Results 24,061-24,080 of 33,118 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised that Cork County Council is investigating the problem at this location in the first instance as the flooding may be due to a collapsed drainage culvert in the vicinity of this location rather than any connection to the flood relief scheme. The problem will be addressed appropriately by the relevant body when the exact cause of the problem is identified.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is an independent, statutory body which provides professional recruitment and selection services to the civil service.  I understand from PAS that they use verbal and numerical reasoning tests, alongside other assessment tools, for Civil Service roles such as Clerical Officer, Executive Officer, Third Secretary and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Disability Act Employment Targets (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department is an equal opportunities employer and all recruitment campaigns are conducted in strict compliance with the Codes of Practice set out by the Commission for Public Service Appointments.  Codes include the Code of Practice governing the External and Internal Appointments of Persons with Disabilities to Positions in the Irish Civil Service and Certain Public Bodies,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Training Fund (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 368 to 370, inclusive, and 374 together. As the Deputy will be aware, I announced at Budget time last October my intention, together with the Minister for Education and Skills, to carry out a consultation process on the design and operation of an Exchequer-Employment mechanism to help fund higher and further education and training into the future and to drive...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: When inviting the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions last month to the public service pay talks, which have now concluded, I indicated that a separate process of consultation would take place with an association representing public service pensioners. That process is ongoing, and my officials met recently with representatives of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 and 378 together. In the past, the occupational pensions of public service pensioners were generally adjusted in line with changes in the wages or salary of the pensioner's grade at retirement. Sometimes referred to as "pay parity", this non-statutory linkage lapsed in 2010, when the values of pensions in payment were left unchanged notwithstanding...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Tribunals of Inquiry (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department provided sanction for additional resources to support the work of the Disclosures Tribunal in early May of this year. This was in response to a recommendation from the Department of Justice and Equality which outlined the need for extra resources to support the timely completion of the work of the Tribunal and also to minimise any potential negative...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Private Partnerships Data (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department's primary role in relation to PPPs is to facilitate the PPP process centrally by developing the general policy framework (including, where necessary, the legal framework) and the capital investment policy framework within which PPPs operate and by providing central guidance to Departments and other State Authorities in that context. Financial responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, the extension of service beyond retirement age for civil servants, in certain limited circumstances, is provided for under Circular 13/1975. The Circular notes that under Section 8.4 (1) of the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956, 65 years is the retiring age for certain Civil Servants. Provision is also made for circumstances in which an officer may be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Properties (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Management of the lands referred to, which were acquired by the Commissioners of Public Works in 2006, was passed, by agreement, to the Local Authorities, also referred to in the question. The Commissioners have not been appraised of definitive development plans for the lands.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Public sector organisations are required to adhere to EU and national procurement rules. The Office of Public Works has embarked on a process of putting framework contracts in place across many areas of operations including the electrical and mechanical area. In establishing such frameworks assessment criteria are necessary to form judgements as to the capacity and capability of applicant...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy’s question, I can confirm that neither my Department nor any of the bodies under the aegis of my Department have availed of the services of the company referenced in the question.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Public Sector Transfer Network allows employees to transfer service from one member organisation to another. The legislative provision for this is Section 4 of the Superannuation and Pensions Act 1963.  It provides for the transfer of pensionable service in the case of staff transfers between the Civil Service and "approved organisations", and between one "approved organisation" and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Levy (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR) reduces the value of those public service pensions which have pre-PSPR values above specified thresholds. It does so in a progressively structured way which has a proportionately greater effect on higher value pensions. A very significant part-unwinding of PSPR in three stages is taking place under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Revenue Commissioners (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Action 18 of the Civil Service Renewal Plan 2014 committed to giving greater authority and flexibility to managers to enhance public services while reducing costs and increasing efficiencies within centrally determined expenditure limits and pay rates. This has involved the setting down of binding multi-annual pay allocations centrally which have replaced the Employment Control Framework...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Board of the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the only State Board under the aegis of my Department. PAS took on an enhanced role in relation to State Boards following a Government decision in September 2014 and new Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards have been in operation since November 2014. I am informed by the PAS that no former TDs have been appointed to the PAS Board.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Schemes (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 388 to 390, inclusive, together. The Revised Spouses and Childrens Superannuation Scheme was introduced in 1984. Membership of this scheme is mandatory for anybody who joined the civil service as a new entrant after 1 September 1984. Civil Servants who were not members of any scheme or were members of the Original Scheme prior to this...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Postal Codes (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, I can confirm that there were no costs incurred by my Department in its implementation of the Eircode system.  Eircodes were incorporated into new stationery when existing stocks were depleted at no extra cost.  As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment has...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In the past, the occupational pensions of public service pensioners were generally adjusted in line with changes in the wages or salary of the pensioner's grade at retirement. Sometimes referred to as "pay parity", this non-statutory linkage lapsed in 2010, when the values of pensions in payment were left unchanged notwithstanding salary cuts at the beginning of that year which...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (20 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Public Service Sick Leave Scheme was introduced in March 2014 in the majority of sectors in the Public Service and in September 2014 in the Education Sector. The Public Service Management Sick Leave Regulations 2014provide the basis for the calculation of access to paid sick leave and sick leave records, including counting a Saturday or Sunday. The following sets out the process, based...