Results 17,801-17,820 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (13 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: There is no date for that.

Order of Business (13 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I will look into the Deputy's request.

Order of Business (13 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Central Bank (No. 2) Bill is being worked on as a priority. The consolidation Bill will be introduced afterwards.

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. Under the direction of my programme manager, Mr. Joe Lennon, the primary function of my special advisers is to monitor, facilitate and help secure the achievement of Government objectives and to ensure effective co-ordination in the implementation of the programme for Government. The role and duties of special advisers are described in...

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not have the wider Government figure. The issue is that the total spend in Departments is of the order of €50 billion. Advisers were brought in to assist Ministers independent of departmental advice in 1992. They augment and supplement that advice and they are provided with an opportunity not just to advise the Minister, but to have other cross-departmental responsibilities and to...

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: One would expect policy advisers to be able to advise on policy, whether it is Government policy or suggestions from other parts of the House or other parts of society about issues under the remit of the Minister concerned. These are independent of and specifically different from the normal Civil Service advice which is given regardless of political affiliation in any case and which is a...

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not have the details of issues in other Departments as that is a matter for a parliamentary question to the Minister concerned. They deal with specific departmental matters. I do not have such information. With regard to the official or the person concerned, advices were also being given to the Department of the Taoiseach on general health areas and there is an active Cabinet...

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: There are no plans at present.

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I understand the total annual cost is in the order of €820,000, approximately.

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: This is the annual cost of salaries for the advisers.

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I would not have information about the cost of the special advisers. People working in the Department do the work that has to be done and obviously advisers have to be supported the same as other senior civil servants.

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: Not specifically. The Government press secretary is the person who deals with the press, in the main.

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am not suggesting that at all. There are special advisers to deal with the press and to act on behalf of a Minister from time to time. In the main, the Government press secretary liaises.

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not see anything inappropriate where advisers are dealing with the media. Everyone appointed to a Labour Party Minister in my time would have had to resign if that were the case.

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not accept that for a moment. That is another point that was made last week by Deputy Gilmore. Deputy Gilmore is far better trained at how to promote propaganda than I am. Special advisers deal with a range of issues, including business, financial, economic, political, environmental, administrative and media matters and perform other functions as may be directed from time to time.

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: Is that okay?

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: My recollection is that Proinsias De Rossa, when he was the Minister with responsibility for social protection, had five advisers.

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: He advertised in the Workers Party circular to see if anyone was available to advise him.

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: First, there has been much reduction in administrative costs in my Department the same as other Departments. The cost this year compared to last year is down 27%. From memory, the cost for 2009 compared to 2008 is down by over 20% and the reduction on the previous year is in the high teens. The question arises as to whether one believes the Taoiseach should have any independent advice at...

Ministerial Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: What is the size of their budgets?