Results 15,301-15,320 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Properties (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I wish to inform the Deputy that the information required to reply to his question is held by the individual Government Departments and State Agencies and the Deputy should submit his question to those Departments and agencies. In respect of properties under the aegis of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have asked the Office of Public Works to communicate with the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Agencies (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 509 and 535 together. My Department is currently monitoring the implementation of the agency rationalisation programme of the Public Service Reform Plan on a quarterly basis. The latest tables which detail this progress to end Quarter 1 2013 can be found at: In summary, the tables show that significant progress has been made by Departments on the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 510, 513 and 541 together. The Government is fully aware that public servants and public service pensioners have made a significant contribution to the fiscal consolidation process to date. However the reality is that further measures are necessary to achieve a sustainable Pay and Pensions Bill in order to meet the budgetary targets of the Government and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commercial Rates Issues (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I should point out that the Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the exercise of his duties under the Valuation Act, 2001 and the making of valuations for rating purposes is his sole prerogative and I, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, have no function in this regard. The levying and collection of commercial rates is the responsibility of each local authority and the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commercial Rates Calculations (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The levying and collection of commercial rates is the responsibility of each local authority and the Valuation Office has no function in this regard. The basis of rateable valuation for all commercial property, including retail units in suburban shopping centres, is net annual value and is set out in Part 11 of the Valuation Act, 2001. Net annual value is the rental for which one year...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 514 and 515 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Activity in the construction sector has fallen from almost 25% of GNP (€39bn) in 2006 to just 7% of GNP in 2011 (€8.7bn). This has resulted in an extremely competitive tendering environment. The public capital programme generates a substantial proportion (if not the majority) of activity in the sector currently and it is not surprising, therefore, to find that tenders for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Websites (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 517 and 518 together. The Government website www.etenders.gov.ie is a fully managed electronic tendering system that meets Ireland's requirements in relation to the European Union's requirements to meet the EU target for achievement of 100% capability for electronic tendering. This website is the official Government website for public tenders for goods,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Monuments (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It is not proposed to bring forward any plans to rename the Wellington Testimonial in the Phoenix Park.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Water Levels (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The OPW meets regularly with both organisations to review matters relating to the River Shannon. As part of these consultations and in the context of the ongoing work under the Shannon CFRAM study being undertaken for OPW by Jacobs Engineering, it was agreed to explore the possibility of carrying out a water level monitoring exercise, involving controlled raising and lowering of weir boards...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Travel (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy’s query I can confirm that the flight costs incurred by my Department, for this year’s overseas travel programme for St. Patrick’s Day, amounted to €8,248.53 which covered the travel of my Private Secretary, Press Officer and I. Other costs amounted to €1,920.88 however I am still awaiting a small number of invoices which, due to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Graduate Placement Programmes (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I understand that the Deputy's question relates to the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) programme. The WAM programme is a work placement programme which aims to promote access to the labour market for graduates with disabilities and build the capacity of employers to integrate disability into the mainstream workplace. For the past seven years, Government Departments and Offices in the Civil...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Parliamentary Inquiries (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 523 and 533 together. As the Deputies will be aware, I strongly support the objective of undertaking an effective and legally robust parliamentary banking inquiry. I wish to advise the Deputies that the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2012 is currently at an advanced stage in the drafting process and I expect to present...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Issues (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In commenting on the C & AG's 2011 recommendation that such actuarial reviews of the cost of public service pensions should be carried out regularly to inform debate, the Accounting Officer, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, made clear the Department's commitment to carrying out these reviews. It is proposed to use the actuarial analysis in the 2009 C &AG report on public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Pension Insolvency Payment Scheme (PIPS) was introduced on 1 February, 2010. Under PIPS the State offers to sell annuities on an Exchequer cost-neutral basis to certain defined benefit pension schemes where the scheme is winding-up in deficit and where the parent company is insolvent (the double insolvency condition). Normally when a scheme winds up the trustees buy annuities in respect...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Issues (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As noted in the proposals issued by the Labour Relations Commission following an intensive period of negotiations between public service employers and the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, significant elements, including those relating to remuneration and working hours, will require legislation. The Labour Relations Commission proposals are currently subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 527 and 528 together. Under the Labour Relations Commission proposals, which are currently the subject of ballot, for those on salaries of €65,000 to €100,000 (inclusive of certain fixed allowances) will see the regular pay scales, at existing levels, reinstated in 2016, and incremental progression will resume. The model for the resumption of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Issues (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware it is the Government’s intention to secure a reduction in public service pensions. In this connection it has been decided that, w.e.f. 1 July 2013, public service pensioners on pensions in excess of €32,500 should be required to make a fair and proportionate contribution to proposed consolidation measures, with the largest reductions being borne by...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 530 to 532, inclusive, together. Gross voted current and capital profiles were published on an aggregate basis with the end-February Exchequer figures at the beginning of March. Gross current expenditure was profiled at €12,899 million and gross capital expenditure at €437 million giving an overall gross aggregate profile of €13,336...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Numbers (16 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Historical data on public service staff numbers is available on my Department’s website () from 1994 to Quarter 4 2012. Between end-Quarter 1 2011 and end-Quarter 4 2012, public service numbers fell by 13,041 (or 4.3%), from 303,903 to 290,861. Data on serving numbers for Quarter 1 2013 is currently being collated. The Government is committed to reducing public service numbers as...