Results 16,421-16,440 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Decentralisation Programme. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: I cannot comment on specific cases. Before the decentralisation programme, a substantial amount of commuting was done by people who travelled long distances. It is now very much offset by the fact that there are decentralised offices in other parts of the country. People who have to come to Dublin or live here can now return to and work from home. That greatly offsets any examples the...

Decentralisation Programme. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is a detailed question and the specifics will have to come from the Department of Finance.

Decentralisation Programme. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy is an experienced parliamentarian. The questions on decentralisation tabled to my Department relate to my Department. The Department with responsibility and with all the information and wider detail on this, as he knows, is the Department of Finance. I recall when I was in that Department the Deputy had many questions to ask when I had the information in front of me. The fact...

Decentralisation Programme. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: No, he did not, in fairness to him.

Decentralisation Programme. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: The cost of the bus is not covered in the supplementary information either. The ability to anticipate goes way beyond my expectations. It has been a feature of how the service has been, is and probably will be organised in the future where people commute long distances to hold down jobs in the public service. Decentralisation has provided a welcome opportunity for many people, both those...

Decentralisation Programme. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not have that sort of information. The purpose of the decentralisation programme was to provide people with opportunities. For some, it involves a change of location. For others, it involves a change of Department. In some cases it will involve moving from one Department to another within the city while others might have availed of promotional opportunities and moved down the...

Decentralisation Programme. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: With regard to relocations pertaining to any area of my Department under the programme, there are 31 staff with applications in the Central Applications Facility who are available to relocate, subject to the usual criteria. There have been a number of reports. The Decentralisation Implementation Group has provided a series of reports updating the information on the progress being made, the...

Decentralisation Programme. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: As I said earlier, moves to Buncrana and Trim are under way at present. I have given the update on the Wexford situation and Newbridge, and the projects in Roscommon town, Tipperary town and Portlaoise are ongoing. Advance teams were sent to two locations where the buildings were not yet ready. Such advance teams are, in themselves, viable and may be augmented in the future as required if...

Departmental Programmes. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 8, inclusive, together. The first and pilot phase of the organisational review programme, ORP, involved the undertaking of comprehensive reviews of the capacities of three Departments, with particular reference to strategy, managing delivery and evaluation, and the production by them of follow-up action plans. The Departments reviewed were Agriculture,...

Departmental Programmes. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: Some of the findings of the report in question, which has not yet been published, featured in the media recently, although much of the contextual information and balancing comments did not appear in these articles, and other findings were not commented upon at all. An operational review programme is a management tool to help assess the capacity of Departments and major offices to meet...

Departmental Programmes. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: As I said earlier, these reports are being finalised and all four will be taken together, presumably by the Government, as the second phase of the operational review programme and will be considered by the Government when the action plans are presented with the reports.

Departmental Programmes. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: As I have said, all four will be taken together. They involve a detailed examination of the capacities of the four organisations. The review of Revenue is almost finalised and the other three have been completed. They will be taken together by the Cabinet when the Revenue review is completed and we will take it from there.

Departmental Programmes. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: In fairness to the Departments which are being asked to respond to the reports with developing action plans to deal with the issues raised, not all of the findings were reported and the context and balancing commentaries on particular findings did not feature. For that reason, it is best to await publication of the full reports and the associated action plans by the Departments, after...

Departmental Programmes. (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: I understand that the Minister for Health and Children answered a Dáil question on this matter on 3 March last. As I stated in reply to Deputy Gilmore earlier, we should see the full report and response from the Department before coming to an informed view. It is important that these rigorous and robust exercises point up issues that must be addressed. I would expect the action plans to...

Leaders' Questions (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: As Deputy Kenny said, we legislated on this matter when it arose last year. The issues that arose on that occasion related to an entitlement under existing law, regarding a pension being seen a property right. We are advised that as property rights are protected under the Constitution, any reduction or removal of pensions by legislation has to be proportionate. The reductions which have...

Leaders' Questions (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: I have made it clear to the Deputy that it is not a question of reluctance on the part of the Government, rather it is a question of the Government having to propose legislation that is lawful.

Leaders' Questions (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is not a question of challenging it, but a question of having lawful legislation. I am not saying the situation is the same as pertained in 1992 or any other time. The same legal principles apply because a similar approach was taken then on the question of the abolition of pensions in respect of the legislation passed last year. The Minister for Finance outlined that position in detail....

Leaders' Questions (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: The current allowance for free fuel and the various supplementary social welfare schemes in place to assist low income families will be available and cover the period from autumn to March, which is the period when people are most in need of heating requirements. Therefore, the question of the provision of that scheme will be provided for in the normal way from then on. In the meantime, if...

Leaders' Questions (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: The situation, as I have outlined it to the Deputy, is that in regard to the time from when the scheme operates allowance will be made for low income families. In the meantime the exceptional needs payment will be provided for anyone experiencing hardship through the supplementary welfare scheme.

Leaders' Questions (27 Apr 2010)

Brian Cowen: There will not be a question of anyone being snowed under. It is a question of making sure that the exceptional needs payment system will meet any hardship in that regard.