Results 12,501-12,520 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

State Agencies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 88 together. The Government is committed to a programme of public service reform and improvement. As part of the work in this area, we are looking at classifications and listings of State agencies in order to produce more coherent and focused directories of services for citizens and the Oireachtas. Deputies will be aware of the Government's plans to...

State Agencies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: For once, I largely agree with the Deputy. Since we started the dialogue I have been anxious to obtain a comprehensive list. There are some listed agencies which no longer function and have not done so for years. I have asked every line Department for its list. Some bodies operate as a subset of another State agency. We will draw all of them together. That work is ongoing. I never said...

State Agencies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: We know about everything that is significant.

Members of State Boards (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: My Department has no plans to standardise the rates of remuneration paid to State board members. The rates of remuneration paid to members of both commercial and non-commercial State boards are structured within four categories of fee payment type, the basis of which has regard to factors such as organisational scale, complexity and governance. The rates of expenses paid to State board...

Members of State Boards (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: On foot of the Deputy's request, I will look at this issue. There are four bands, or categories, depending on complexity. In the non-commercial State bodies the bands range from the top end - the more complicated and larger agencies - in which the fee per board member is €14,963 to the bottom end - the less complicated agencies - where the fee is €5,985. If the Deputy, or any Deputy,...

Public Service Reform (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Ireland is committed under the EU-IMF programme to reducing the overall size and costs of the public service. It remains a matter for local agency and parent Department management to decide on operational priorities within the framework of Government policy and resources allocated. All Departments and agencies have to deliver better value to the public in order to reduce the deficit and...

Semi-State Bodies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy's question refers to the commitment in the programme for Government to sell non-strategic State assets with a view to generating resources to fund additional investment in job creation initiatives in the economy. As I have told the House in response to previous questions, this will be done over time, when market conditions are right and in a manner that allows time to implement...

Semi-State Bodies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Does the Deputy agree with our approach?

Semi-State Bodies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be familiar with the programme agreed by the last Government.

Semi-State Bodies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It included no figure, but it stated the then Government would examine the sale of State assets on foot of the then unpublished McCarthy report. During our initial discussions with the troika it was pushing the issue of the sale of State assets. As I have indicated, it wanted the entire proceeds of any such sale to be used to retire debt. Under the programme for Government negotiated by...

Semi-State Bodies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: No decision on the specifics has yet been taken by the Government which announced last September that it had decided to sell a minority shareholding in an integrated ESB. We have undertaken a proper analysis of that decosopm in regulatory and value for money terms. We have established a cross-departmental group, chaired jointly by the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform and...

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I said no such thing.

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: We would have to print money.

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Ourselves alone.

Written Answers — State Boards: State Boards (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question my Department does not keep a central record of all appointments made to state boards. Each Department is responsible for the boards that come under their aegis. Details in respect boards under the remit of my Department are as follows. Board Name No of current members Fees received An Post National Lottery 5 sitting members2 current vacancies to be...

Written Answers — Public Service Reform: Public Service Reform (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 79 together. The Government is proceeding with its plans to rational some 48 bodies by the end of 2012 as announced in The Public Service Reform Plan of 17 November 2011. Each Department is responsible for the bodies under their remit and will be providing a response in relation projected savings in relation to the bodies under their remit which are...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is at an advanced stage in the preparation of the General Scheme of a Bill to give effect to the commitments in the Programme for Government in relation to Freedom of Information. Subject to Government approval of the draft Heads of the Bill and other priorities in the Government's legislative programme, I expect to be in a position to introduce the Bill to give effect to the...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Guidelines on Staffing in Ministerial Offices were revised following decisions by this Government on a number of cost saving measures relating to the personal appointees of Ministers and Ministers of State. The current Guidelines provide that Special Advisers to Ministers are to be placed on the Principal Officer (standard) scale, which currently runs from €80,051 at the minimum to...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Currently, personal data is shared between Government Departments and public bodies if required to allow them fulfil their objectives in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. Such sharing has always required firstly that the data is being shared in accordance with law, including data protection legislation, and secondly that the most stringent precautions are taken to preserve the...

Written Answers — Public Service Reform: Public Service Reform (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 68 together. The Government is committed to a programme of public service reform and improvement. The Deputies will be aware of the Government's plans to reduce the number of State Agencies. As a further part of reforms in this area, the Government has also decided to: · Introduce "sunset clauses" when new bodies are created which will ensure that a...