Results 7,381-7,400 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: Yes. That was the agreed fee based on that notification and advice from the Attorney General.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is not down to a typing error. I explained in my reply that there was a misunderstanding between the Department of the Taoiseach and the tribunal——

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: ——in stating the fee was to be €2,500 rather than €2,250. When this came to the attention of the Department, it sought the advice of the Attorney General and based the decision on the need for people to be involved in what is regarded as the highly complex work of the Moriarty tribunal.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: It was decided that a rate of €2,500 per day for that work was appropriate in the circumstances, on a personal basis.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: No. The Comptroller and Auditor General made no recommendation is his report for a requirement for repayment because the fee was agreed.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: There was no overpayment on the basis that it was an agreed fee. I explained the circumstances, in an honest way, as to how the situation arose and the Attorney General's advice was sought.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: I explained that in August 2002 it was an agreed fee. The Comptroller and Auditor General has not made a recommendation on the matter because he accepts it was an agreed fee. I want to make a substantive point on the costs of these matters. The Moriarty tribunal——

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: The purpose of these questions is not to engage in argument but simply to impart the information available on the file. That is what I am doing.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: The legal team of the Moriarty tribunal consists of three senior counsel, two junior counsel, one legal researcher and one solicitor. It is a significantly smaller legal team than, for example, the Mahon tribunal, which has a legal team comprising 21 people, whereas the Moriarty tribunal has seven.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: The cost of the Moriarty tribunal legal team is €645 less than the equivalent cost of the Mahon tribunal.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is due to the fact that when one takes into account the fee structure available to the tribunal, in terms of senior and junior counsel and legal assistants, it works out at €645 less. That point should be made. The fees are agreed by the Department of Finance with legal counsel, on the advice of the Attorney General. Those are the rates which are payable and which have been agreed.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Moriarty tribunal was set up in 1997. In early 2001, tribunal senior counsel sought a substantial increase in their fees and negotiations went on for some time, as I outlined in my initial reply. It was considered an increased fee was appropriate and, in due course, that was agreed. A rate of €2,500 per day was agreed with senior counsel and notified to them by the Department of the...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: Regarding the cost of the Moriarty tribunal and the way it operates, it has a different modus operandi from other tribunals as it keeps the need for witnesses to appear and public hearings, and the associated costs, to a minimum. It is doing things quite differently under its sole member. It has been quite effective and has been doing detailed and complex work to get to the bottom of...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: As I stated in my original remarks, many of the Comptroller and Auditor General's recommendations have been incorporated into the Tribunals of Inquiry Bill 2005, Committee Stage of which is before the House. Many of the recommendations will be made operational. With regard to the tribunal's work, I understand from the tribunal that further public sittings will commence at the end of the...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am sure the sole member is dealing with the matter.

Order of Business (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is proposed to take No. 4, Investment of the National Pensions Reserve Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2009 — Second and Remaining Stages. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. tonight and business shall be interrupted not later than 10 p.m; and (2) the following arrangements shall apply in regard to No. 4:...

Order of Business (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: As with all programmes for Government, there is financial provision in our programme, which confirms that all commitments are subject to maintaining order in the public finances.

Order of Business (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: Clearly, the public finances have deteriorated. The various departmental annual statements confirm the priorities to which Ministers are working arising from the programme for Government but, clearly, not all of them will be implemented, given resources sufficient for their implementation will not be available.

Leaders' Questions (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: As I said, on the basis of the Exchequer returns, the Government position in January was that we would take savings of €2 billion. It was agreed in the framework that was what we should do. On the basis of the February returns, this economic convulsion confirms that further measures are needed. We have made it clear that we have to work within the figures we submitted to the European...

Leaders' Questions (4 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: On the question of unemployment, of course one is very concerned and I am very concerned about the fact that unemployment has been rising so fast. It is up to 10.4% as of the February figure. We had unemployment back in the 1980s of more than 17%, but I do not want to make a debating point of that. Thankfully, there are still approximately 1.8 million people working in this economy.