Results 16,081-16,100 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Decentralisation Programme. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: That is not correct. As I outlined to the Deputy, the Labour Court finding notes the terms of the company-union procedures agreement and stated that it was its opinion that FÁS was in breach of the consultation procedures provided for the agreement and it made no ruling on the substantive issue of the relocation clause. The Labour Court recommended that the matter be referred back to the...

Decentralisation Programme. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: Yes, and both the Department, in terms of the public service, and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment officials who deal with personnel matters are available on the basis of being able to get everyone around the table. FÁS management is available to discuss it, as the Labour Court ruling suggested it should, and we hope that SIPTU will also come to the table on that basis.

Departmental Expenditure. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Deputy will be aware that, in December 2005, the Appropriation Act included €56.4 million in respect of capital carry-over from 2005 to 2006 for the HSE. This was based on information received in my Department from the Department of Health and Children to the effect that this capital saving would be achieved in 2005 and available to be carried forward into 2006. On 17 January last, my...

Departmental Expenditure. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: By way of background to these events, the Deputy will be aware that the establishment of the HSE in January 2005 with its own Vote, represented a major change in the management, organisation and delivery of health services. It involved the amalgamation of 17 separate health agencies that historically had accounted on an accruals accounting basis into a unified structure, eight of these...

Departmental Expenditure. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I can only answer when the Deputy has concluded the question. I did not come in to apologise to the House; I came in to notify the House.

Departmental Expenditure. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I refer the Deputy to my statement in which I set out the technical position.

Departmental Expenditure. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: Does the Deputy wish to hear the answer? I did not come in to the House to apologise but to notify the House that the €56.4 million was not going into the Revised Estimates volume and that I could only get confirmation of what the precise capital carry over was when the appropriation account due by 31 March was to hand. I have given the background of the organisational changes which took...

Decentralisation Programme. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: As I have stated earlier, both the Government and I have made it clear that participation in the decentralisation programme is voluntary. From the outset guarantees have been provided at Government level that all those employees not wishing to transfer out of Dublin will be facilitated with an alternative public service post in Dublin. This position has not changed. Progress has been possible...

Decentralisation Programme. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: As I stated in reply to a previous priority question, we require the active engagement of both sides to resolve any dispute. The Labour Court did not make a substantive finding in regard to the relocation clause. It stated the consultation clause in the procedures agreement was not adhered to sufficiently by management in the context of the terms or spirit of that agreement. FÁS accepts that...

Decentralisation Programme. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: The State agency boards understand Government policy and are working to proceed with and implement it, as is the case with Departments of State. The Labour Court suggested that the matter should go back to an appropriate central body but did not specify what body that should be. I believe that my Department, together with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, as the responsible...

Decentralisation Programme. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: Everyone engaging in negotiations will enable us to try to proceed with the matter. We cannot proceed without everyone sitting down around the table. The Deputy will find that when he tries to make coalition arrangements.

Decentralisation Programme. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I have not ignored the point; I answered it. All State bodies support Government policy. That is the oldest rumour in the book.

Decentralisation Programme. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I would never meet the Deputy's high moral standards but I do the best I can.

Decentralisation Programme. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I thank the Deputy.

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I am not aware of the developments referred to in the Seanad debate yesterday. Subject to that, the Deputy may take it that if the Taoiseach gave a commitment to the House on this matter, that will be the position.

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: The Tánaiste will bring to the House a number of legislative proposals on the continuing implementation of necessary health reforms to try and improve our health service and build on the successes in certain service areas, despite the critical pressures that still exist, particularly in accident and emergency services and to which she is currently paying particular attention. On the question...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: The increased investment from the private sector is part of the Tánaiste's plan to redesignate private beds in public hospitals to public beds in due course, thus increasing the bed capacity for public patients in public hospitals. The initiative introduced by the former Minister, Mr. McCreevy, in one of his earlier budgets, allowed for 8,000 beds to be made available through the private...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I would hate to think where we would be now with regard to the care of the elderly if those beds had not been in place so quickly. This is a continuing Government priority. I cannot give the Deputy a date for the introduction of the enforcement of fines Bill. The question of whether attachment of earnings orders might be considered as a better means of collecting fines as suggested by the...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: I remind the Deputy and other Members of the House that the Government has set up tribunals of inquiry on planning matters in County Dublin and elsewhere. The Oireachtas should await the outcome of those proceedings and respect due process for everybody concerned regarding a whole range of allegations are being made——

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2006)

Brian Cowen: ——by a number of people who have taken particular positions on this matter. It does not serve this House well when Members come in here to substitute as self-appointed chairmen of such tribunals, making assertions that will be decided upon by the tribunal in due course.