Results 20,521-20,540 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The procurement reform programme is an important element of the Government's overall reform agenda and is tasked with delivering increased value for money, more accurate and timely data and improvement in the capacity and capability of procurement across the public service. The new model for procurement was approved by the Government in September 2012, with common goods and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As I have already said, in the event that the public service unions make a pay claim as they have indicated that they will, the Government will enter into discussions with them on successor arrangements to Haddington Road and the gradual wind down of the financial emergency (FEMPI) Acts. In this regard I have indicated that my preference is to have the first quarter...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of Assets (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The original programme of State asset disposals agreed by Government included -The sale of Bord Gais Eireann's Energy business; -The sale of some of ESB's non-strategic power generation capacity; -Consideration of the sale of some assets of Coillte, but excluding its land; and -The sale of the State's remaining shareholding in Aer Lingus, at the right time, for the right price and under...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be aware that 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...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In 2014, my Department carried out the second Comprehensive Review of Expenditure. The purpose of this exercise was to establish the Government's expenditure priorities for the coming years, and to then allocate expenditure ceilings across Government Departments accordingly. This process, which involved engagement with the public and other Government Departments,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As I have previously advised the House, the Moratorium on recruitment to the Public Service was introduced in 2009 in response to the severe economic and fiscal challenges faced by the country at that time. As a policy device it was very successful, reducing public service numbers by some 10%, with savings of over €3 billion.  This made a very important contribution to the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pensions Levy (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The public service Pension-related Deduction (PRD), referred to as "the pension levy" in the Deputy's question, was introduced in March 2009 under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. The Exchequer yield from PRD since its inception up to 2014 is as follows. Year PRD Yield (€ million) 2009 837.419 2010 948.605 2011 960.224 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 61 to 64, inclusive, together. While Ireland is no longer subject to the Troika programme having successfully exited the EU-IMF programme of financial support in December 2013, there remain the annual deficit ceilings set out in the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP).  The Government's key budgetary target for 2015 is to bring...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be aware that my Department commenced a review of the Public Capital Programme in 2014. The purpose of the review is to refresh the Government's existing investment strategy and set a new multi-annual capital envelope which addresses critical infrastructure needs and is in line with emerging Government priorities. As part of the Estimates process, and informed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I announced in Budget 2015 that the Moratorium on recruitment to the Public Service is to be replaced in 2015 with new arrangements giving Departments greater flexibility in managing their staffing resources.  This will be subject to Departments remaining within binding pay ceilings and meeting ongoing efficiency and reform objectives. My Department is currently engaging with...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Public Service Reform was a key element of the Government's strategic response to the crisis and remains a key part of our strategy for recovery.  Reform has enabled us to maintain and improve public services in the face of the necessary reduction in staff numbers and budgets, at a time of increased demand for public services.  For example, 21% more people were in receipt...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Referendum Expenditure (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The final cost of holding the Referendum on the abolition of Seanad Éireann and the Referendum on the Court of appeal on 4th October 2013 amounted to €14.4m. The breakdown of this cost is as follows: Returning Officer Costs for taking the poll and counting of votes €10.2m Postal Costs (primarily delivery of Polling Cards) €1.4m Referendum Commission Costs...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Chairman. We are seeing a lot of each other today. I am pleased to have the opportunity to present the 2015 Estimates for my Department’s group of Votes. The group, as the Chairman said, comprises a significant number of Votes. It contains the Vote for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Vote for the Office of Government Procurement, the Vote for shared...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Under the National Lottery Act 2013, the full cost of the lottery regulator is to be borne by the licensee. Obviously, when we were preparing the Estimate in October, we had to make a provision for €150,000 to cover the operation of the regulator in the course of 2015. I am advised that it is unlikely that any of these moneys will be used because the full cost of the regulator,...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I suggest this because of time constraints. The Deputy asked about Aer Lingus. As I answered in reply to a parliamentary question this morning, Aer Lingus was on the list of assets available for sale but it was heavily conditioned in the announcements made at the time by me and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. An approach has been made by the parent holding company of...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Provisional costs are allowed until we see what is determined. We are seeking costs but that will be a matter for the courts to determine. The GRA initiated the case, as it was entitled to do. We introduced primary legislation to change the sick leave arrangements and we debated it at some length. I gave a period of time because further matters had to be determined by the Labour Court....

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I can go through it or I can give the Deputy a document.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy is asking a very pertinent question. We have made very substantial reductions in the pay bill of the order I indicated, from a peak in 2009 to last year. The anchor of much of these reductions is financial emergency legislation, which is unique legislation because we have not in the past by law reduced the pay and conditions of any set of workers.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: They were necessitated by a financial emergency because we could not continue to pay that volume of money and maintain public services at the front line. This was the trade-off I negotiated with the public sector unions. I am conscious, and the advice I have from the Attorney General is, that FEMPI legislation is not a permanent feature. It is predicated on there being an emergency...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: That is this year.