Results 14,661-14,680 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: They relate to the agenda for transforming the public service which is a continuing item on the agenda and which will need to be addressed.

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: They provide for-----

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Gilmore does not wish me to speak uninterrupted although he spoke without interruption. Deputy Gilmore made a very politically charged comment and I wish to respond without interruption, but the continuing interruption is to suggest that I am not to be allowed to do so.

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Minister for Finance can present his proposals in the pay area in a stronger position tomorrow morning because we have come to an understanding that this is the sort of figure that is required for 2010. The problem was that the public service unions had to come with a very restricted mandate which was not about being in a position to negotiate a pay cut so they proposed a deduction for...

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: What we had was a commitment on the basis that everyone agreed and understood-----

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: -----that the transformation agenda would not provide us with €1 billion in 2010, were one to proceed with it. What we had was a commitment to continue to discuss that matter in 2010 but no clear way in which the balance of savings could be found. Those are the facts of the position.

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Government had to make a decision on what we believed would be the right thing to do in the circumstances. Clearly, what we have to do is ensure that there is a reduction in the public service pay bill that will be sufficient and permanent for the circumstances we are talking about. That is what we did.

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: That is the truth and it was the consistent position that emerged.

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: No, we have in place today a long-term agenda to transform services which will still be available when we return to it. While there is considerable unhappiness at the moment, we should seek to re-engage on the change agenda against the background of a measured agreement reached last week.

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is clear that unless we do this over the coming years, we will put at risk the ability to maintain current remuneration levels without further reform.

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: That is what we need to get down to. The fact of the matter is we have an unsustainable position in relation to welfare and public sector pay.

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: There are a number of ways in which we can seek to reduce this expenditure in the coming years. I ask that people look to this positive agenda for the future rather than seeking to engage in industrial action which will not achieve anything other than continue to defer what could be provided if we were prepared to work on the progress that has been made thus far.

Order of Business (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 9, motion re ministerial rota for parliamentary questions; No. 10, motion re referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the reports by the Minister for Defence regarding service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations in 2007 and 2008; No. 11, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Regional Fisheries Boards...

Order of Business (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: I refer to the budget and the consequent legislation required. Two tranches of legislation will be required, the Social Welfare Bill and legislation to deal with the public sector pay situation as a result of issues which arose last week. It is the intention of the Government to come to the House with the Social Welfare Bill on Thursday this week, to take Second Stage on Thursday afternoon...

Order of Business (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Supplementary Estimates were referred by the House on 24 November last to the Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service and were dealt with by it. All the discussion has taken place. There are nine Supplementary Estimates - six of them are technical and three are substantive. They have been discussed by the relevant select committee and have been returned to the House for...

Order of Business (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: I understand it was broadly agreed on Committee Stage how the Bill would proceed and this proposal reflects that discussion on an all-party basis. I do not know what is the problem.

Order of Business (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: Today, the Cabinet considered the legislative requirements in the aftermath of the budget. As I stated earlier to Deputy Gilmore, two Bills will be required, namely, a social welfare Bill and a Bill on public sector pay. The social welfare Bill will be taken this week and the public sector pay Bill will be taken next week. We envisage a change to the Order of Business for that purpose....

Order of Business (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Government has two Bills to deal with before the Dáil rises and for that reason we have to proceed with them. We will not have as much time after the budget debate as we did in previous times and we have to proceed with enacting legislation so that it takes effect as envisaged for 2010. In recent years, social welfare Bills were taken after Private Members' time on the following...

Order of Business (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: In response to the first matter, it is a question of ensuring that we enact legislation this week and next because of the time available to us. We have to proceed on that basis. We have to ensure that we give legal effect to the budgetary decisions being taken tomorrow. On the question on the public sector pay Bill, I made the point that the issue relates to public sector pay and public...

Order of Business (8 Dec 2009)

Brian Cowen: The social welfare Bill will be published after the budget announcement.