hear people complaining about decentralisation but I have yet to hear anyone in the House saying the level of...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: One can never find a specific case to justify the level of criticism implied behind some of the questioning. However, decentralisation is a political football which people in the House want to continue to kick around.

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: I agree it is a legitimate question. I remind the Deputy that all his rural Deputies are unequivocally in favour of it, as stated in the local newspapers.