Results 7,461-7,480 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: What was actually being decentralised was 10,000 posts. We were not decentralising 10,000 Dublin people out of Dublin; we were decentralising 10,000 posts.

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: That is what we were doing. It is posts that one is transferring.

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: When those people——

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: When people decentralise and go on to retire, the post remains and is filled where the vacancy arises. It is the posts that one is transferring. It is important to point that out. It is not the case that when people's time is up they will not all relocate back to Dublin. That is not the idea, the idea is to transfer posts. That is a very important point, which I thought would have been...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: The point is well made at this stage and I do not have to labour it any further, if the Deputy will excuse the pun. The question of costs relates to property costs, which I have given. The needs of the programme are assessed in the context of the Estimates process each year. Funding is approved on the basis of the particular projects being progressed in the relevant period. Originally in...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: I can only answer for my own Department. I can give other information as is available to it. With regard to the property aspects of the decentralisation programme, the notional cost was included in the budget of 2004 because it could not be predicted with great accuracy——

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: Sorry, it is not a notion. A total of 6,000 people will be relocated by 2011. A total of 3,400 are already in the process of being decentralised. They will be going voluntarily and in line with trade union agreements and in line with the strategic plans of Departments. I often hear people complaining about decentralisation but I have yet to hear anyone in the House saying the level of...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: One can never find a specific case to justify the level of criticism implied behind some of the questioning. However, decentralisation is a political football which people in the House want to continue to kick around.

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: I agree it is a legitimate question. I remind the Deputy that all his rural Deputies are unequivocally in favour of it, as stated in the local newspapers.

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is different to the soundings I got in this House about decentralisation when I was Minister for Finance or even now that I am Taoiseach. That is fair enough because we do not all have to rule with an iron consistency. To answer the Deputy's question, I can only answer based on what is available to my Department. There will be fit-out costs which must be included in the equation. I make...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Government decided in October 2008 to defer any further decision on those matters until 2011. As the Deputy says, the context in which sites are being held under the management of the OPW relates to that decision and therefore there will be no change in their status until 2011 at the earliest. At that stage the Government will revisit the issue, having completed the present stage by...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is not a question of whether the Deputy is entitled to a reply, if the matter is outside the ambit of my Department. However, I am trying to be as helpful as I can be. Since I do not have direct responsibility for the programme I cannot be asked. It is not a question of not meeting the Deputy's entitlements. Of course I shall meet his entitlements, if the questions relate to my...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: Absolutely — I am always as helpful as I can be to the Deputy.

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: I thank the Deputy.

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: From recollection in my previous capacity, the Decentralisation Implementation Group has brought a number of reports to the attention of Government in respect of implementation of the programme and from memory one of them relates to the question of ensuring there is sufficient capacity available to Ministers in respect of their responsibilities here in the Dáil and in respect of their...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: I am working from memory, but I think the Decentralisation Implementation Group had a view on that which would allow the Minister retain certain core personnel in Dublin as well. That Aireacht idea has arisen subsequently in the context of discussion and negotiation with trade unions and employee representative groups. I believe the implementation group has come up with a solution that...

Decentralisation Programme. (3 Mar 2009)

Brian Cowen: It is not a question——

Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: On the first matter, the National Treasury Management Agency has a continuing responsibility and is in constant contact with all the relevant institutions, including the Department of Finance, on these matters and the Minister of Finance is directing work in that area on an ongoing basis. The second matter is being considered by the HSE and the Minister for Health and Children. It is...

Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: I understand that legislation on the money laundering directive is due during the course of the next session and the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2008 has been referred to committee for further discussion and progression. On the issues under investigation, the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Act 2004, which amended previous Acts of 1942 and subsequently,...

Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Brian Cowen: The legislation will be introduced later this year.