Results 12,081-12,100 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: North-South Implementation Bodies (19 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The 2010 to 2013 budgets for the North South Implementations Bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement are set out in the following table: - 2010 €m 2011 €m 2012 €m 2013 €m Foras na Gaeilge 20.643 18.785 17.547 * InterTrade Ireland 12.194 9.909 12.235 11.594 Loughs Agency 4.832 4.689 4.545 4.403 SafeFood 9.522 8.5 8,5 8,5 Special EU Programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Programme for Government Implementation (19 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Programme for Government contained a commitment to address the issue of confidential communications with public representatives through constitutional change. Following a detailed policy assessment and on the basis of legal analysis, it was decided to legislate in relation to this issue. The Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013 provides for qualified...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Haddington Road Agreement Implementation (19 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Haddington Road Agreement came into force on 1 July, 2013. The Agreement is comprised of a series of sustainable measures which will deliver a €1 billion reduction in the cost of the public service pay and pensions bill by 2016. The Agreement is already delivering on its objectives. In terms of cost reduction, €300 million of savings were incorporated into the various...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: European Council Meetings (19 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Special EU Programmes Body is the Managing Authority for the North South structural funds programmes, including the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE III). The Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister applied for funding under Theme 2.2 of the PEACE III Programme for a project to develop a Peace-building and Conflict Resolution Centre at the Maze Long Kesh...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Legislation (19 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As I outlined in detail in the course of the recent Committee Stage, the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill, 2013 will represent a significant strengthening in Ireland’s FOI regime leading to increased transparency, openness and accountability of public bodies. As the Deputy will be aware this is being achieved by: - reversing the main additional exemptions included in the 2003 Freedom...

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (14 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Dáil was in session.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Remit (14 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Freedom of Information Bill 2013 is in the course of its passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas. Where it is proposed that a body should be exempt in full from the freedom of information legislation, that body is included in Schedule 1 Part 2 of the Bill. Both Bord na Móna and Coillte Teoranta are included in Schedule 1 Part 2. I believe that commercial state bodies should...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (14 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy may wish to note that while my Department is responsible for procurement policy, the administration of individual contracts is a matter for the relevant public body. A person employed in a public body who occupies a designated post for the purposes of the Ethics Acts 1995 as amended by the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 has a legal obligation to disclose in an annual...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (14 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) is responsible for overseeing the conduct of appointment processes to a wide range of positions in the Civil and Public Service. In carrying out its independent statutory functions, the CPSA must, on occasions, seek independent legal advice on issues that come to light in the course of its examination of appointment processes. Given that...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (14 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) is an independent body established under the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 whose functions include establishing standards for the recruitment and selection of persons for positions in the Civil Service and other public service bodies. The CPSA is obliged to report to the Houses of the Oireachtas...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (14 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Under sections 57 and 58 of the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004, my Department has responsibility for policy relating to recruitment and promotion in the Civil Service. As part of this remit, my Department develops policy on resourcing across the Civil Service. In late 2011, in response to information beginning to emerge from the broader workforce planning...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: We debated this point at length last night.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to provisions which I may amend on Report Stage. I intend to make Iarnród Éireann subject to FOI. It became clear that the inclusion of Irish Rail will have to be refined to ensure that no unintended consequences would result. Rosslare Europort is operated by Irish Rail but operates in a commercial environment and should be treated in the same manner as the commercial...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Yes.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The premises that are off-limits have to be designated in the regulations. It is not all Garda stations. So I imagine it would be the crime and security division in Harcourt Street and places that by nature would have highly sensitive documents.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I draw up the regulations in consultation with the Department of Justice, Equality and Defence. They would have to be laid before the House.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I beg the Deputy’s pardon, I am advised that it is the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence who will make those regulations and they have not yet been made.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: This is new. The Garda Síochána were never encompassed within the FOI up to now.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy can imagine, in negotiating with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence about these matters the extension of FOI in general to the Garda Síochána had to be carefully discussed and there was a balance to strike to make sure that we would not compromise criminal investigation in providing FOI.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Not on the FOI side because that will be on the administrative side but there is a very strong power given to the Information Commissioner to enter the premises of a designated body and seize documents. I do not imagine that it will be used very often. I do not know if it has been used very often to date. I am told it was only ever threatened but never done.