Results 11,981-12,000 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to the reply by my colleague, the Minister for Finance, to Question Nos. 18587/11, 18588/11, and 18586/11 on 5 July 2011.

Written Answers — Property Valuations: Property Valuations (2 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 106 together. 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. Under the 2001 Act, the basis of valuation for all commercial property is net...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (2 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is engaged with the State's law offices, who are critically involved in the engagement of legal services, with a view to increasing competitive forces and pursuing reductions in overall costs. Reductions are being achieved through reduced fee levels. Legal services are not exempt from public procurement rules and many authorities tender for their legal advisory services. To...

Written Answers — State Bodies: State Bodies (2 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: My Department has instructed Departments and Offices that, with effect from 1 November 2011, the payment of fees should cease in respect of (i) public servants serving on State boards and (ii) public sector employees who sit on their own organisation's board or the boards of other public sector organisations. Where contractual obligations may prevent the discontinuance of such board fee...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (2 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is engaged in the necessary preparatory work and consultations to give effect to the commitments in the Programme for Government in relation to Freedom of Information. I expect to be in a position to introduce the necessary legislative measures to give effect to these commitments in the New Year.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (3 Nov 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 — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 76 together. My Department payroll and that of a number of Offices under the aegis of my Department is administered by the Department of Finance shared services payroll and the details sought by the Deputy are included in the figures returned by that Department. The Department of Finance is a Payroll Agent for the following Departments/Offices under...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (8 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 188 together. In response to the Deputy's questions, I understand that each Department keeps the information in relation to bodies that come under their aegis. In relation to my own Department the following tables contain details in respect of bodies which receive Exchequer Funding and bodies which do not receive Exchequer funding. Table A bodies in...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (8 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 189 and 190 together. The question of rationalisation and the reduction in the number of State bodies is being considered in the context of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and the overall budgetary and estimates process for 2012, and decisions on such matters will be made by the Government over the coming weeks. The priorities set out in the Programme...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (8 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The data in respect of Ministerial and TDs' pensions requested by the Deputy are in the tabular statement below. The figures were provided by the Office of Paymaster General in respect of Ministerial pensions and from the Houses of the Oireachtas Service in respect of TD pensions. The amount of pension is on an annual basis; Ministers' and TDs' pensions may not be in payment since January...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (8 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 195 together. As the Deputies are aware, this project is due to be implemented under the INTERREG IVA Programme 2007-13 which is co-funded by the Irish and UK (NI/Scotland) Governments and the European Regional Development Fund. The objective of the programme is to support strategic cross-border co-operation for a more prosperous and sustainable...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (8 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The question of rationalisation and the reduction in the number of State bodies is being considered in the context of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and the overall budgetary and estimates process for 2012, and decisions on such matters will be made by the Government over the coming weeks. The priorities set out in the Programme for Government for the rationalisation of State...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (8 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 197 together. Since my appointment as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I have not appointed any former Government office holder to any organisation under the remit of my Department . On foot of motions, both the Dáil and the Seanad approved the appointment by the Government, with effect from 19 December 2007 and for a period of 6 years, of...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (9 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the Top Level Appointments Committee is currently conducting a recruitment campaign to fill one Revenue Commissioner post and Revenue is conducting a campaign to recruit up to 30 Administrative Officers with specific information and communications technology skills. Revenue has also received sanction to recruit up to 10 Executive Officers with...

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (9 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I wish to advise the Deputy that neither the Minister for Finance nor I have policy responsibility for disbursement of funds across the areas referred to in the Deputy's question. The Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government have policy responsibility. In this regard the Deputy may wish to note that yesterday the Government decided...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (9 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Funding arrangements for 2012 and subsequent years for all subheads which are supported by Lottery funding will be decided in the context of the annual Estimates.

Written Answers — Civil Service Staff: Civil Service Staff (10 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The current arrangements in place regarding established civil servants wishing to take a career break are set out in civil service circular no. 18/98 - Special leave without pay for career breaks - and were amended in a letter to Personnel Officers of 3 March 2008 - available on www.personnelcode.gov.ie. This scheme allows for established civil servants, who have satisfactorily completed two...

Written Answers — Expenditure Reviews: Expenditure Reviews (10 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The programme measures announced in Budget 2011 were designed to yield an additional level of savings in 2012 of just over €80 million. The 2011 Budget also included a multi-annual Employment Control Framework through which public pay bill savings can be achieved over a number of years by reducing public sector staffing numbers. Achievement of savings is predicated on numerous further...

Written Answers — Public Service Remuneration: Public Service Remuneration (10 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware my colleague, the Minister for Finance will introduce the Budget in early December, and I am not in a position to pre-empt what will be contained in that Budget. Pay rates in the public service have already been reduced by up to 15% and a progressive pension related reduction applied through the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts of 2009. More...

Written Answers — Public Service Remuneration: Public Service Remuneration (10 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Increments within the Public Service vary in terms of timing, cost and application both within and across the various sectors of the Public Service and estimates of cost are of necessity, tentative. It has been estimated that the annual cost in a full year of increments would be around €250 million. However, significantly reduced recruitment and higher numbers on the maxima of scales will...