Results 12,121-12,140 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: As outlined today in the announcement of the Public Sector Reform Programme, the Government is committed to delivering better value in the public sector in order to reduce the deficit and protect front-line services. Numbers reduction will be a driver for public service wide reform. This includes reforms to the manner in which front-line and back office services are delivered across the...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Reform in the insurance sector and in health insurance are matters for the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Health, respectively.

Written Answers — EU-IMF Programme: EU-IMF Programme (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Medium Term Fiscal Statement, published on 4 November, reiterated the Government's commitment to reducing the deficit to below 3 per cent of GDP by 2015 and set out the year-by-year path that we are following to achieve this. It is vital that the State continues to show the seriousness of its intent to tackle the deficit in the public finances. Moving towards a balanced budgetary position...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (17 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Given the magnitude of the adjustment required to meet our obligations of reducing the deficit below 3% of GDP by 2015, we have had to significantly scale back and reprioritise public expenditure in order to meet the terms of the Programme of Financial Support. A full and thorough evaluation of both Capital and Current expenditure has been carried out along with the development of the Public...

Written Answers — National Lottery: National Lottery (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: 1The National Lottery Act 1986 and the National Lottery licence only permit the sale of National Lottery tickets in the State. The sale of National Lottery tickets elsewhere raises obvious legal and regulatory issues.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: 2057You will be aware that 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 this regard, my colleague Minister of State Mr Brian Hayes has been working with Senator Quinn to develop the Construction Contracts Bill, which is now before the Dáil, into a robust piece...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: 1I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 200 together. Returning Officers are required to submit accounts to the Department of Finance within six months of holding an election. While the accounts for the recent General Election have not yet been completed, we have included estimated figures. The accounts for the Presidential election and Dublin West bye-election have not yet been submitted...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The scheme to which the Deputy refers is the Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement as promulgated in Circular 12/09. The terms of the scheme provide that the balance of the retirement lump sum will be payable upon the retiree reaching his/her normal preserved pension age. There is no provision in the scheme to allow payment to be brought forward.

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: No servers are leased by either the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform or the Special EU Programmes Body.

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: IT is now provided on a shared service basis between the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform. No servers are currently owned by this Department. In relation to State Agencies under the aegis of my Department, I am advised that the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is fully committed to reducing server maintenance time and cost. The SEUPB maintains its...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The recently appointed Special Advisor to the Minister for Finance will undertake any duties which may be assigned to him from time to time as appropriate to the position of Special Adviser as set out in Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997. The salary for this individual does not exceed the Government's special advisor pay scale as outlined in the Instructions regarding...

Written Answers — Infrastructure Investment Plan: Infrastructure Investment Plan (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: My Department's capital allocation is very small consisting of only €0.5 million per annum. This is primarily used for Peace Programme, INTERREG and IT-related expenditure. The cross-border PEACE and INTERREG programmes are administered by the Special EU Programmes Body and provide funding for eligible projects in border counties. Information in relation to the potential for funding for...

Written Answers — Constitutional Referendums: Constitutional Referendums (22 Nov 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 that the total budget for the Referendum Commission established in respect of the...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The breakdown of Public Service numbers by Sector for March 2009 and September 2011 is set out in the table. This data is available on my Department's Website. 2009 2011 Variance % Decrease Qtr1 Qtr3 Defence Sector 11,169.00 10,168.60 -1,000.4 -9.0% Education Sector 95,253.24 90,577.81 -4,675.4 -4.9% Health Sector 111,769.97 104,286.88 -7,483.1 -6.7% Civil Service * 38,658.91...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The data in respect of Attorney General, Ministerial, TDs' and Judges' pensions requested by the Deputy are in the tabular statement. The figures were provided by the Office of Paymaster General in respect of Attorney General, Ministerial and Judges' pensions, and from the Houses of the Oireachtas Service in respect of TD pensions. Former Members of the European Commission are entitled to a...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: In the timeframe involved it has not been possible to collate the data requested by the Deputy. As soon as the data is collated it will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's Question I am not aware of any former Attorney General having been appointed to any board under the aegis of my Department by the current Government or former Government.

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I am happy to be back in the Seanad again so soon. Last week, I presented the Government's capital spending programme for the next five years to Dáil Éireann, having announced it the previous Thursday. It was part of a series of important announcements leading up to budget day, which commenced with my colleague, the Minister for Finance, publishing the medium-term fiscal statement on 4...

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: However, we aim to restore our public finances. The objective of this Government is to restore the broken finances we inherited a few short months ago-----

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Brendan Howlin: -----so that we can afford to undertake such projects in the not too distant future. It is our firm resolve that we will put our economy in such a place that we will be able once again to make our own investment decisions and be free of the oversight of the troika which, unfortunately, is now brought in to overview-----