Results 8,861-8,880 of 9,274 for speaker:Jack Chambers

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Civil Service (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The blended working policy framework encourages all individual Civil Service organisations to carry out regular reviews of their own blended working policies in consultation with all stakeholders, including employee representative groups at a local level. The current blended working policy framework for the Civil Service organisations recognises as well that employers require flexibility at...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Civil Service (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I respectfully disagree because we have a blended working evaluation model and that is providing significant insights and evidence. It was published by my Department in July last year and is designed to assist organisations in effectively assessing the impact of blended working on the ways people work. The model provides for a mechanism for continuous improvement. This enables...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: It is on a public infrastructure Act.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Programme for Government (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I thank the Deputy. The Government has committed to €165 billion in capital investment through the national development plan published in 2021. As a percentage of national income, annual capital investment is now among the largest in the EU. In 2025, €15 billion will fund vital infrastructure in areas such as housing, transport, education, enterprise, sport and climate...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flexible Work Practices (12 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service Organisations was published by my Department in March 2022. The Framework provides broad strategic direction to individual Departments and Offices in the Civil Service in developing tailored policies on blended working that are appropriate to needs of business and employees. The Framework already provides for reviews, in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Climate Action Plan (12 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: In January 2020, my Department introduced mandatory new procedures for all Departments and Agencies for offsetting the emissions associated with official air travel. The table below gives a summary of my Department's payments from the relevant Votes into the Climate Action Fund (CAF) from 2020 to 2023. The figures for 2024 are not yet available but will be completed in advance of the 28...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (12 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Government has committed €165 billion in capital investment through the National Development Plan (NDP) published in 2021. As a percentage of national income, annual capital investment is now among the largest in the EU. In 2025, €15 billion will fund vital infrastructure in areas such as housing, transport, education, enterprise, sport and climate action. An additional...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (12 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department is responsible for the Infrastructure Guidelines (the Public Spending Code (PSC) prior to end 2023), which sets the value for money requirements and guidance for evaluating, planning and managing Exchequer-funded capital projects. Management and delivery of investment projects and public services within allocation and the national frameworks is a key responsibility of every...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Services Provision (12 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: Thank you Deputy for the question. My Department has been responsible for a number of recent reform initiatives, including ‘Better Public Services’ transformation strategy, which aims to deliver inclusive, high quality and integrated Public Service provision that meets the needs and improves the lives of the people of Ireland. This strategy is formed around three core themes,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Tax Yield (12 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: On 30 September 2024, the Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General published its Report to Dáil Éireann on the results of the examination of the 2023 Accounts of Government Departments and Offices. Chapter 18 of the report, on the administration of carbon tax receipts, included a finding that of the €1.36bn carbon tax revenues allocated over the period...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Health Services Staff (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: As health sector employees, Medical Scientists fall under the remit of the HSE and Department of Health. As Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, under section 22 of the Health Act of 2004, my consent must be sought in relation to the terms and conditions of employment, including terms and conditions relating to remuneration and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: A comprehensive review of the FOI regime has been undertaken and is nearing completion. The review was undertaken in the context of a system that appears to be operating well on its own terms. Since the introduction of the updated legislation in 2014, there has been a large expansion in FOI usage. The number of organisations covered by the legislation was significantly increased and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: Funding for retrofitting is a matter in the first instance for the Department of Environment, Climate, and Communications (D/ECC). D/ECC have provided my department with the following response: The Climate Action Plan includes targets to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal and the installation of 400,000 heat pumps in existing...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Programme for Government (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Government has committed to €165 billion in capital investment through the National Development Plan (NDP) published in 2021. As a percentage of national income, annual capital investment is now among the largest in the EU. In 2025, €15 billion will fund vital infrastructure in areas such as housing, transport, education, enterprise, sport and climate action. An additional...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Programme for Government sets out the clear ambition to prioritise the delivery of transformative, critical and growth-enhancing infrastructure over the next 5 years by driving the delivery of projects as early as possible and within budget. A key commitment of the Programme for Government is to prioritise an early review of the National Development Plan, which will be completed in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 95 together. Ireland’s procurement legislation is prescribed by EU Directives covering public procurement procedures. These Directives have been transposed into national law via corresponding Statutory Instruments. The relevant Directives, Directive 2014/23/EU, Directive 2014/24/EU and Directive 2014/25/EU, as well as the Security and Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Single Public Service Pension Scheme is a statutory Public Service Career-Average Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, established on 1 January 2013 under the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. The provisions of the Single Scheme are clearly set out in law and were enacted on 28 July 2012. All new-entrant public servants hired after 1 January 2013 are...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: A comprehensive review of the FOI regime has been undertaken and is nearing completion. The review was undertaken in the context of a system that appears to be operating well on its own terms. Since the introduction of the updated legislation in 2014, there has been a large expansion in FOI usage. The number of organisations covered by the legislation was significantly increased and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ethics in Public Office (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: As the Deputy notes in the question, during the last Government my Department carried out a wide-ranging review of the legislative framework for ethics in public life and published a report on its findings in February 2023. Our recently agreed Programme for Government commits under the political reform chapter to “update the Ethics in Public Office legislation”. I will be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Weather Events (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is administered by the Community Welfare Services section of the Department of Social Protection. It was activated on the 23rd January 2025 to assist householders affected across the country by Storm Éowyn. The purpose of the scheme is to provide financial support to people whose homes are damaged and who are not able to meet costs for essential...