Results 14,241-14,260 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery (20 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I announced on 4th April 2012 that the Government has decided to hold a competition for the next National Lottery licence and that the licence will be for a 20 year period. Since April, my Department has carried out a considerable amount of preparatory work for the competition. It will be necessary to revise the National Lottery Act 1986. The Government has approved the General Scheme of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Voluntary Redundancies (20 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is committed to creating a leaner more efficient Public Service. To this end, the identification of staff surpluses is under way across the public service. Where surplus staff cannot be redeployed, exit mechanisms (including voluntary redundancy) will be employed. Final decisions on numbers reductions to be achieved in each sector will take account of the surpluses...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Schools Building Projects (20 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: While my Department is responsible for the policy of PPPs, ownership of individual projects remains with the Sponsoring Department. I have warmly welcomed the recent announcement by my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills, Mr Ruairí Quinn, TD, that the latest Bundle of PPP schools has been signed off on by all partners and that work began on sites around the country last...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure (20 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: On the 17th of July 2012, the Government announced its plans for an additional 2.25 billion euro investment in public infrastructure projects in Ireland. The stimulus package included 1.4 billion euro to fund the proposed new Public Private Partnerships (PPP) programme. The investment is directed towards projects that meet key infrastructural needs and are in line with the priorities in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement (20 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 307, 308 and 311 to 313, inclusive, together. Work is continuing across the public service to secure further savings and reforms under the framework of the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014. We must all maximise the Agreement’s potential to leverage further pay and non-pay savings as well as further reform of work practices and service delivery in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Recruitment (20 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 309 and 310 together. In addition to those staff, spread throughout my Department, with expertise and qualifications in economics, the Government decided in May this year to supplement this expertise by setting up the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES). The work of the Service will support Departments in evaluating policy and...

Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Is this a question?

Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It is a back-of-a-lorry speech.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Lottery (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I announced on 4 April 2012 that the Government has decided to hold a competition for the next national lottery licence and that the licence will be for a 20-year period. Since April, my Department has carried out a considerable amount of preparatory work for the competition. It will be necessary to revise the National Lottery Act 1986. The Government has approved the general scheme of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Lottery (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Deputy for his views and obviously there are issues I am considering at present. There are a number of ways in which the Government might do this although it has not got any money yet. However, assuming the Government will receive a substantial sum of money next year, I am exploring whether it should be put into an escrow account, particularly for the national children's...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Lottery (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I wish to be clear about this matter. First, I devised the strategy of ring-fencing because I was searching desperately to find where I could get a significant lump of capital to undertake this flagship project the nation desires, namely, the new national children's hospital. I did not wish to dip any further into the national capital programme and I note the Deputy has been highly critical...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget 2013 (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: With regard to budgetary matters, when focusing on the primary objectives of reducing the deficit and returning sustainability to the public finances, it has been of vital importance to the Government to spread the burden of the adjustments in as fair and equitable a manner as possible, while also seeking to minimise their negative impact on economic growth. The Government must ensure the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget 2013 (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I will deal with a number of matters raised by Deputy McDonald. Nobody wants to live in an era when we reduce spending, and certainly not to the degree we are required to as part of the programme obligations we must meet to fund all services. We are borrowing money from a lender of last resort on certain conditions. The Deputy knows this full well. When considering equality in the last...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget 2013 (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I would be very surprised if the Deputy took anything other than her own view of anything I say. I do not know why she expects an answer as she likes to respond to her own questions with conclusions given in a pre-prepared soundbite to be released afterwards.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget 2013 (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: We are in a desperate financial position.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget 2013 (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I would not be flippant about this.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget 2013 (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: This affects very vulnerable people and there are no-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget 2013 (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Despite what the Deputy may say or pretend to say, there are no soft options. If a budget is to be downsized when more than 80% is spent on three areas that affect vulnerable people, and there is a requirement under a programme that pays our way to make substantial reductions, it is difficult to not have an impact on people who have carried a significant burden. This Government will act in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Reform (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Evaluating the opportunity for the external delivery of some public services is an important element of the overall public service reform plan agreed by the Government in November 2011. Last July, the Government agreed a range of actions aimed at achieving a focused and integrated approach to external service delivery of non-core processes with the objective of reducing costs and focusing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Reform (21 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy may wish to examine the specifics before deciding ideologically that it is a disaster. Let us consider what we are proposing in terms of shared services. We will have the PeoplePoint facility to avoid duplication of individual human resource management in every agency and workplace. This function will be rationalised in one unit and we could do the same with pensions management....