Results 20,581-20,600 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

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: Yes, that happened and is happening, but it is not the totality of the situation. We must also recruit beyond that number because we want to have a cohort of experts and must provide them with training.

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 sort of question is probably more appropriate to the Ombudsman himself in terms of what he sees as being appropriate to his role and what he envisages doing in the course of 2015. There is a significant increase in the money because of the new legislative responsibilities that the Oireachtas is giving to the Office of the Ombudsman. In specific terms, this covers the full-year cost 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: There is one director general at a salary of €136,496, six senior investigators at salaries of €103,976, 16 assistant principal investigators at salaries of €83,500, ten higher executive officers at a cost of €60,224 each, 15 executive officers at a cost of €49,837 each, two administrative officers at a cost of €60,224 each, one staff officer at a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Referendum Expenditure (12 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The approximate costings for all referenda since 2001 are set out in the following table with the exception of the referenda held in 2004 and 2011*. The referenda in those years were not taken on their own but were combined and accounted for with European and Local Elections in 2004 and with a Presidential and bye-election in 2011. It is not, therefore, possible to give an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Consultancy Contracts (12 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has been established to centralise the procurement of common goods and services across the public sector.  This move is in line with best practice in the public and private sector and is part of the continuing reform programme being driven by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The reform of the public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Mental Health Awareness (12 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question I can confirm that no flags are flown from any of my Department's buildings. As a result of this, even though the Amber Flag Programme is a very worthwhile cause, it is not possible for me to accede to the Deputy's request.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (12 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The multi-annual current expenditure ceilings for the Environment, Community and Local Government Vote published in the Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017 are ceilings on gross voted expenditure within which the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government  must deliver its services.  The ceilings for the Environment, Community and Local...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (12 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware, the Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017 (CER) relates to all spending by Central Government which is voted upon annually by the Dáil, plus the expenditure of the Social Insurance Fund and the National Training Fund. This corresponds to the Ministerial Expenditure Ceilings as defined in the Ministers and Secretaries Amendment Act 2013. In 2015, this...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sick Pay Scheme Reform (12 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Service Sick Leave Scheme provides substantial additional protection to individuals experiencing critical illnesses or serious injury through the Critical Illness Protocol (CIP), which provides the basis for access to extended sick leave.  Under the CIP, public servants who suffer from a critical illness or serious physical injury may have access to extended...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation Office (17 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 238 and 240 together. The Valuation (Amendment)(No.2) Bill 2012 is progressing through the Oireachtas. It had its Second Stage reading in the Dáil on 12th February 2015, having been passed by the Seanad on 20th November 2014. I expect that the Bill will proceed to Dáil Committee Stage in early March.   The Government introduced...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (17 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question I can confirm that consideration of the implications of the move to Eircodes is only at an early stage and there is no estimate of the likely cost, though it is not anticipated that it will be significant.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: International Agreements (17 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: At the outset I would like to set out for the Deputy the process which is followed in relation to entering into international legal agreements. Prior to the State entering into any international legal agreement, the relevant Departments give careful consideration to the domestic implications of becoming a party to such an agreement. Consideration is given to whether or not it is compatible...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Public procurement procedures require all applicants to meet certain standards when applying for public contracts. In this regard at tender stage applicants must sign a declaration in relation to their financial standing, their legal standing, their payment of taxes and social contributions; and a statement that none of the circumstances for exclusion apply. The criteria upon which...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (17 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The surplus generated by the National Lottery for good causes is transferred annually to the Exchequer and is applied to part-fund the Exchequer allocations to a specified range of expenditure subheads across various Votes.  The amount transferred to the Exchequer from the National Lottery surplus, together with details of the total Exchequer allocations to the relevant Lottery...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Programmes (18 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: One of the twelve Guiding Principles of Quality Customer Service in the Civil Service is that Departments and Offices "take a proactive approach in providing information that is clear, timely and accurate" and "continue the drive for simplification of rules, regulations, forms, information leaflets and procedures".  In this context, my Department's Customer...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (18 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The most recent estimated figures available to me, from April 2014, indicate that the total membership of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme at that time, was just over 22,000.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (18 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 by way of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2010, and which has since been amended via the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Act 2011 and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Parliamentary Party Allowances (19 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 to 83, inclusive, together. The Parliamentary Activities Allowance (formerly known as the Party Leader's Allowance) is provided for under the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act 1938 as amended, most recently by the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices)(Amendment) Act 2014.Provision for payment of the allowance to Independent TDs was...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (19 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I thank both Senators for raising this issue. I undertook to reflect on the very coherent case that was made in this regard on Committee Stage. Certainly, the intent as set out by Senator Mullen coincides with the intent of the Government in this regard. While I was confident in the position I set out during the Committee Stage debate, I agreed - ar eagla na heagla and for the avoidance of...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (19 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Senator for his kind comment about my own performance. Unfortunately, he punctured it a bit by going on to say that somehow I never accept amendments. That is not my form.