Results 19,061-19,080 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: What was the second one?

Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: I have mentioned this before. There are two Bills relating to the Central Bank - one is an important immediate job and, as I recall, the second is a consolidation Bill.

Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is one or the other. My apologies. If it is the one to which the Deputy refers, that can be taken early in the next session, as I understand it.

Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: I cannot make any such commitment to Deputy Shatter in respect of holding referenda on the day of a general election, whenever that decision is taken.

Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: I know that. I was about to come to that. The Deputy should allow us even a proportion of the intelligence he has himself. We can answer the Deputy's questions as we heard them; it is a matter of giving us some time to deal with them sequentially. That is no problem.

Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: I know what the Deputy is seeking.

Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: However, if the Deputy does not wish to hear the answers or he already knows the answers, what is the point? Work is continuing with regard to the children's referendum. I cannot give a date this side of Christmas or the new year as to when that will be completed, when the Government will consider it or when we would have to come back to those involved in the previous work in this area. I...

Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: The forestry Bill will not relate to the matter raised by Deputy Ferris. No decision has been made by the Government nor is one is due in the near future on the issue. In the immediate future his concerns are not well grounded.

Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: No, not to my knowledge as an organisation. On several occasions, Coillte has entered into commercial contracts with private companies, however. No preparations are being made for the sale of the organisation itself or its land. If Deputy Ferris has an individual issue, we can check it out for him.

Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: I know its publication was promised before the end of this session. I hope it will be honoured.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: I have received the Annual Report of the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), which is the only agency under the aegis of my Department, for each of the past three years. The pay of the Chief Officer and all employees of the body are in full accordance with Government policy.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: The tables below detail expenditure by my Department including Programme Subheads on refreshments and catering for official functions from 2008 to end November 2010. Department Year *Catering for official functions (including lunches, receptions, dinners etc) Refreshments(including tea, coffee,bottled water etc) 2008 **€318,412.67 €51,240.53 2009 €91,139.47 €37,299.98 Jan to end...

Written Answers — Departmental Appointments: Departmental Appointments (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 68 together. I have not made any public appointments since 22 November, 2010. Preparations for the appointment of a new Public Service Board, to be chaired by Minister of State Dara Calleary, are continuing. With a majority of members from outside the Public Service, it will advise the Government on further opportunities and priorities for...

Written Answers — Departmental Appointments: Departmental Appointments (14 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: The vacancy for State Solicitor for County Louth has been filled following a competition run by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Mr. Fergus Mullen, Solicitor, was appointed by the DPP on 1 December 2010. The position was advertised in mid June. 19 applications were received by the closing date of 9 July and all 19 applicants were called to interview. They were...

Leaders' Questions. (15 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is important to make a distinction in these cases. It is not correct to conflate the banking sector bonus system, in which a large, additional to basic pay, discretionary bonus based on meeting certain objectives was in place, with payments to middle-ranking public servants at principal officer and assistant principal level. In 1994, the programme for competitiveness and work provided for...

Leaders' Questions. (15 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: No, they are not. They are part of the overall pay bill.

Leaders' Questions. (15 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: Will the Deputies please allow me to explain?

Leaders' Questions. (15 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: This applies to middle-ranking public servants. Under a previous pay agreement there is a certain pay bill aggregate for those grades. As part of that pay award at the time, back in 1994, in some instances it was incorporated into the full pay bill. In other words, part of the full pay bill of that grade was incorporated as part of their pay rate. In other instances in the Department of...

Leaders' Questions. (15 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: Last year, for example, some people obtained a special payment on that basis. That is the position regarding that matter. The total special service payments and seniority payments together amount to 1% of that Department's payroll, which is against the background of a 17% pay cut for those grades. To conflate that with what has been happening in the banking sector is not to compare like...

Leaders' Questions. (15 Dec 2010)

Brian Cowen: At higher grades - Secretary General and assistant secretary general level - those were discontinued because 10% of the total pay bill was involved in that situation. With regard to non-commercial semi-State bodies, the decision on such payments is a matter for the boards themselves and are often built into the contracts of the individuals concerned. As regards those schemes, the Department...