Results 13,401-13,420 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Order of Business (28 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: This is a serious matter and while I do not want to be flippant about it, people might be driven to sunbeds. It is important to protect children in this regard and I understand the legislation will be introduced this year.

Order of Business (28 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I understand that legislation will be considered very shortly by the Cabinet. Assuming the Cabinet approves of it, it is expected to be published before the end of this session.

Order of Business (28 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As I indicated in my reply to Deputy Troy, this is a most serious matter. People have been very seriously affected by the rains overnight. The national emergency response co-ordinating committee is meeting and all relevant Departments are represented on that body. A statement will be made after that meeting. I will convey the Deputy's views to the Minister for the Environment, Community...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (28 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: There is no direct link between the pay and duties of Special Advisers and that of members of the Oireachtas. Elected members of the Dáil are on a single rate of pay equivalent to the maximum point of the incremental scale applicable to the Principal Officer standard scale. The pay for Special Advisers is based on the Principal Officer standard scale of the civil service. This was deemed by...

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

Brendan Howlin: The management of sick leave is taken most seriously in my Department , and the procedures in place, and entitlements to sick leave (including the applicable limits) are set out in the Department of Finance Circular 09/2010 -Management of Sick Leave. Sick leave absences and any patterns emerging are monitored and analysed through my Department's Human Resources Management System (HRMS),using...

Written Answers — Public Sector Reform: Public Sector Reform (28 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I wish to refer the Deputy to the detailed progress report on my Department's Action Plan under the Public Service Agreement 2012 -2014 (Croke Park Agreement) published on my Department's website (www.per.gov.ie ). My Department was established on 6 July 2011 and I am pleased to say that in the areas of better human resource management, better business processes and delivering for the...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government has reaffirmed the key commitments under the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 in relation to pay 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 outlined the Exchequer expenditure programme for 2012...

Written Answers — Office of the Ombudsman: Office of the Ombudsman (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The proposal referred to in the Deputy's question, does not comprise part of the Government's programme of constitutional reform contained in the Programme for Government or the work programme recently announced for the Constitutional Convention by the Taoiseach. As the Deputy may be aware, in his statement on the issues to be to be examined by the Constitutional Convention the Taoiseach...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be aware of the significant commitments given in the Programme for Government to restore the Freedom of Information Act, to extend its remit to other public bodies including the administrative side of the Garda Síochána, subject to security exceptions and to extend the Act to ensure that all statutory bodies, and all bodies significantly funded from the public purse, are...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (3 Jul 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 remainder...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware my Department was established on 6 July 2011 and I am happy to provide the Deputy with details from that date. The expenditure incurred in the provision of services through the Irish Language in the year ended 31 December 2011 was €4870.98. To date in 2012 expenditure in the amount of €1199.37 has been incurred.

Written Answers — Croke Park Agreement: Croke Park Agreement (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The estimates allocation and overall budgetary process will set out the approach to be taken to Government expenditure in 2013. This framework does not assign specific savings targets to those areas that are covered by the Public Service Agreement 2010 - 2014. However, Paragraph 1.16 of the Agreement does provide for an annual review of the savings generated from its implementation. Two...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Parliamentary Question Nos. 40820/11, 1075/12, and 1076/12 on 11 January 2012.

Written Answers — Legal Cases: Legal Cases (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following are the number of legal cases pending against my Department: Year Number of Cases 2005 1 2006 1 2011 2 2012 1 In the matter of the cases commenced in 2005, 2006 and one of the 2011 cases originally the Minister for Finance was a co-defendant in this case and under section 13 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011 I am...

Written Answers — Labour Court Recommendations: Labour Court Recommendations (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The matter referred to by the Deputy is an issue that in the first instance falls to my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills to deliberate on and, where appropriate, to consult with and/or to seek the approval of my Department. In the particular case referred to by the Deputy this consultation process by the Department of Education and Skills and my Department is still ongoing.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question no non-governmental organisations or quangos are in receipt of remuneration from my Department. Grants-in- Aid are provided to both the ESRI and the IPA and details of the amounts paid to each can be found in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV) which is published annually. As at 31 May, 2012 there were 310 staff on the payroll in my Department. The...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware my Department was established on 6 July 2011 and I can confirm that since that date no quangos or non-governmental organisations have received monies from my Department. Grants-in-Aid are provided to both the ESRI and the IPA and details of amounts paid can be found in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV) which is published annually.

Written Answers — Social Impact Bonds: Social Impact Bonds (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government Programme for National Recovery 2011 - 2016 contains the commitment to establish a new model of financing social interventions – called Social Impact Bonds – that share audited exchequer savings with charitable and voluntary organisations (Section 2.13.4), as well as a commitment to examine outcomes-based contracts with community organisations to help reduce re-offending by...

Written Answers — Public Service Remuneration: Public Service Remuneration (3 Jul 2012)

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

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (3 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The table that follows this reply shows the allowances and payment rates that are appropriate to certain staff in my Department. In many cases, the actual payment rate may be determined by the grade, point of pay or period covered by the claim. This is the reason for different rates for the same allowance. The rates referred to cover the pay period between June 2011 and June 2012. All...