Results 12,041-12,060 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (16 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 (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The information requested by the Deputy is as follows: Arbitration Boards As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I nominated the following re-appointments to the Arbitration Boards under the terms of the conciliation and arbitration schemes for the civil service , the Defence Forces, Gardaí and Teachers: Mr. Turlough O'Donnell, SC, Chairperson; Mr. Gerard Barry, Government nominee;...

Written Answers — Capital Spending: Capital Spending (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Medium-Term Fiscal Statement published by the Government on 4 November detailed the budgetary parameters for the next four years including the revised current and capital envelopes. The Medium-Term Fiscal Statement also set out and discussed the economic and fiscal projections for the period ahead that are consistent with those budgetary parameters. As regards employment, the economy is...

Written Answers — Public Service Recruitment Embargo: Public Service Recruitment Embargo (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Programme for Government commits to reducing further the size of the public service, while seeking to protect front-line services. Tomorrow, 17th November, as a further event in the Government's series of announcements as part of our Budget and Estimates process, I will be setting out an ambitious programme of Public Sector reform. Tomorrow's announcement will include the public sector...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: My Department does not employ any agency staff. You may wish to contact my fellow ministers to ascertain the information with regard to their respective Departments and bodies under their aegis.

Written Answers — Public Capital Programme: Public Capital Programme (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I presume that the Deputy is referring to the Public Capital Programme as the NDP has effectively been superseded for some time now. In this regard, I would draw the Deputy's attention to the Capital Review which the Government published last week. This lays out allocations and priorities for capital investment from 2012 to 2016 reflecting the fiscal constraints we are experiencing. I...

Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The Government is fully alert to the sacrifices people must make and the need to lessen the impact of decisions on the vulnerable as much as possible. The unfortunate reality is that Ireland is facing a budgetary crisis, which we must correct if we are to regain the ability to restore public services in the future. Until we achieve this...

Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: There is little in what Deputy Fleming said with which I do not fully agree. It is the objective, as far as is practicable, to defend front line services. We need to downsize our public services. While I believe the numbers outlined can be achieved without impacting on the delivery of services, I will not pretend that this will not be a challenge. It will mean we will have to have...

Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The plan for education that the Deputy approves of is exactly that. People will be able to retire but stay in place until the exams. There may be a need for such flexibility in other sectors. I am open to that where it is needed. The objective will to ensure that we protect services as far as possible. The Deputy fears that there might be a mass exodus from the health service. We have...

Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The council is looking for €4.4 billion in cuts.

Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I do not want to pretend for a minute that the adjustments the Government is required to take are anything we would want to do or anything that can be done in a painless way. There is already an extraordinary degree of pain being endured by the people of Ireland, top to bottom. We want to make the adjustments we have to make to get to the fiscal target of a 3% deficit by 2015 in the orderly...

Public Sector Reform (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will appreciate that some of the issues raised in her question relate to budgetary matters which will be addressed in December's budget. I do not propose to pre-empt any decisions of the Government on the budget in my reply, nor have I done so in any discussions with public service sectoral interests, and I have met a cross-section of them. However, the programme for Government...

Public Sector Reform (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy makes a valid point, and I would be delighted to read her proposals in this regard. One of the things I said today is that we do not have a monopoly of ideas on this side of the House. This is a process, and we are open to ideas. When I come to the Committee of Public Accounts and the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, I will make a full presentation on...

Public Sector Reform (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I am too long-winded.

Public Sector Remuneration (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Government supports a strong policy of pay restraint within the public sector. This is evidenced by the fact that immediately on assumption of office - on the night of their appointment - the Taoiseach, other members of the Government and a number of other office-holders voluntarily reduced their salary rates. In addition, I immediately began the process of considering whether it would...

Public Sector Remuneration (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I do not think the Deputy and I have any difference of opinion on this. It is a question of how we do it rather than what we do. Of the 18 individuals I mentioned, one is a Member of the Oireachtas. That confused me when I saw it; it is, of course, the President, who is a House of the Oireachtas in and of himself. I should tell the House that the President has indicated to my Department...

Public Sector Remuneration (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I will answer that separately. I do not want to get into a discussion on the President, but the Deputy can be assured that the highest probity will attach itself to all his actions. Of the other members of the group of 18 I mentioned, seven are CEOs of commercial semi-State bodies, all of whom have taken a reduction, although their salaries are still over €250,000. The Deputy will recall...

Sale of State Assets (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The position as understood by the Deputy is not correct. While the programme for Government provides for the sale of non-strategic State assets to part fund investment in key networks of the economy under the NewERA programme, the disposal of State assets is also a requirement under the external funding programme agreed with the European institutions and the International Monetary Fund. The...

Sale of State Assets (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I am unsure what the question is but I will tell the Deputy what happened. The original memorandum of understanding signed by the previous Government in December 2010 contained the following commitment: Building on the forthcoming report of the Review Group on State Assets and Liabilities...State authorities will consult with the Commission Services on the results of this assessment with a...

Departmental Agencies (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The comprehensive review of expenditure which has been carried out across all Departments in recent months has carefully examined all areas of Exchequer spending, including the funding provided by Departments to the non-commercial State bodies that operate under their aegis. The comprehensive review of expenditure has been finalised and it is now informing the decisions that the Government...