Results 8,881-8,900 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: The questions relate to the communications unit and its work. The point I have been making is that currently some Departments have individual contracts with media monitoring companies to provide them with media notification specific to their areas. In order to ensure that the most efficient and effective service is utilised across Departments, we decided to explore the appointment of a...

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I do not agree. The role of the unit is to monitor coverage of official Government activity and how it is portrayed in the media. It is right that this is done and that the range of programmes being monitored at present is monitored to ensure Ministers are aware of how policy is being presented. If it is accurate that is fine but if it is not we must deal with it. This is its role. Press...

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: From the Government's point of view, there is a need to communicate our message and to ensure it is disseminated properly and accurately——

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am aware of that. Deputy Kenny is cock of the walk himself.

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: He reminds me of a cock in a dung heap.

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: He is like a crowing cock in a dung heap. In terms of modern communications, this communications unit serves this role. I am trying to ensure we do this as effectively and efficiently as possible. It will not meet the requirements of Opposition Deputies because they do not want it.

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Gilmore knows exactly what it is for but he likes to portray it as something else.

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: He speaks about it being an MI5-type operation on the media. He should cop himself on.

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: As I said, the communications unit provides updates on media issues during the course of the day. I would see updates from time to time but I do not seek them out at any particular time of the day. It depends on how busy I am, but they are part of my papers as I go about my business. It helps to know what is going on. In regard to tendering, I have not seen any tenders and they have been...

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: No, because I do not micro-manage tendering arrangements, as I have explained. I do not involve myself in them — they are dealt with in the normal way at official level, as all these matters are dealt with. A report will come to me as soon as consideration has been given to any tenders that have come in. I am told that a decision on whether to proceed on such a basis will be made...

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: That is not the role of the media monitoring that takes place in the communications unit. That is dealt with by the Government Information Services, the GIS, and by press officers in individual Departments, such as those of the Ministers, Deputy Eamon Ryan and Deputy John Gormley.

Departmental Expenditure. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I am aware of that. Those deliberations continue within the Cabinet sub-committee. The Deputy will be aware it is not the practice to speak about the deliberations of such committees, no more than about the deliberations within the Cabinet. They deal with decisions. Ongoing negotiations are taking place regarding the EU's efforts to come to full agreement on the 20% target it set in...

Interdepartmental Committees. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 8, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on social inclusion, children and integration met on 13 February 2008 and is scheduled to meet again on 26 November 2008. The cross-departmental team on housing, infrastructure and PPPs has met on six occasions this year, most recently on 23 September 2008. It is due to hold two further meetings before the...

Interdepartmental Committees. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: Deputy Kenny emphasised a point which I make also, which is the need to maintain a public investment programme even at a time when we have seen a severe downturn in performance in terms of the growth of the economy as an indication of the commitment of the Government to continue to put in place the building blocks that will enhance competitiveness, not only during these difficult times, but...

Interdepartmental Committees. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: There was a meeting in February, and one will be held this month.

Interdepartmental Committees. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: Those issues were discussed in full by the Cabinet.

Interdepartmental Committees. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I do not agree with that contention because we have established Ministers of State with cross-cutting responsibilities in these areas. There has also been much discussion of these issues at full Cabinet meetings. The suggestion that social inclusion matters do not arise unless they are raised at Cabinet committee level is not the issue. The full Cabinet has been dealing with many of these...

Interdepartmental Committees. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: The Minister of State, Deputy Finneran, and Dublin City Council have been working continually on that matter since an issue arose regarding the contracts for those important housing projects. PPPs have a role to play. They do not subsume the role of other means by which housing is provided by the State, including direct Exchequer funding, local authorities or many other approaches, such as...

Interdepartmental Committees. (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: ——which did not exactly bring social harmony in many respects, or a social mix. The affordable homes partnership is an excellent example of how, with a much more flexible approach, housing is being provided for families in a far more enlightened way than the traditional model of provision did in the past. All of these have a role to play and one method does not subsume the other. The...

Leaders' Questions (11 Nov 2008)

Brian Cowen: I offer my sincere sympathy and that of the Government to the family of Shane Geoghegan and to all his relatives and friends. This was an appalling murder which showed a contempt for the value of human life on a scale that reminds us, as in previous murders, of the wanton killing certain people are prepared to perpetrate in our community. It will be met with the full force of the law,...