Results 12,541-12,560 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: A number of reforms have been introduced in relation to the pension entitlements of TDs and Ministers. The Deputy will be aware that the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 provided that pensions would not be payable to new Oireachtas members before 65 years of age, and under the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The purpose of EU Regional/Cohesion policy is to reduce the significant economic, social and territorial disparities that still exist between Europe's regions. The budget for the 2007-2013 round is €347bn. Most of this budget is allocated for those countries and regions whose gross domestic product per capita is less than 75% of EU average (81.5% for convergence objective). The...

Written Answers — Public Sector Increments: Public Sector Increments (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Based on more detailed information recently requested by my Department on the total cost of increments in a full year in the various sectors, the estimated full year cost of increments in the public service (excluding the Local Authority sector) is now estimated at no more than €180 million per annum and will be less than half that sum in 2012. Significantly reduced recruitment, the ongoing...

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

Brendan Howlin: Transfers for grades represented by the Civil and Public Services union (mostly Clerical and Staff Officers) are arranged in accordance with formal procedures agreed with the Staff Side at General Council under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for the Civil Service. Officers in these grades seeking a transfer to another Department or location may apply to the Personnel Officer of the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The issue raised by the Deputy relates to the provisions of the Public Sector Transfer Network (PSTN) which enables individuals to transfer service from one member organisation to another for superannuation purposes. Membership of the PSTN is voluntary and organisations which apply to join are designated by Statutory Instrument as 'approved organisations' under Section 4 of the...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Valuation Tribunal was established in 1989 under Section 2 of the Valuation Act, 1988 and is continued under Section 12 of the Valuation Act, 2001. Members of the Tribunal are appointed by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform under the provisions of Section 12 (4) of the Valuation Act 2001. Membership of the Valuation Tribunal currently stands at 21. The date on which each...

Written Answers — Regional Development: Regional Development (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The competence of the European Union in the field of economic, social and territorial cohesion is set out in Article 174 of the Treaty. The purpose of the Union's regional and cohesion policy is to reduce the significant economic, social and territorial disparities that still exist between Europe's regions. Ireland has been allocated a total of €901m in Structural Funding for the...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government has reaffirmed the key commitments under the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 on pay rates and job security for serving public servants. These commitments are contingent on delivery of the necessary flexibilities and reforms to public service delivery that are required under the Agreement. The Budget process has recently outlined the Exchequer expenditure programme for 2012...

Written Answers — Parliamentary Party Allowances: Parliamentary Party Allowances (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 150 on 15 December last and also to Parliamentary Question No. 3118 last Thursday, I intend to bring proposals to Government shortly in relation to the Party Leader's Allowance. The Party Leader's Allowance is provided for in the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) Act, 1938, as amended by the Oireachtas (Ministerial and...

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

Brendan Howlin: The rules on awarding public contracts have provisions which allow the specification of social criteria, such as the requirement for employment of long term unemployed, as a condition in the performance of the contract. Any such provision must be compatible with EU law, i.e. they must be made known to all interested parties and must not restrict participation by contractors from other Member...

Written Answers — Capital Investment Programme: Capital Investment Programme (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The amount of employment generated by capital expenditure depends on how that expenditure is invested. For example, the purchase of new rail rolling stock would generate little direct employment in Ireland as such stock is generally produced abroad. Furthermore, different types of public construction project have different levels of labour intensity. For example, smaller scale projects such...

Written Answers — National Lottery: National Lottery (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As Minister with responsibility for the National Lottery, I announced on 10 November 2011, in the context of unveiling the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Framework 2012 – 2016, that the Government has decided to review a number of options regarding the future of the National Lottery. My Department is currently examining the various options with respect to the next Lottery licence...

Written Answers — Local Authority Rates: Local Authority Rates (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. The person liable for payment of rates is the person...

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

Brendan Howlin: In April of last year the Government decided that the membership of TLAC would be changed to include a majority of outside members. The new TLAC comprises a majority of outside members and one of these members is the Chairperson. The new committee is charted with identifying and selecting candidates for the most senior positions throughout the Civil Service. The Membership of the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Work is ongoing in my Department in this area. I remain committed to bringing forward the reform required in the context of commitments on accountability arrangements, as set out in the Programme for Government. Legislative change to clarify accountability arrangements is a key initiative of the Government's Public Service Reform Plan that was published in November 2011.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce a statutory register of lobbyists, and rules concerning the practice of lobbying. In addition the Public Service Reform Plan contains a commitment to prepare legislation to meet this commitment. The Government Reform Unit of my Department is currently reviewing the approaches in place in the EU and internationally to the...

Written Answers — EU Structural Funds: EU Structural Funds (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Commission published its proposals for the 2014-2020 round of funding on 6 October 2011. Under the proposals, the total Cohesion package would be valued at €376 billion, making it the biggest single element of the EU Budget. Discussions have been taking place at EU Council at official level since that date and I have attended an Informal Ministerial Meeting in Poznan and the General...

Written Answers — Revaluation Programme: Revaluation Programme (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The revaluation programme began in November 2005 in the South Dublin County Council area where it was completed in 2007. It has since been completed in the Fingal County Council area in 2009 and in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown in 2010. The revaluation of the Dublin City Council area was commenced in May 2011, which entails the valuation of approximately 25,000 properties and the new list will be...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government adopted my proposal in June 2011 for the introduction of:- · a general pay ceiling of €200,000 for future appointments to higher positions across the public service; and · a general pay ceiling of €250,000 for future appointments to CEO posts within Commercial State Companies. Following the outcome to the referendum on remuneration for the Judiciary the Financial...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Questions Nos. 274, 288 and 289 of 11 January 2012.