Results 13,921-13,940 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cross-Border Co-operation (10 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I remain committed to implementing the elements within the Good Friday Agreement that further North South cooperation and I continue to pursue areas of collaboration that could deliver cost savings during bilateral contacts with Northern Ministers and through NSMC meetings. At meetings of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC), Ministers North and South have re-iterated their...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme Issues (10 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 113 together. The profiling of capital expenditure is carried out by individual Departments on the basis of the likely timing of payments related to capital projects and programmes which they deliver. Job creation is not a factor in the profiling exercise. Queries in relation to the profiling of capital allocations are a matter for individual...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Programme Expenditure (10 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The five year capital Exchequer framework was published in "Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2012-2016: Medium Term Exchequer Framework" last November. There are presently no plans to revise the capital Framework further. The actual roll-out of capital expenditure is a matter for line Departments, operating within the delegated sanction arrangements issued by my Department that cover...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Programme Expenditure (10 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: On 17 July 2012, the Government announced its plans for an additional €2.25 billion investment in public infrastructure projects in Ireland. The stimulus package comprises a new Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme which includes projects from the education, health, transport and justice sectors, and also additional Exchequer capital projects and other commercial and publicly...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Increment Payments (10 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Question No. 1 of 4 July 2012. The estimated full year cost of increments for 2013 in the public service (excluding the Local Authority sector) is some €170 million.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (10 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115 to 117, inclusive, 119, 122 and 123 together. As the Deputy will be aware a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE) exercise was carried out by all Departments in 2011 to identify ways of reducing expenditure, in line with commitments under the Joint EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland, while minimising the impact on service delivery. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Numbers (10 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that this Government has already surpassed the number target of 294,700 set out in the Memorandum of Understanding. The 28,000 staff reduction achieved since 2008 has been largely delivered through natural retirements and normal staff turnover. The Government is committed to reducing public service numbers to 282,500 by the end of 2014 as part of its Reform...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (10 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The extent to which the working of extra hours has been used in the State and semi-State sector, as well as any savings arising, is a matter for each relevant Minister and their Departments in the context of progressing their reform agendas. As such, details in respect of any specific sector should be sought from the relevant Minister and their Departments.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sale of State Assets (10 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: None of the potential receipts from the State assets disposal programme are to be used as a means of achieving the budgetary targets set for the coming year. Instead, as the House will be aware, it has been agreed with the Troika that all of the Government’s proceeds from the programme will be available, in one shape or another, to support job creating initiatives in the economy. Half...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (10 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I fully agree that Department’s and Office’s should do all in their power to contain and reduce all administrative costs including both insurance and procurement costs. This is in keeping with Government’s overall reform and efficiency agenda. In light of the need to accelerate the reform agenda, my Department published the Public Service Reform Plan in November 2011....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (11 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Question No. 9 [43415/12] of 10 October.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Retirements (11 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Rules on retirement age vary across the public service and are generally set out down in legislation; any changes would therefore be likely to require amendments to various Acts. Changes introduced in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 apply to new entrants from 1 April 2004 and recent changes introduced in the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (11 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: No money has been directly allocated by my Department or agencies within my Department to Ballina, Castlebar or Westport Town Council.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Chairman for responding so quickly to my letter offering the committee an opportunity to be brought up to speed on the Government's public service reform plan, one of the most important jobs of work the Government is undertaking. The last time I attended the committee I stated no one had a monopoly of good ideas. Traditionally, I have been a strong supporter of the Oireachtas...

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Human resource management.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: That was conducted by the previous Government and it took four years.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The assistant secretary can explain - he is on a five-year contract.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Secretary General is on a seven-year contract.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: There were 800 business cases but some of them covered a range of allowances.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I will begin-----