Results 1,761-1,780 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: It will.

Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I will have to revert to the Deputy on that matter. I am not aware of the up-to-date position. A top expert in this area, Dr. Hardiman, was on the radio recently talking about the need for an open debate on very complex and difficult issues which arise in regard to this area. On that basis, there is a great deal of complexity and many issues have to be looked at before a commitment can be...

Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am aware of that but the fact that a report has been published does not mean we have come to a resolution or crystallised a position in society as to how we go forward.

Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I will have to revert the Deputy on that issue as I do not have any information on it.

Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I have every confidence that the Minister of State is fulfilling his functions.

Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am aware of what has been stated in a recent report, namely, that 5,000 or 6,000 people in the hospitality and other sectors have been issued with visas. As the Deputy knows, there was some indication from a person who commented on the issue on the public airwaves about the fact that unfortunately there are areas of activity in which people are not taking up job opportunities at the moment.

Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: There is no point in the Deputy taking what I say out of context. I said I heard a person on the radio making that point. These issues are being examined constantly. We have good labour market policies. Up to 60,000 people are obtaining employment through local employment services for the sort of areas to which I referred. There may be some issue there. I will ask the Minister of State...

Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I am not sure that would be possible considering the workload which has been set out for the current session. I will ask the relevant Minister to bring that matter to the attention of the relevant Minister and ask him or her to correspond with the Deputy directly.

Social Partnership (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 11, inclusive, together. I met with representatives of IBEC and ICTU in July, when we discussed the budgetary situation and recent economic developments. In addition, there is ongoing engagement between each of the pillars of social partnership and officials in my Department on a range of issues. Indeed, I addressed the IBEC human resources leadership...

Social Partnership (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I cannot comment on whether any such funds mentioned by the Deputy were involved. As Deputy Kenny knows, the question is being looked at by the Committee of Public Accounts and when we have that outcome and that from the two relevant Departments and the HSE, when the facts and circumstances are known, there will be an opportunity for everyone to look at the situation based on the facts as...

Social Partnership (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: If the Deputy puts down a question on it I can answer it with accuracy and certainty.

Social Partnership (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: This is being driven by an implementation body which has arranged to obtain from the various Departments, agencies and offices action plans for the purposes of proceeding to implementation in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, significant work on the transformation programme is ongoing in all sectors and savings continue to be delivered against a background of falling numbers. I...

Social Partnership (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: It is important to point out that the education situation, where the ASTI recently accepted the agreement and the TUI rejected it, involves having to deal with that issue. That is on of the reasons some of the aspects on education have been delayed. We will be insisting that the agreements we reach will be implemented but there has been an IR issue in the background which must be dealt...

Social Partnership (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: With regard to the Deputy's first question, the ten-year agreement framework within which we operate social partnership continues to apply. Like all social partnership agreements, this process takes account of the budgetary situation as it develops. It is on the basis of maintaining and providing for stability and a good public finance position that these arrangements are entered into....

Social Partnership (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not have the date the last plenary session of the social partnership process was held. I will have to get that for the Deputy.

Social Partnership (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I thought so but I will have to check that. There have been meetings with the various social partners in various guises at different times but not all together. There have been a number of meetings. The last one with the business and employer pillar was on 19 July. The one with the trade union pillar was on 16 July. The one with the farming pillar was on 4 February. I met...

Social Partnership (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: I do not accept that.

Social Partnership (12 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: Obviously, I cannot discuss the budget with the Deputy. On the Croke Park agreement, those who support the agreement and are anxious to implement it are anxious to work on the basis of the agreement as are those who have supported it and had the benefits that derive from it. That is the position on that matter. On the Deputy's question on the issue of a social charge, the Minister indicated...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (6 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) is the only agency under the remit of my Department. I understand that no pensions, other that pensions being paid by the Paymaster General's Office, are being paid to any staff member who retired from the Office. Some staff who left the office when their contracts ended, as distinct from retiring from the office, may be in receipt...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (6 Oct 2010)

Brian Cowen: In 2009 eight staff members attended in-house Irish language classes which were organised by my Department. In 2010 six staff members attended these classes. As all of these classes were provided by Gaeleagras na Seirbhíse Poiblí, there was no cost to my Department. In 2009 two staff members attended Gaeltacht courses organised by Gaeleagras, and a scholarship of €125 each was paid by...