Results 181-200 of 9,549 for speaker:Jack Chambers

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: That is the latest position we have received. I am happy to give more detail.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: We will await the outcome of the review. It is important we have a strong legislative underpinning which is advanced through the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. The Department also provided grant funding this year of €368,000 to Transparency International Ireland to support its work and support for whistleblowers specifically.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: I will review the Deputy's suggestion. Obviously, if there are recommendations in that review, I will take them very seriously in the context of any future changes that may be required.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: I will take that specific question away and respond to the committee directly on it. As I said a few minutes ago, we need to ensure that the workings of the protected disclosures system reflect best practice to protect those who should be protected vis-à-vis anything they submit to me or any other individual referred to in the legislation. I will come back to you on the specific...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: The €20 billion we have set aside for the new national development plan to reach in excess of €97 billion, building on the existing plan, consists of three separate funds. One is the Apple escrow, which we have received in the main, the AIB share sales and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund. That is a big increase in capital over our existing baseline over the coming...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: The commencement of the review preceded my role in the Department. Where gaps are identified or where we can strengthen it to protect whistleblowers across our country, that will be our collective approach to the protected disclosures piece. Obviously, we have the office that is being established under the Office of the Ombudsman.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Staff (25 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: Ministers and Ministers of State may make certain personal appointments, which, in the case of Ministers of State, include that of Civilian Drivers. Ministers’ drivers are members of An Garda Síochána. Under delegated sanction arrangements, Ministerial appointments to the positions of Civilian Driver do not require sanction by the Minister of the Department of Public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff (25 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: The number of staff working as accountants at professional accountant grades in my Department is set out in the table below. - 2024 2025 No. of Whole Time Equivalent staff at Professional Accountant Grades 8 8

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Policies (25 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: As the Deputy will be aware, the gov.ie website is the key source of information on government and public services. Initially launched in 2018 by my Department, it aims to provide a much better user experience by thematically presenting and simplifying information about our public services to ensure that they are not only easy to find, but also easy to follow and navigate. Gov.ie is a...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Annual Progress Report 2025: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: It is great to be here to engage with the committee on our first annual progress report. I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach on their election to the roles. Like the Minister for Finance, I welcome the publication of this document, which is the first of its kind under the new European fiscal framework. It is an important document for the future economic health,...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Annual Progress Report 2025: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: A key part of our work is looking at labour market dynamics as reflected in the construction sector in how we profile capital allocations over the next five years. Housing is the number one priority as well as other critical growth-enabling infrastructure such as transport, water and energy in particular. Part of that work is done with the construction sector working group in my Department...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Annual Progress Report 2025: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: : Absolutely. That is a key part of the work that we do in the aftermath but also in how we profile the priorities we have on overall capital expenditure. It is part of the cost-benefit analysis. In the work the major projects advisory group does on decisions around particular capital projects, the benefits are absolutely assessed on that basis. Indeed, in the aftermath, we know how the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Annual Progress Report 2025: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: Regarding the major projects advisory group, I am not sure. I can check that.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Annual Progress Report 2025: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy James Lawless, recently outlined additional places, particularly in the medical area and some of the allied health professions. He reached out to a lot of third level colleges on additional capacity.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Annual Progress Report 2025: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: We can check that detail with the Department of Health. The overall healthcare workforce capacity is being strengthened with additional places this year as part of the third-level recruitment.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Annual Progress Report 2025: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: Which cohort is the Deputy speaking about?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Annual Progress Report 2025: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: One cohort comprises officeholders and another comprises retired senior public servants, who make up a very small number. Those being assessed at present comprise a pool of 13,000 who may have been underpaid or subject to under-provision based on an allowance they received as part-time workers. The number the Deputy seeks is not available. It would pertain to a retired cohort who were...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Annual Progress Report 2025: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: There is extensive analysis with the NSSO to determine the actual number affected. That is not known right now. As I stated a couple of weeks ago, we will be conducting an external audit of all aspects of this. We are working on the terms of reference of that, the aim being to have external validation regarding the issues we know about and to ascertain whether other issues that are not...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Annual Progress Report 2025: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: The OPW has said it accepts and is actively implementing the recommendations of the Deloitte report. Significant issues were identified and there need to be enhanced control measures around capital expenditure within the OPW. The OPW has said it is implementing the respective recommendations.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Annual Progress Report 2025: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Jack Chambers: We absolutely need to have value for money in current and capital expenditure, and that is why, separate from examining some of the reports the Deputy referred to, we are reviewing the public financial procedures to ensure everyone within the expenditure environment and with responsibility in that environment fully understands the need for value for money and the concerns that exist in that...