Results 6,041-6,060 of 34,779 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Order of Business (21 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: This has nothing to do with Fianna Fáil Private Members' legislation. The Taoiseach has given a commitment to include Irish Water under freedom of information legislation.

Order of Business (21 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: That is welcome and I also welcome the change in approach. When the freedom of information legislation was discussed in the House prior to Christmas, the Minister rejected this approach. When will legislation be published to cover Irish Water? Second, legislation relating to EirGrid is promised. Will a similar provision be made to include the company under freedom of information legislation?

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Freedom of Information Requests (21 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: 172. To ask the Taoiseach the number of Freedom of Information requests received by his Department in 2012 and 2013; the number of requests for which a search and retrieval fee was sought; the maximum fee sought by his Department in respect of a request received and the number of requests not proceeded following the non payment of the search and retrieval fee sought; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (21 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: 259. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be approved under the summer works scheme in respect of a project submitted by three schools (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2771/14]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Biofuel Obligation Scheme Implementation (21 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: 410. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether the Government should grant carbon credits to a company (details supplied) to ship palm oil derivatives from around the world to supply the market here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2769/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (21 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: 517. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when the payment will be issued by a fund administered in his Department to a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2770/14]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Freedom of Information Requests (21 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: 569. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department in 2011; the number of requests for which a search and retrieval fee was sought; the maximum fee sought by his Department in respect of a request received; the number of requests not proceeded following the non-payment of the search and retrieval fee sought;...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Government Pay Policy (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: 1. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the actions he is taking to ensure that all top-up payments over and above taxpayer funded salaries paid by agencies contracted by the State are ceased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2776/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Government Pay Policy (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: I ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the actions he is taking to ensure all top-up payments over and above taxpayer funded salaries paid by agencies contracted by the State are ceased. The Minister will be aware that ten months ago the HSE produced a report on 44 organisations, which his Department received last July. To date, only eight of the 44 organisations are compliant...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Government Pay Policy (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: I thank the Minister for his short reply. Essentially, he has passed the buck. Everybody is responsible and nobody is responsible at the same time is the response of his Department. He has said he sets a policy but that it is not up to him to implement it. There is no point in having a policy if there is no mechanism in place to implement it. It is just words on paper if it is not...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Government Pay Policy (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: Every Member of the House agrees that there should not be top-up payments. The policy is not being implemented and it will be a very difficult process to get to the bottom of this issue in every line Department. I know it is not the Minister's job to micro-manage Departments, but it is his job to ensure their Accounting Officers are doing theirs. The Minister has said that in the past...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Semi-State Bodies Remuneration (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: 4. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the payment of bonuses within the commercial and non-commercial semi-State sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2927/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Reform Implementation (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: This question relates to bonus payments in the commercial and non-commercial semi-state sector. The Minister has dealt with the issue of payments to chief executive officers but I ask him to say what approval is given by his Department to the line Ministers to approve schemes in organisations under their remit. I refer in particular to State monopoly companies such as Irish Water,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Reform Implementation (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: At the meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts last week it was made very clear that the bonus scheme in Irish Water was part of the Bord Gáis bonus scheme, which was approved by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, and which had been notified to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The Minister's Department is in the loop. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Reform Implementation (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: I did not say they were directly comparable; rather, I think it is incongruous. I understand the differences. Employees of local authorities are subject to FEMPI cuts. If you have now gone on secondment to Irish Water, you can get a bonus and migrate back to your local authority in a year or two depending on your secondment arrangement. There is a difficulty there. We talk about...

Other Questions: Freedom of Information Remit (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: Is the Minister referring to privatisation?

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: 9. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on whether the State is achieving value for the taxpayer from its privatisation programme; the use to which the funds raised will be put in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2674/14]

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: The purpose of the question is to elicit the Minister's views on whether the State is achieving value for money for taxpayers from the current privatisation programme. I refer to the sale of Bord Gáis Energy, a number of ESB power plants for which payment to the State will be made by way of dividend, and the national lottery licence. I also ask him to outline the use to which the funds...

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: Will the Minister provide a timetable for the receipt of €1.2 billion from the privatisation of Bord Gáis Energy, the parent company of Irish Water? The Government has demanded a dividend of €400 million from the ESB, of which €140 million has been achieved through the sale of a plant in the United Kingdom. I understand the company has decided to sell two power...

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (22 Jan 2014)

Seán Fleming: The Minister is essentially saying he wants to stage-manage the timing of receipts from the sale of State assets to assist the budgetary process next year. There is an unexplained figure here. Despite the requirement for an adjustment of €3 billion last year, the Government announced an adjustment of €2.4 billion on budget day. Some of the balance of €600 million was...