Results 3,801-3,820 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Public Sector Reform. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: The Minister has said public service reform is his first priority but in the two minutes of his reply he did not offer a single specific initiative. The Minister has been in the Cabinet for 13 years and has been responsible for the public service for four years but he has no proposal to offer the Dáil on the eve of his taking office as Taoiseach. Would the Minister agree to an audit of...

Public Sector Reform. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: The Minister must offer leadership in this area and cannot move at the pace of the slowest mover, that is, the approach he mentioned of waiting for agreement. I will list three simple political actions he can take. First, he could provide that every appointment to a new board of a State agency be approved by a Dáil committee. Second, he could provide that the Comptroller and Auditor...

Public Sector Reform. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: I am asking the Minister to do something different, something new.

Public Sector Reform. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: It was done in the 1980s.

Climate Change Strategy. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: Does the Tánaiste accept that the climate change strategy published in 2000, which was designed to secure a 20% reduction, failed? The Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, admitted this. What does the Tánaiste believe are the lessons to be drawn from the fact that the then Government set itself the same EU ambition he is now praising, but in respect of which the Government did not...

Climate Change Strategy. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: I asked about the Government's 2000 programme, which was not delivered on.

Climate Change Strategy. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: The previous programme failed.

Pension Provisions. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: The figure of €75 billion for the public service certainly is scary. As a previous estimate suggested the social welfare liability was at least double that again, which would give a figure in the region of €230 billion. As this is 120% of GNP, it is a substantial liability. Does the Tánaiste share the view repeatedly expressed in reports from the EU, the IMF and others that Ireland is...

Pension Provisions. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: This figure used to be €50 billion.

Pension Provisions. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: Will the Tánaiste respond on the preparation issue?

Pension Provisions. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: Substantial liabilities are incurred by the State when people are recruited into a new service, but this never shows up in any assessment. We should build that liability into decisions to recruit so that if, for example, a 15% or 20% pension liability is implied, the agency making the decision recognises the cost. Similarly, while I do not want to return to the political arena, when we...

Pension Provisions. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: Read the document.

Tax Collection. (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: As this is the last time the Minister will appear on finance questions, I wish him well in his future endeavours. I hope he will remember those of us who still labour here in the vineyard and that he will cast a kind eye towards us from time to time from his great position of authority. I wish him well. I have enjoyed working with him for more years than I care to count. Good luck with...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (24 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: Question 53: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance his views on the rising rate of inflation here and its consequences for public policy. [15650/08]

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (29 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: Question 112: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he has made a decision on raising the level of deposits protected under deposit protected schemes in view of the greater uncertainty which prevails. [16407/08]

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (29 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: Question 240: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has sought a report on the funding base of the pension fund for airline and aviation workers in the public sector; if they are in a position to award pension increases in 2008; and if his Department has issued policy guidelines in terms of pension fund gaps or contributions. [16010/08]

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (29 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: Question 290: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will establish a review of the treatment of people who are working and renting privately on low income, who currently are deemed to have insufficient income to purchase an affordable house, but who are excluded from the rent supplement and rental accommodation scheme and for whom family income supplement means test takes...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: Question 297: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if it is possible to allow rent supplement be paid to support accommodation for a person with a disability where the rental charge was above his Department's guideline in order that the family could contribute towards accommodation that would meet all the persons needs. [16408/08]

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: Question 340: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the rate of payment to a secondary school teacher working as a substitute in a primary school; and if there is a limit on the length of time they can work in this situation. [16005/08]

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Apr 2008)

Richard Bruton: Question 362: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she is considering the selection of an exemplar of a new school built to capitalise on technologies for a minimal carbon footprint and to incorporate best features of sustainable development which could be the Irish initiative under the OECD programme for schools of the future; and her views on inviting a school to pioneer such...