Results 20,461-20,480 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: It is striking a balance of proportionality. People might determine it acceptable to restrict somebody's activities for a year, but one would be in more dangerous territory going beyond that.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The restriction is they would have to seek the advice of SIPO to determine the appropriateness of any such position. This is how we have couched it rather than designating what would not be allowed. On a case-by-case basis the independent standards commission will make the determination and give the advice accordingly.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: This amendment stands at the request of the Standards in Public Office Commission which contacted my office and asked for it. The Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 provides the commission with authority to delegate its functions to staff of the commission. The commission is strongly of the view that to avoid any possibility of future legal challenges the question of its powers of delegation...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Having listed to Senator Barrett, I am minded to think back to my time as Minister for the Environment in the Custom House, when I embarked on a series of communications with what could be described as lobbyists for the taxi industry. I met representatives from various interest groups over a protracted period, and it happened that the leader of the first delegation that came to visit me left...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I think we have rehearsed these issues in previous amendments. I do not want to reverse the position. The structure of the Bill is that the lobbyist is required to register. Once we see on the register that somebody has been lobbying, it is a signal that we should use the other legislation we have - for example, by using the Freedom of Information Act to find out what happened, who was in...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I take the point. Senator Norris likes to put things in a colourful way, and that is fine. The amendment does not refer to the array of officials and groups that I have named in the Bill as those who are lobbied. The Senator simply confines it to Ministers and officials - again, not defining the officials to be covered by this amendment.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In law, one has to define what one is talking about.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In what sense? Will it apply to every official, every clerical officer and everyone who is talked about? Senators and Deputies are excluded because it would mean we would have to write and publish an official note on what was said by every residents' group or IFA delegation at our clinics.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: No. I am saying what I think, but Senator Norris would obviously regard that as unacceptable.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: But every official-----

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I will stop.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (10 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: There are two measures which currently underpin public service pay and pensions policy: the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts (or FEMPI) and the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA).  The nature of the Financial Emergency Measures legislation is that the powers granted by the Oireachtas under the legislation are temporary in nature and are predicated on the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (10 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Higher payscales were developed under the Programme for Competitiveness and Work 1994 to 1996 which allowed civil service Departments / Offices to expend 1% of their payroll costs for purposes of achieving greater organisati onal productivity.  The 1% may be applied either by way of an enhanced payscale on the existing standard one or...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (10 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: An actuarial valuation was carried last year by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to estimate the accrued liability in respect of Public Service occupational pensions.  A report on the actuarial exercise carried out last year is contained on the Department of Public Expenditure web site at . The key result of the exercise is that the total accrued liability in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (10 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Public Service superannuation schemes are funded on a pay as you go basis and therefore my Department does not have the information sought by the Deputy. An actuarial valuation was carried last year by my Department to update the accrued liability in respect of Public Service occupational pensions generally.  The calculation underpinning this exercise was carried out on an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (10 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: PeoplePoint is the HR and Pensions Administration Shared Service for the Civil Service.  It was established in March 2013 and currently provides services to employees across 21 Civil Service organisations.  Once all transitions are complete, PeoplePoint will provide services across 38 organisations. Wherever possible, staff already employed on a permanent basis across the Civil...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Parliamentary Party Allowances (10 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: This issue was debated extensively in both Houses last year during the various stages of the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Act 2014.  I set out the position very clearly at the time regarding the rationale underpinning the allowance and those reasons have not changed. My Department does not routinely monitor the number of members of the Houses of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (10 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I published the Civil Service Renewal Plan along with the Taoiseach on 30 October last.  The Plan was informed by a year-long engagement and consultation process which involved some 2,000 staff and stakeholders.  It brings together the work of the Independent Panel on Strengthening Civil Service Accountability and Performance and the work of the Civil...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pensions Levy (10 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: It is understood that the measure to which the Deputy's question refers is the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR), which came into effect on 1 January 2011. It became law via the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2010 and was subsequently amended via the FEMPI (Amendment) Act 2011 and the FEMPI Act 2013. Detailed application of the public service...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Haddington Road agreement 2013-2016, which is the second public service pay agreement since 2010, forms the cornerstone of pay policy in the public service until July 2016, when it is due to expire. The focus remains on maximising the provisions of that agreement in relation not only to pay but also to the long-term impact of reform and productivity measures, such as extra working hours...