Results 11,661-11,680 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Public Procurements: Public Procurements (29 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is responsible for the development of policy, legislation and guidance in relation to public procurement. Ensuring the application of these policies and rules in individual Departments and public bodies is the direct responsibility of the Accounting Officer and Accountable Person concerned. My Department and the National Procurement Service are working with public bodies to...

Written Answers — Public Sector Reform: Public Sector Reform (29 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 89 together. The Programme for Government envisages a renewed focus on Public Service Reform. Notwithstanding developments to date, the cost of delivering public services must be reduced further, with fewer staff and tighter budgets, and the Public Service must become better integrated and more customer-focused, as well as being leaner and more...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 264 and 265 together. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce new legislation to protect small building subcontractors that have been denied payments from bigger companies. In addition, you may be aware that the Construction Contracts Bill 2010 was introduced by Senator Feargal Quinn and passed Committee and remaining stages in the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Service Pension bill for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010 is in the table below. The figures for 2008 and 2009 have been compiled from the Appropriation Accounts and for 2010 from the provisional outturn as published in the Revised Estimates Volume for 2011. 2008 2009 2010 €2.15bn €2.56bn €2.73bn The Expenditure Ceilings for the Public Service Pension bill as published in...

Written Answers — Commercial Rates: Commercial Rates (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Valuation Act 2001 provides for the valuation of all commercial and industrial property and the Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Act and the making of valuations for rating is his sole prerogative. The basis of rateable valuation for all property is net annual value, i.e. the rental value of the property and is set out in Part II of...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: There is a purchase of notional service scheme in operation throughout the Civil/Public Service which, subject to certain conditions, provides an opportunity for employees to purchase additional service where their service at minimum or maximum retirement age, as appropriate, will fall short of the maximum service required for maximum superannuation benefits. Service may be purchased either...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The current superannuation scheme provisions for established civil servants, including the grades of Secretary General, Assistant Secretary, Principal, and Assistant Principal, are uniform across the Civil Service, and full details of this scheme are set out at the Government website www.cspensions.gov.ie. As the Deputy will be aware, the Single Public Service Pension Scheme, the bill for...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be aware of the significant commitments given in the programme for Government to restore the Freedom of Information Act, to extend its remit to other public bodies including the administrative side of the Garda Síochána, subject to security exceptions and to extend the Act to ensure that all statutory bodies, and all bodies significantly funded from the public purse, are...

Written Answers — Expenditure Reviews: Expenditure Reviews (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The final CRE Reports have now been received from all Departments. The results of these Reports, in addition to the cross-cutting Reports undertaken by my own Department, will be brought before Government for consideration and decision in the Budget and Estimates process in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Referendum Commission: Referendum Commission (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: My Department does not have any direct responsibility in relation to the Referendum Commission, other than to sponsor the budgetary requirement. All financial commitments will be authorised by the Referendum Commission and discharged by the Office of the Ombudsman. I am advised by the Office of the Ombudsman of the following: In accordance with Department of Finance Public Procurement...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is currently undertaking a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure under which all areas of public expenditure are being subject to scrutiny. The Government expect that this will go beyond simply abolishing agencies and also consider issues such as how existing agencies might be reformed, how functions might be reallocated among them, and how different bodies - within and beyond...

Written Answers — Civil Service Staff: Civil Service Staff (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Recruitment to and promotion within the civil service is governed by the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 and by the Civil Service Regulation Acts, 1956-2005. The 2004 Act provides for the establishment of the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) and of the Public Appointments Service (PAS). The PAS provides a centralised recruitment, assessment...

Written Answers — Civil Service Staff: Civil Service Staff (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 to 282, inclusive, together. Recruitment and appointment to positions in the civil service is governed by the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 and by the Civil Service Regulation Acts, 1956-2005. The 2004 Act provides for the establishment of the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) and the Public...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 283 and 285 together. My Department administers lump sums which are paid by the Office of the Paymaster General (PMG) to retiring Civil Servants of certain specified Departments, known as 'non-delegated' Departments. I am therefore including data in respect of those Departments in this reply. Data in respect of certain other public service bodies, lump sums...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: On the basis of data supplied by the Office of the Paymaster General, the information requested by the Deputy in respect of retired civil servants and spouses of deceased pensioners is set out in the table below. The corresponding information for bodies under the aegis of my Department will be provided direct to the Deputy by the bodies themselves. Pension Range Number of Civil Service...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce new legislation to protect small building subcontractors that have been denied payments from bigger companies. In addition, you may be aware that the Construction Contracts Bill 2010 was introduced by Senator Feargal Quinn and passed Committee and remaining stages in the Seanad on 8 March 2011. It is now before the Dáil. My...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 287 and 288 together. The surplus generated by the National Lottery 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 Lottery surplus, together with details of the total Exchequer allocations to the...

Written Answers — Civil Service Staff: Civil Service Staff (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The organisation in question was established to provide a specific service to civil and public servants. In respect of the first officer referred to, in 2001 the organisation had need of a person with specific expertise to fill a vacant position. A member of staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs had the requisite skills and experience and it was agreed that the staff member would be...

Written Answers — Public Private Partnerships: Public Private Partnerships (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 290 and 291 together. My Department is responsible for the overall PPP investment framework, including the framework for the appraisal, assessment, procurement and evaluation of projects. Individual Departments are responsible for the projects and programmes in their areas, within that overall framework. There are currently 36 PPP projects committed to by...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Oct 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The table below sets out the list of suppliers to my Department of professional services, where professional service withholding tax has been applied, and the invoice value of each, from July to date. Supplier Name Invoice Amount€ Deloitte & Touche 26,365.90 Baseline Creative Services Ltd 272.25 Accenture Consulting 32,186.00 Mercer (Ireland) Ltd 1,210.00 Canavan & Byrne 8,046.50...