Results 15,861-15,880 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: The questions relate to whether the Attorney General has any political adviser or assistants in respect of matters that are germane. This is why I took questions Nos. 1 to 8 together. They do not refer to general staff. One such assistant was appointed to the Attorney General. The assistant acts as a liaison between the Attorney General and other Departments on items relevant to legal...
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: -----although I am informed that it is line with the question set out. Question time is about eliciting information germane to the questions asked. A trend is arising here every week whereby the Deputy asks questions regardless of what is before me and he has decided I am here to answer them. If he wishes to table a question on matters germane to my responsibilities I will answer them but I...
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: No he has not, nor is it his function to do so.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: I have just explained that the liaison function relates to his interaction with the Attorney General and the Departments that deal with him. It relates to the question of reports and legal advice. The Attorney General provides legal advice and it must be considered. It is not a question of the Attorney General being unable to provide the legal advice.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: The Ministers and the Attorney General would keep me acquainted. Those are the persons who attend at Cabinet. The question here is-----
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: Matters generally relating to that function are dealt with by that person on the Attorney General's behalf. The person works to the Attorney General, not to me. I have my own list of advisers on matters generally. It is not a question of lack of staff in the Attorney General's office.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: No.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: He does not have a political adviser.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: He is a special assistant. He does not provide political advice at all.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: He is a special assistant to the Attorney General. I will get Deputy Gilmore the details of his qualifications in due course.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: Correct.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: I will get the details of the person's qualifications. I do not have his qualifications before me. He does not work for me but for the Attorney General.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: He does not have to be a lawyer if he is a special assistant.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: He does not have to be but I will find out for Deputy Gilmore.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: He attends the special advisers' meetings where he is able to be au fait with the issues that are arising across Departments and the priorities which may be pushed by special advisers on behalf of various Ministers at these meetings. He also ensures that the Attorney General is au fait with that. He does not provide or issue legal advice to Departments. That function is provided by the...
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: There is no question whatever of the integrity of the Attorney General being compromised in any way. He gives his advice without fear or favour and is a person of impeccable credentials.
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: I am disabusing Deputy Gilmore of the idea that the Attorney General is compromised or undermined by reason of the fact he gives his advice without fear or favour. The purpose of the assistant to the Attorney General is, as I stated earlier, to assist him in all of the contacts between Departments. There is no way his legal independence is compromised or undermined in any way, and neither...
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: All appointments, pay, terms and conditions require the sanction of the Minister for Finance. All appointments from outside the Civil Service require the sanction of the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach. Having seven advisers from outside the Department and some who worked in the Civil Service and were seconded to these advisory positions is not a large number given the...
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: The adjustments to pay for people in receipt of salaries similar to grades in the Civil Service affected those advisers as they did everyone else. They had to take cuts in pay, as was the case in other related grades. That goes without saying. On the question of responsibilities, Mr. Oliver O'Connor, special adviser, provides advice to the Minister for Health and Children and more...
- Departmental Staff. (9 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: There has been reform in all of those areas.