Results 15,021-15,040 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2013: Motion (28 Feb 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It is also logical to consider a Garda vehicle capital expenditure.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2013: Motion (28 Feb 2013)

Brendan Howlin: We will certainly look at this type of expenditure.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2013: Motion (28 Feb 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Housing policy is set by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The Minister of State at the Department, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, will make the case for the housing side. There is a dichotomy between, on the one hand, the large number of people on the housing list and, on the other, a large number of empty houses. One of the problems is that many of the empty...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2013: Motion (28 Feb 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In that case, the Department of Education and Skills will give the sanction and indicate what is permissible expenditure. If this expenditure bridges two years, it remains permissible and sanctioned by the Department. The Department gives the sanction to acquire or purchase a product and pay the invoice.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2013: Motion (28 Feb 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In that instance, it would be preferable to plan from the beginning to make the purchase in January.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2013: Motion (28 Feb 2013)

Brendan Howlin: We are discussing multi-annual funding. An envelope is provided for three years which allows people to ask what is the optimum time to buy certain products. A new procurement regime is also in place to ensure this happens. I remember visiting a school in my constituency which was scheduled to be completely refurbished. This was under the old regime. At the end of the year, the school in...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2013: Motion (28 Feb 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I will convey the Deputy's views to the Minister for Education and Skills who is responsible for the line Department.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2013: Motion (28 Feb 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In terms of scarce resources, line Departments must make choices if lecture space and so forth are vitally needed.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Tribunals of Inquiry Recommendations (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: On the Moriarty Tribunal recommendation in relation to Ethics and the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO), I am undertaking a comprehensive review of how ethics legislation should be reformed to provide a single, comprehensive legislative framework grounded on a clear set of principles. In that context I am examining the appropriate approach to the implementation of relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Forfeiture of Oireachtas Pension Benefits (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 and 249 together. Historically the concept of forfeiture of pension benefits has been provided for under legislation such as the Forfeiture Act 1870 and Offences Against the State Act 1939. The terms of some pension schemes also envisaged circumstances where a pension might be forfeited. However this concept of forfeiture has been the subject of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Remuneration (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Questions Nos. 10756, 10760 and 10854 of 28 February 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Agencies (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I am satisfied that adequate resources are being provided to the Office of the Ombudsman and the Standards in Public Office Commission, to fully carry out their duties. The Office of the Ombudsman and the Standards in Public Office Commission are independent bodies. I am not aware of any difficulties arising in these organisations as a result of funding constraints and the organisations...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Expenditure (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It is assumed the Deputy is seeking information about public service pension expenditure and not State pensions paid by the Department of Social Protection. In this regard, I would refer the Deputy to the Analysis of Exchequer Pay and Pensions Bill 2007 – 2012, published by the Central Pay Policy Section of the Remuneration and Industrial Relations Division of my Department. This...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery Licence Sale (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware, I announced in April 2012 that there will be a competition for the next National Lottery licence. It is envisaged that the competition will take place later this year. I have advised retailer representative bodies that it is my intention to safeguard the existing rates of commission paid to retailers under the terms of the next licence. I acknowledge the concerns of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Remuneration (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Discussions have taken place between public service employers and the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions regarding the Government’s stated intention to reach agreement on securing the required overall savings from the public service pay and pensions bill by 2015. Following intensive engagement between the parties, which was facilitated by the Labour...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts Tenders (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Fixed-price lump-sum public works contracts were introduced in February 2007 as part of the Construction Procurement Reform Initiative the objectives of which are to achieve greater cost certainty, better value for money and timely and more efficient delivery of projects. A commitment was given to the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) in 2006 by the Minister for Finance at that time...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: To facilitate public service management in planning for staff departures in an orderly fashion, I have decided that public servants who retire before the end of August 2014 will have their pension and lump sum calculated by reference to current pay rates, that is, the rates before the pay reductions to higher pay which will apply from 1 July 2013. Separately I intend to bring forward...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Constitutional Amendment on Children (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The information the Deputy has requested is not available at this time. The Children’s Referendum was held on the 10th November, 2012. Returning Officers are required to submit their accounts for the Children’s Referendum to the Minister for Finance not later than six months after the date on which any poll was conducted.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Pensions Act 1990, as amended, provides that pensions are vested after two years' pensionable service. This applies for all pension scheme members, whether in the public or private sector. Those who leave service prior to completion of the vesting period receive a refund of contributions. The Report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions considered the issue some years ago and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (5 Mar 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy’s question I can confirm the following. An Post National Lottery Board There have been four appointees to the National Lottery Company Board from March 2011 up to January 2013. Two of the appointees were nominated by An Post and, in light of the fact that the term of the National Lottery License being due to expire in late 2013, two directors were...