Results 13,141-13,160 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — An Coimisinéir Teanga: An Coimisinéir Teanga (3 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Tá mo Roinn ag déanamh breithniú ar mholtaí an Choimisinéara Teanga maidir leis an Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí agus déanfaidh mo Roinn cinneadh i leith an chur chuige cuí sna míonna atá amach romhainn. My Department is considering the recommendations made by the Language Commissioner to the Department of Social Protection and will be deciding on the most appropriate approach in the...

Written Answers — Office of the Ombudsman: Office of the Ombudsman (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Ombudsman Act 1980 established the Office of the Ombudsman and provides that the Ombudsman can delegate authority to her officials to carry out functions on her behalf, that she may act entirely independently in the performance of her statutory functions, and that she may only be removed from Office by the President following resolutions passed by Dáil Éireann and by Seanad Éireann...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In the period since February 2011, the following amounts were paid to external consultants in respect of reports commissioned by my Department: €615 - paid to Davy Corporate Finance in respect of a study carried out for the Department in late February / early March 2012 on options for the next National Lottery licence. €1,210 – paid to Mercer in respect of data used for input to the...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: No such payments were made by my Department in the period from February 2011 to date. With regard to Ministerial or Leader's allowances, the Deputy will be aware that these are block payments which can, within certain guidelines laid down by the Standards in Public Office Commission, be used at the discretion of the Minister/Party Leader and my Department has no involvement in the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: No money has been spent on hair and make-up by my Department.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In the timeframe allowed, it is not possible to provide the information required by the Deputy. No civil servants who have retired from my Department are back on the payroll in my Department. I will write to the Deputy with the relevant information as soon as possible

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: When public service pay rates were cut in 2010, a transitional "retirement grace period" was introduced, so that any persons retiring within the grace period had their pension payments calculated on the basis of the pay rates prevailing prior to the pay cuts. The transitional grace period expired on 29 February 2012. This was not an "early retirement" scheme. As the Deputy will be aware, at...

Written Answers — Public Sector Remuneration: Public Sector Remuneration (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The figures sought by the Deputy are set out below. Gross Exchequer Pay€bn Pension Related Deduction (PRD) Gross Exchequer Pensions€bn Total Exchequer Pay net of PRD & Pensions€bn 2011 15.6 1.0 2.8 17.5 2012 15.4 0.9 3.0 17.4 2013 15.0 0.9 3.0 17.1 2014 14.7 0.9 3.1 16.9 2015 14.6 0.9 3.1 16.8 2011 figure is the provisional outturn 2012 – 2015 figures are estimates The pay bill...

Written Answers — State Banking Sector: State Banking Sector (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: My Department has not entered into any contracts with the company in question. The issue of safeguards is a matter for the Minister for Finance.

Leaders' Questions (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It is a bit like in Greece.

Leaders' Questions (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It is reckless.

Leaders' Questions (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Democracy always existed.

Leaders' Questions (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will get splinters from sitting on the fence.

Leaders' Questions (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Decisive leadership.

Written Answers — Property Valuations: Property Valuations (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The work of the Valuation Office is underpinned by The Valuation Act 2001 which provides for the valuation of all commercial and industrial property. The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Act and the making of valuations for local authority rating is his sole prerogative. The statute does not accord me, as Minister for Public Expenditure...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Since my appointment as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on 9 March 2011, the following staff have been appointed to my private office. GRADE SALARY SCALE (per annum) Wholetime Equivalent 1 Private Secretary €42,838 - €60,224 1.00 1 Executive Officer €29,024 - €47,379 1.00 3 Clerical Officers (CO €23,177 - €37,341 1.00 The following staff are assigned to...

Written Answers — Cloud Computing Strategy: Cloud Computing Strategy (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is working with the Public Service Chief Information Officer (CIO) Council on the development of the Cloud Computing Strategy for the public service. Drafting is under way. It is planned to bring the Strategy to Government in June for approval and publication. Considerable research on Cloud Computing approaches has already been done with ICT companies based in Ireland and it...

Written Answers — Public Sector Remuneration: Public Sector Remuneration (10 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The total savings to the Exchequer in 2013 arising from a cap of €100,000 on public service salaries is estimated at €257m. The estimate takes account of the reductions in pay arising from the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act, 2009, but does not take account of any offsetting reductions in taxes and levies. As the combined effect of the estimated marginal...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (10 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Following the reform of the TLAC terms applying to Secretaries General and heads of Departments, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government has submitted proposals to my Department regarding new pension and severance terms for City and County Managers. These discussions are continuing and I expect them to conclude shortly.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Facilities: Telecommunications Facilities (10 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In general, the Irish public service makes very good use of a wide range of technologies in its inter-agency communications to improve the efficiency of such communications and to minimise costs. These include fixed and mobile telephony, IP-based telephony, VoiceMail, e-mail, Instant Messaging, Video and Audio conferencing, file transfers, desktop or applications sharing, and the...