Results 12,821-12,840 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Public Service Reform: Public Service Reform (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Third Report of the Organisational Review Programme was published on 26th January this year. The report contains the findings of reviews of four Departments: the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It also contains comprehensive...

Written Answers — Croke Park Agreement: Croke Park Agreement (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Implementation Body published a very comprehensive progress report last June, on foot of its annual review of the Agreement, which outlined the sustainable pay savings that were achieved under the framework of the Agreement in its first year. The Report also gave a very thorough account of the progress that had been achieved on implementing the change and reform agendas in each sector of...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 297 together. I refer to my reply to Question Reference No 6848/12 of 7 February 2012.

Written Answers — Ministerial Transport: Ministerial Transport (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Since 1 May 2011 Cabinet Minister with the exception of Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Law Reform now use their own cars. All Ministers are now paid for official mileage up to 96,540 kilometres or 60,000 miles per annum. Ministers of State have used their own cars on official business since 1984. The payment of the travel allowance to Ministers is certified by the...

Written Answers — Capital Investment Programme: Capital Investment Programme (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware, the Government recently laid out our five year capital investment programme in Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2012 - 2016. This publication which was the result of a major review of capital expenditure, prioritises investment in that infrastructure which will be most beneficial to supporting economic growth, thereby supporting sustainable employment growth in...

Written Answers — Public Service Staff: Public Service Staff (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is committed to reducing Public Service numbers to 282,500 by 2015. I believe that our end-2012 target of 294,400 will be delivered through retirements in accordance with existing arrangements. Following the end of the grace period, my Department will review the numbers position across the public service this year and out to 2015 and will assess the means through which our...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: 18,636 persons were paid from Vote 12 last year, including spouses and children as well as occupational pensioners; the estimate for 2012 is 19,448.

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As I mentioned in previous replies in relation to proposals to amend the Valuation Act 2001, significant work has already been done by the Commissioner of Valuation and by my officials on the formulation of a Bill to streamline and improve the valuation system. The Government has approved the Heads of an amending Bill and these are now with the Parliamentary Draftsman's Office for drafting of...

Written Answers — Public Procurement Contracts: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Feb 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 — Ministerial Transport: Ministerial Transport (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Since 1 May 2011 Cabinet Ministers with the exception of Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Law Reform now use their own cars. All Ministers are now paid for official mileage up to 96,540 kilometres or 60,000 miles per annum. Ministers of State have used their own cars on official business since 1984. My Department does not maintain records of the travel costs for each...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As I have outlined in replies to previous questions, the allocation of funding from subheads which are part-funded by the surplus from the National Lottery is the responsibility of a number of Government Departments and Agencies. These Departments and Agencies are listed each year in Appendix 1 of the Revised Estimates for Public Services (REV). In recent years, funding raised by the Lottery...

Written Answers — Ministerial Transport: Ministerial Transport (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following tables contains details requested by the Deputy in respect of kilometre claims made by both myself and the Minister of State in the Office of Public Works. Please note mileage for Minister of State is from March 2011. Ministers Mileage Claims Month Year Kilometres Value May 2011 3300 €1,949.31 June 2011 3550 €1,970.26 July 2011 3200...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question details in respect of my own Department as as follows. I as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform spent €315.90 on official entertainment since May 2011. In the same period senior officials in my Department spent €472.40. I have been informed by the Office of Public Works that the Minister of State spent €526.45 and the Chairman spent €500 on...

Written Answers — Public Service Remuneration: Public Service Remuneration (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Subject to the provisions of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009 and the terms of the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014, the findings of the third party adjudicator in relation to claims by PDFORRA are currently being honoured. Following the Independent Adjudicator's decision of September 2010 under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for the Defence Forces,...

Written Answers — Public Service Reform: Public Service Reform (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 289 and 293 together. It is a matter for each sector to manage potential service delivery issues arising from retirements to end-February and beyond. Questions as to how these issues are being managed should most appropriately be addressed to the relevant Minister. As the Deputy is aware, sectoral Transition Teams have been put in place to deal with the...

Written Answers — Public Service Reform: Public Service Reform (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 290 to 292, inclusive, and 295 together. The Implementation Body for the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 (or 'Croke Park Agreement) published its first Annual Progress Report in June 2011. The Report examined the savings and reform delivered in the first year of the Agreement and found that sustainable pay bill savings in the order of €289m had been...

Written Answers — Sale of State Assets: Sale of State Assets (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be aware that I announced details of the Government plans to dispose of certain non-strategic State assets last week. The assets to be sold will be: - Bord Gais Eireann's Energy business (but not including BGE's gas transmission or distribution systems or the two gas interconnectors, which will remain in State ownership); and - some of ESB's non-strategic power generation...

Written Answers — Sale of State Assets: Sale of State Assets (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I announced last week that, following intense engagement, I secured an agreement with the Troika that a third of the proceeds of our asset disposals programme can be used for re-investment in our economy. This is a substantial change to the Troika's previous position and will help promote recovery in the economy. The Government has agreed with the Troika the sale of state assets up to a...

Written Answers — Travel Costs: Travel Costs (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Motor travel rates are designed to recoup civil servants for the cost of using their cars on official business. The expenses that are covered by the motor travel formula can be broken into two categories; the overhead and the running costs. The overhead costs include the cost of replacing the car, insurance costs, AA/RAC membership, driving licence and car tax. The running costs include...

Written Answers — Subsistence Costs: Subsistence Costs (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The current civil service Class A and Class B subsistence rates are payment allowances that have been developed through the industrial relations process conducted under the Civil Service Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme. Historically, there were five classes of subsistence rates in the civil service which ranged from class A to class E. Since 2004 a process has been under way to merge...