Results 13,521-13,540 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Negotiations are ongoing at the moment with regard to revising sick leave arrangements across the public sector and it is expected that these discussions will be finalised in the coming weeks. Management of sick leave in all agencies, offices and other bodies reporting to my Department is a matter for the individual agencies, offices and bodies concerned. I am assured however that all the...

Written Answers — Prompt Payments System: Prompt Payments System (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the average time lapse between receipt of invoices for goods and services and actual payment in my Department is 11 days. This information is taken from data compiled for Prompt Payments Returns to the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, dealing with payments that issue to the private sector, as opposed to transfers to other parts of the...

Written Answers — National Aquatic Centre: National Aquatic Centre (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The established process for responding to the recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee is via a Minute of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The PAC's recent report, VAT Costs on the National Aquatic Centre, is being carefully examined and the response is being developed. When finalised in the coming weeks, the formal Minute of the Minister for Public Expenditure and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Implementation Body for the Public Service Agreement published its Second Annual Progress Report in respect of Year 2 of the Agreement (12 months ending March 2012) on 13th June last which found, inter alia , that: - Pay bill savings of €650m were achieved during the year under review (Apr 2011 to Mar 2012) driven largely by the reduction in staff numbers, or €521m net of an estimate...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take questions 110 and 111 together. I refer to my reply to Question Nos. 40820/11, 1075/12 and 1076/12 of 11 January 2012.End of Take

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119 and 120 together. The Government is making good progress in realising all of our targets and priorities, as articulated in the Government Programme. We are also achieving all of our objectives by delivering on all the conditions and targets set out in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with our external partners in...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is committed to reducing public service numbers to 282,500 by the end of 2015 as part of its Reform Agenda. The overriding objective is to have a more customer focused, leaner, more efficient and better integrated public service which delivers maximum value for money. The following table sets out the public sector numbers at end 2010, end 2011 and end Quarter 1 in 2012. ...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (5 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: A number of reforms have been introduced in relation to Public Service pension entitlements which affect Ministerial pensions. Under the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004, Ministerial pensions are not payable to new Oireachtas Members (as defined in the Act) before 65 years of age and, under the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and...

Freedom of Information (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (6 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy was on safe ground.

Freedom of Information (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (6 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The problem is that some submissions include rakes of questions.

Written Answers — Budget 2013: Budget 2013 (10 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is no doubt aware I do not comment on Budget measures prior to Budget Day.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (10 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I refer the Deputy to the reply I gave to PQ Ref 32379/12 on Wednesday 4th July 2012.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Comptroller & Auditor General's (C&AG) special study on public service pensions in 2009 estimated the annual pension cost for public servants to range between 10% and 41%. The new scheme will reduce these costs by approximately one-third. The employee contribution in the Single Scheme continues to be 6.5% (3% on pensionable pay and 3.5% on net pensionable pay (i.e. reduced for social...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (10 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The following shows the number of staff who took sick leave of more than five, ten, fifteen, twenty days and twenty-one days or over in 2011 in all agencies, offices or other bodies reporting to my Department except the Office of Public Works where the information requested is not readily available but, in relation to the Established staff, will be extracted and forwarded directly to the...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (10 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The latest available data on moratorium exceptions, which covers the period to the end of the first quarter 2012 will be forwarded to the Deputy as requested. The Employment Control Framework (ECF) for 2012 set a ceiling of 294,400 on public service staffing numbers by the end of this year. This will allow scope for some targeted recruitment of up to 3,000 in 2012 so as to address needs in...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (10 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Appointments Service (PAS), which has day-to-day operational responsibility for the implementation of redeployment, has put in place a system of Resource Panels of Civil Service and State Agency staff to support the redeployment processes in those sectors agreed under the Croke Park Agreement. Posts to be filled by redeployment are offered in the first instance to the relevant...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (10 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: A person who has held three consecutive fixed-term contracts would not necessarily be entitled to a permanent post in the civil or public service. However such a person would be protected by the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003 which allows for the renewal of existing or granting of new contracts where there are valid reasons for doing so. Only if the Body concerned failed...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It is not the practice to publish such advice and it is not my intention to do so. I have given the advice verbally. There are any number of eminent legal advisers available to the Deputy if she feels that countervailing advice is required.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The House will make the decision.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 30: In page 35, line 12, to delete "as subsequently adjusted thereafter, until payment of the lump sum" and substitute the following: "as adjusted thereafter, until payment of the pension and lump sum".