Results 12,661-12,680 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: We will continue with this consistent policy approach in the interests of making sure that we will have a return to growth and jobs and that we will help those who lose them in the meantime.

Departmental Programmes. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. I am circulating with the Official Report a list for the information of the Deputy detailing the principal cross-departmental teams and interdepartmental committees on which my Department is represented: The following cross-departmental teams or interdepartmental committees meet three to four times yearly. Name Purpose Senior Officials...

Departmental Programmes. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: In respect of the rule governing this matter, when an answer is printed in the Official Report and not provided orally, I understand the rule is that Members await a reply rather than pursue matters by supplementary questions. Upon receipt of the reply, there will be an opportunity to put various detailed questions based on the considerable number of committees which have been communicated....

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 7, inclusive, together. The Government press secretary and the staff in the Government press office and the Government information service are subject to all current guidelines applying generally in the Civil Service, as set out the in the Civil Service code of conduct, staff circulars and relevant legislation. No particular guidelines have been...

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: There are no guidelines and I do not believe there should be any strict rules of engagement. There is always a two-way communication process between Government and media organisations and this also applies to Opposition party press officers. It would be unhelpful to have any form of ban or restrictions on such communications or to suggest that there should be guidelines on Government...

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Gilmore would know more about that than I would. I have always regarded the Deputy as an acute observer of current affairs.

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: No more than myself.

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: Like myself. At the same time, in fairness to the Deputy, they know where to find him when they are looking for him. When people talk about the independence of organisations it does not mean that contact is precluded or that if there is a complaint to be made either way that people should be too shy about making their views known. It is important that the relationship is respectful and...

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The vast majority of the people to whom the Deputy refers deal with the information side of a Department. They provide information services. As the Deputy will be aware, there is a plethora of people interested in what is happening in the Department of Social and Family Affairs such as people in voluntary organisations and apart from the wider public who need to access information. There...

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: As I stated in my reply, I inquired whether a centralised solution was available that would achieve the objectives of improving efficiency, eliminating duplication and implementing cost savings. A tender was issued for a centralised Government contract for the provision of a press cutting and media monitoring service for all Departments. However, when the tenders were received it turned out...

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: Whatever the existing arrangements, the proposed new arrangement was not going to be less costly than the existing arrangement. There may be some Departments using outside media press cutting arrangements but I do not have that information available to me, although that may be the case. I am not saying it is all in-house but rather that the suggested alternative which might have been...

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: They did not, nor did I request one.

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I always give them Friday nights off.

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: It must be. We do not take offence as easily as the Labour Party. Larger parties can hack this far easier.

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I could never understand that democratic centralism Deputy Gilmore espouses and which he is very adeptly bringing into the organisation he leads. Fair dues to him. I have been watching very carefully how he has been able to do that. It is a good operation.

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: Not at all. I am watching with interest the little backwash that is coming against him in certain respects as he seeks to pull his party back into the centre.

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: It was a good effort on Deputy Gilmore's part and I wish him well.

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The embargo applies across all areas of the public service subject to the consent of the Minister for Finance.

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I would not think so. The Labour Party gives us plenty of food for thought.

Official Engagements. (29 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 18, inclusive, together. On Sunday 5 April I travelled to Prague to participate in the EU-US Summit. I was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin. This meeting, attended by President Obama, took place against the backdrop of the London G20 Summit on 2 April and the NATO Summit on 3 and 4 April. The EU-US relationship is of...