Results 3,641-3,660 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: In recent weeks I held meetings with the Minister of State at the Department of Finance who has responsibility for the Office of Public Works at which we discussed the issue of procurement. The main aim of national policy on procurement is to achieve value for money while also having regard to probity and accountability. While price is very important in determining value for money outcomes...

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The development of small and medium sized enterprises is very important to the national economy and it is recognised that public procurement can be an important source of business for them. The national public procurement policy unit in the Department of Finance promotes policies which facilitate SME participation in public procurement and the national public procurement operations unit...

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The unit we set up in the Office of Public Works, which will be 12 months in existence in April, has been pulling together and avoiding the silo effect of having individual departmental public procurement operations. There is a need to co-ordinate and pull together in order to leverage on behalf of the taxpayer the best possible value for money. Savings have been identified and that will...

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The new office will complete its first 12 months in April. It is part of the office's statement of strategy that it will outline to various finance committees how it is operating. The issue can be further examined and scrutinised in that context.

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy should direct his detailed questions on public procurement to the Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works. I do not deal with that area. I just sought to be helpful in terms of broadening out the question beyond my Department's procurement plan, which was the question asked. I am sure we can get the details and...

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The McCarthy report contained a number of recommendations. I am pleased to hear the Labour Party supports some of them. They provide the background against which budgetary decisions were taken this year and they will continue to be considered in the context of any further work that is to be done. Specifically on the matters raised by the Deputy, I do not recall a discussion on procurement...

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Gilmore challenges me all the time. What is his problem?

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: Thanks.

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy does not want me to challenge him at all.

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy's party has not supported a single budgetary measure that we have brought forward.

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The basic point I am making is that we have set up a centralised office and it is proceeding with its work. I cannot give the Deputy the detail of where that is at because it is outside the ambit of this question, but I have sought to provide him with an indication of the practical steps that are being taken to improve SME participation, for example. In regard to the other issues he raised,...

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy makes a fair point. When there are open public procurement rules in all countries, there will be occasions where non-nationals in the various jurisdictions obtain work. That is the case in a range of areas. I do not have the exact detail to hand on that but I accept the point the Deputy has made. In regard to Irish companies who are successful elsewhere but find themselves...

Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: I understand FÁS is seeking to arrange placements for apprentices through the institutes of technology and so on. I am aware that there are people who require to complete their apprenticeship in certain trades but cannot find a placement. Anything that can be done to assist them will be considered.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 7, inclusive, together. The cost of the Moriarty tribunal to my Department in 2008 was €4.01 million. The total expenditure for my Department from the establishment of the tribunal in September 1997 to 31 December 2009 was €38.27 million. The sole member of the tribunal, Mr. Justice Moriarty, has not yet addressed third-party costs. Until that is...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The tribunal is independent in the conduct of its proceedings, including the selection and timing of witnesses' appearances before it. I understand the tribunal has called two additional State witnesses and has written to the affected parties informing them of the intention to hear additional witnesses from the Attorney General's office. As of this morning no date has been set for the hearing.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: I understand from the tribunal that it will not be able to give a timescale for completion of its report until after the witnesses have been heard and their evidence assessed. I have no intention of commenting in any way on the work of the tribunal. As for questions on the cost and duration of the tribunal, tribunals undoubtedly are an expensive way of carrying out investigations. This is...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: I have no idea how long it will take. That is a matter for the tribunal and I do not comment on the working of the tribunal at all for obvious reasons. I understand the tribunal has called two additional State witnesses, that the affected parties have been written to informing them of the intention to hear additional witnesses from the Attorney General's office and as I understand it as of...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Government acted on advice at the time. This issue has been dealt with a number of times at Question Time and I do not wish to go through the same questions as the same replies are available now as I have put on the record of the House previously. The Deputy is aware that anything the Government does in this situation that might have an effect like the one mentioned would lead to it...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: With the introduction of the new Tribunals of Inquiry Bill and the Commissions of Investigation Act, which we have passed, there is an acknowledgement in the House that we need to deal with matters of urgent public importance in ways alternative to what has been the case under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921. I am aware that Deputy Lowry has close involvement with and knowledge...

Order of Business (3 Mar 2010)

Brian Cowen: The Order of Business is No. 20, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the National Economic and Social Forum and National Centre for Partnership and Performance Dissolution Order 2010; No. 23, Fines Bill 2009 - Order for Report Stage, Report and Final Stages; No. 1, Communications Regulation (Premium Rate Services and Electronic Communications Infrastructure) Bill 2009 -...