Results 15,001-15,020 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act facilitates the use as evidence in trials of material gained by secret surveillance. The Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act provides for trying certain crimes involving criminal gangs in the Special Criminal Court unless the Director of Public Prosecutions directs otherwise. It introduces several new organised crime offences with maximum prison...

Order of Business (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: First, I join Deputy Timmins in again sympathising with the Grene family. I understand that the body of Mr. Grene has been recovered today in the United Nations headquarters building. He was a person who was committed to public service and to helping the poor and deprived and was well regarded in the United Nations. The Government sends its deepest sympathy to his family. Other Irish...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: The number of whole time equivalent staff in the constituency office of the Government Chief Whip and Minister of State in my Department in 2008 and 2009 was 4. The total salaries including overtime and allowances paid to staff in the constituency office was €200,078 and €166,769 in 2008 and 2009 respectively. The Minister of State for European Affairs does not have a constituency office...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139, 147 and 163 together. Statistics in relation to whole-time equivalent staff numbers in my Department are compiled at the end of each calendar month. On 31st December 2008, there were 211.96 whole-time equivalent staff in my Department, while on 31st December 2009, there were 198.1 whole-time equivalent staff in my Department, that is 13.86 fewer...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 159 together. The total allocation for my Department in the Estimates set out in the Budget Book for 2010 is €28,818 million. This is an overall decrease of 11.8% on the 2009 Revised Estimate allocation. The following table details the programme changes to achieve the savings by my Department in the 2010 budget. Agency/Programme Savings Achieved...

Written Answers — Smart Economy: Smart Economy (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 148 together. The Government's Smart Economy Framework for sustainable economic renewal was produced in December 2008. Implementation is the responsibility of relevant Ministers but is overseen by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Renewal, which I chair. Some examples include: market testing of the Innovation Fund proposed is currently being...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: None of the agencies under the remit of my Department process entitlement payments.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: None of the agencies under the remit of my Department carry out inspections.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: None of the agencies under the remit of my Department have a role in issuing licences.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: None of the agencies under the remit of my Department have a role in the collection of payments.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: Introduction of 'Innovation Fund Ireland' is a commitment of Building Ireland's Smart Economy - A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewaland the Renewed Programme for Government. It aims to ensure greater availability of venture capital to help achieve our vision for transforming Ireland into the innovation and commercialisation hub of Europe by supporting innovative SMEs and help scale...

Written Answers — Parliamentary Counsel: Parliamentary Counsel (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: A small number of Parliamentary Counsel from other jurisdictions have been recruited to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government to provide legislative drafting assistance given the historical lack of qualified drafters in the State. They are all experienced in their home jurisdictions and are carefully chosen by the senior staff in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: As the Stewards House, Farmleigh was not available to the Taoiseach on the dates in question, the costs incurred relate to the Taoiseach being unable to return home due to Dáil and other official commitments.

Written Answers — Ethics in Public Office: Ethics in Public Office (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: The receipt by office holders of gifts of goods or services is regulated by the Ethics in Public Office Acts. Issues of compliance with the Acts are matters for the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPOC). The particular arrangements to be observed by office holders in respect of gifts of goods or services are set out in the Code of Conduct for Office Holders issued by the SIPOC....

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: In accordance with the business needs of my Department, divisions and sections change from time to time. The tables give a breakdown of the staff working in the various divisions in my Department since 2007 to date in 2010. As statistics in relation to whole time equivalent staff numbers in my Department are compiled at the end of each calendar month, the current position is as at 31st...

Leaders' Questions (20 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Kenny is talking patent nonsense.

Leaders' Questions (20 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: The continuing allegations being made by him have no substance. The reverse is the case. What is proposed is designed to discover the true causes of the banking crisis-----

Leaders' Questions (20 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: -----not what people think or assume are the causes, and to do so through the use of the best available expertise and in a timely and cost effective manner. The framework which has been brought forward by Government seeks to learn from the lessons of the past where inquiries have gone on for too long and to ensure that answers are obtained as quickly as possible and within a timeframe in...

Leaders' Questions (20 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: The second stage uses a process-----

Leaders' Questions (20 Jan 2010)

Brian Cowen: -----the commission of investigation, which the Oireachtas has determined - based on the lessons of the past - is an efficient and cost effective method of inquiry whose independence is guaranteed.