Results 17,941-17,960 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I never got a civil bill about it, but it was an interesting bit of bluster that went on at the time from members of Deputy Gilmore's party-----

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: -----or the party of which he was about to become a member, to go back over his school day recollections just to make sure we got it right.

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: The point is that vacancies arise and need to be filled. The continuity of boards requires it. The one commitment I will give unequivocally is that I will not try that trick.

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: Regarding the first matter, I am sorry for getting distracted for a moment.

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I just wanted to put it on the record because I know it was important. There is only so much mock indignation one can take. Regarding the first point, these are commitments in the programme for Government and must be progressed during the tenure of the Government. I am sure that will be done. Second, it would constitute Government policy to implement that legislation. It is a commitment...

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is a matter of course, since it is a commitment in the programme for Government. The matter will be progressed.

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: "Will be". I cannot give the Deputy the details about where it is at, but I can come back to him on the matter.

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I would have to check for the Deputy, but I would presume it is the Minister for Finance or the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: As I said, these questions relate to appointments I have made to agencies or boards under my own aegis and I provided that information. I am now being asked about the position of particular legislation. If a question has been drafted I can deal with it. However, regardless of the drafting of a question, when supplementary questions are raised I will get the information and forward it to...

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I understand a review of the residential tenancies board is taking place to which I believe that situation applies. A review of relevant legislation may be able to accommodate the amendment the Deputy suggests, if it is required.

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: If there is a person on a board who is not happy with Government policy he or she has the option to resign from the board and a replacement can be found. The purpose, as is usual in this instance, is to implement the policy of the Government and if, for any reason, good, bad or indifferent, a person has a different point of view he or she has that option. The option is not such that where...

Ministerial Appointments (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: In regard to agencies and boards appointed there is a relationship with the line Department which usually sets the overall policy framework. The operational responsibilities of providing the service, if that is what the agency does, or of the making of commercial decisions in a commercial semi-State body, for example, are made by the actual company. If there are major strategic issues they...

Code of Conduct for Office Holders (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 5, inclusive, together. The code of conduct for office holders was drawn up by the Government pursuant to section 10(2) of the Standards in Public Office Act, 2001, following consultation with the Standards in Public Office Commission, and was published in July 2003. A review of the code and its operation will be carried out, in consultation with the...

Code of Conduct for Office Holders (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: That matter has been dealt with under freedom of information arrangements, and obviously it was in compliance with requirements. I understand the Minister was heading on to other official engagements the following morning.

Code of Conduct for Office Holders (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not accept the veracity of what the Deputy has alleged. He has a very detailed response from me given in a previous question time regarding the circumstances in which the Government jet was used, with reference to the locations to which he referred. Full verification was provided to him and yet he continues to suggest he got some confused meteorological-----

Code of Conduct for Office Holders (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: Let us not be ridiculous. We should take matters seriously and not carry on with facetious nonsense like that. Otherwise, we are wasting our time.

Code of Conduct for Office Holders (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I make the point again to Deputy Ó Caoláin that the Minister for Transport had to make that attendance and be in London the next morning. I have not the detail before me, but that was the basis of the matter. It was not a question of simply going to Glenties. Rather, it was a question of doing Glenties and being in London the following morning. He was therefore seeking to attend two...

Code of Conduct for Office Holders (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: As regards the first part of the Deputy's question, he is misrepresenting the context in which Deputy Dempsey took the flight to Glenties. He suggested in his first question that he simply took a flight to Glenties, when he could have just taken a car. The Minister had another appointment in London the following morning, to which he flew, from Derry. That was the context. The Deputy then...

Code of Conduct for Office Holders (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: That is a matter for the Whips to consider at any time. There is no reason to review the code of conduct at present as I am not aware of any aspects that have been criticised or with which there is a problem. When that Bill is enacted, we can review the code of conduct to ensure it takes cognisance of the new legislation.

Code of Conduct for Office Holders (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: The review of the code and its operation will be carried out after the enactment of the Ethics in Public Office (Amendment) Bill. That is what the reply states. When that is done, we can undertake the review. If there are other issues that need to be dealt with, presumably that is when it will be done.