Results 14,541-14,560 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (1 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: Local emergency plans are in place. Up to this weekend, the experience is that they have been working very well. That is the general view of people on the ground. There may well be individual cases of continuing hardship or delay in getting to those affected by floods. In many cases, however, priorities have to be established at local level concerning the protection of installations and...

Order of Business (1 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is not the number of funds we establish that is important, but rather the adequacy of resources for the funding we need to supply. That is the determining factor in the response. The whole idea is to have a flexible responsive position established. As the clean-up issues emerge this question arises as well as for people who cannot access their homes. At present arrangements are being...

Order of Business (1 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: Between the exceptional needs payment that already exists and the hardship humanitarian fund, now established, the initial and immediate needs of families can be met. Longer-term issues will arise in due course, but it is less a question of the number of funds that are needed than the need to ensure that there is a flexible and adequate response to individual circumstances, which will vary...

Report by Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin: Statements (1 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin was appointed in March 2006. Its report was published last week. It is a deeply upsetting document. At the outset, I want to say it is our duty as a society to confront and address the sexual abuse of children and to bring healing to those who have suffered the traumas of abuse. The greatest tribute we can pay to the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (1 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is not possible to provide the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. However, I will be in contact with the Deputy shortly to provide the information available.

Written Answers — Electric Vehicles: Electric Vehicles (1 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: My Department has not entered into an arrangement for the purchase of electric vehicles in 2009 to 2010.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The cost of heating my Department's offices in 2008 was €40,803. It is not possible to provide details of the heating costs for the National Economic and Social Development Office as it is included in the cost of the rent paid to the Office for Public Works and not billed separately.

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: It remains the objective of Government to effect savings of that order vis-À-vis the public sector pay bill for 2009 compared to 2010. The Government has made clear that the public service pay bill must make a substantial contribution to the fiscal adjustment required for next year. This is a structural adjustment and, therefore, the savings will be permanent. The public services committee...

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: If the Deputy listened to my response - obviously, he did not - he would have heard that there are discussions taking place, progress was reviewed, the Government indicated its position and the public service unions sought to continue with the discussions, which we are continuing in good faith with a view to obtaining the objectives which I have set out. If Deputy Kenny's wants to promulgate...

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: If I may be allowed-----

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: If I may be allowed-----

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: There is sufficient being said about it for me to be able to clarify the position. The level of savings that we seek to obtain remains of the order of €1.3 billion in terms of a reduction between the cost of the public service pay bill this year compared to next year. That remains our position and we wish to discuss with the trade unions on that basis. Those discussions are not complete....

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: It has always been the position of this Government that it is preferable, if possible, to obtain an agreed way forward, in the interests of maintaining services, by proceeding with adjustments which are necessary in the budgetary context and to which the Government remains committed. As regards these negotiations, it was at the unions' request that they sought to put before the Government...

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: That is the Government's position.

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The second point is that in their current form these proposals do not provide the basis for an agreement. Until they do, we do not have the basis for an agreement, but we want to continue with those discussions. The third point is that the savings will be in 2010. They will be permanent on the basis that the Government is not in a position to continue with a public service pay bill of the...

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: As regards the proposals, which are emerging from the continuing discussions, on how to ensure that one does not disrupt services, it may be required in some instances - if this were to be developed into a proposal that provided the means of an acceptable solution - for people to take that leave back over a period of years. That would be precisely to avoid a disruption of services. If we are...

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The whole purpose is not to delay reforms, but to accelerate reforms in the public service. It is about everyone being committed to an integrated public service.

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is about new policies for deployment and a whole range of other issues, which have been locked for years and have held up reforms. It is a question not only of dealing with the 2010 issue, but also of dealing with the need for an integrated public service that will be smaller over a period of time. It will have all the flexibility on redeployment that we need in order to effect modern...

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The savings in the public service pay bill will be delivered in 2010. It will be done on an agreed basis, if possible, to obtain it before the budget, or it will be done by the Government in another way. That is the position. That is what is going to happen.

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: We are involved in discussions to see if an agreed way forward on that can be found. Deputies should be clear about one thing, however - those savings have to be made-----