Results 15,401-15,420 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Sale of State Assets (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: -----and the artificial competition that was created on foot of a decision by the then Government to prevent one State company from competing with another in order that it might build up an asset. There was a ridiculous situation whereby people were paid a premium to switch from one State company to another and when a critical mass was reached, they were given a further premium to move back....

Other Questions: Departmental Staff Training (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Senior Public Service, SPS, was established with the aim of strengthening senior management and leadership, initially across the Civil Service. Membership of the SPS comprises all Secretaries General, deputy secretaries, assistant secretaries, directors and related grades in the Civil Service. Over time, the SPS will be extended to senior levels of the wider public service. The SPS is...

Other Questions: Departmental Staff Training (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Deputy for welcoming this initiative. One of my first acts was to establish the SPS. We took this opportunity shortly after the Government was formed. At that point, we had summoned all of our ambassadors back to Ireland so that we could give them a briefing on the programme for Government and our economic strategy, allowing for a joined-up international presentation. All...

Other Questions: Departmental Staff Training (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: There has been enthusiasm about the course. I want to roll it out beyond the most senior grades to middle management and the wider public service.

Other Questions: Departmental Staff Training (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Perhaps we could consider that suggestion. I know that I should not digress on a Priority Question, but I have always been concerned about the level of coaching for Opposition spokespersons, Ministers and Deputies. Often, people become Members and find themselves needing to make their own way.

Other Questions: EU-IMF Programme (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 39 together. The Government continues to make good progress in achieving all of our deficit targets and priorities, as articulated in the Government programme. We are bringing public expenditure back onto a sustainable path and driving forward the public service reform agenda to ensure that efficiencies and reformed work practices play a full part in...

Other Questions: EU-IMF Programme (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I might have the opportunity to respond to Deputy McDonald's question if I piggyback it onto these questions, as I did not mention the troika when she raised that matter. We need to find €300 million in payroll savings in this year's budgetary arithmetic. We must embed them in a way that achieves savings of €1 billion by 2015. When we embarked upon this process, I had no...

Other Questions: EU-IMF Programme (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I entirely understand the sentiment expressed by Deputy Broughan and I agree with much of it. I do not wish to be in the current position. I do not wish to reduce expenditure in any area of the public service. I do not want to ask public servants to make a contribution. I say that because people call for an end to austerity. I would love to end austerity today. The problem is that we...

Other Questions: EU-IMF Programme (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: We have a track record with the troika of delivering on every promise the Government made to the troika. Our reputation was rubbish as a nation internationally when we came into office. Among the many big jobs we had was to build our reputation so that people could trust us. The two things we said is that we would not over-promise and we would not under-deliver in what we undertook to do....

Other Questions: Estimates for Public Services (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Revised Estimates Volume, REV, 2013 was published yesterday, 17 April, and provides additional details and information on the allocations contained in the 2013 Estimates as published on 5 December 2012 in the Expenditure Report 2013. Furthermore, the REV has set out key performance information regarding the outputs and impacts of programme expenditure and this will complement the...

Other Questions: Estimates for Public Services (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be aware that the two legislative bodies within the European Union, the European Council and the European Parliament, have enacted the so-called two pack legislation which requires us to bring forward the budget and the Estimates to October, as Deputy Fleming rightly pointed out. It is the intention of the Government to have the Estimates for 2014 debated and voted on before...

Other Questions: Estimates for Public Services (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: While the Deputy is going back to the previous question, I am happy to answer that. The arithmetic agreed with the troika was the budget line, which contained an additional saving of €300 million in payroll this year. That was understood when we negotiated the service outline for this year because we wanted to add back money to the Departments of Health and Social Protection. It was...

Other Questions: Estimates for Public Services (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: That was the basis of the discussion, yes.

Other Questions: Estimates for Public Services (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I entirely agree with Deputy Broughan. Parliament has never really been used in a way that meaningfully involves it in the drawing up of the Estimates. It was for that reason that the Government fundamentally changed things. However, it is not just a question of facilitating such involvement - the facilitation must be seized upon by Members of the House. We have published the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery Licence Sale (18 Apr 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. The competition will involve an upfront payment by the operator of the next licence to the State, a portion of which will be used to help build the new National Children’s Hospital. The National Lottery Bill was published in December 2012. The Bill was debated...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery Licence Sale (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware, this issue was discussed in depth during the debates in the Dáil on the National Lottery Bill 2012. At Committee Stage, I gave a formal commitment that when the competition for the next National Lottery licence is concluded and the Exchequer is in receipt of the upfront payment, which will be payable by the successful bidder, I will revert to the Committee in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: On 8 February 2013 the European Council reached agreement on the EU’s budget for 2014-2020. The budget has to be agreed with the European Parliament and discussions are now taking place with the Parliament under the aegis of the Irish Presidency. In line with reductions to the overall EU budget, Cohesion funding across Europe is expected to be reduced from €347 billion to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2012-2014, published in December 2011, introduced a Medium Term Expenditure Framework which set out multi-annual expenditure ceilings on a rolling three year basis. It was envisaged that this reform would facilitate Dáil Committees in engaging in constructive dialogue with Ministers and Departments and input their views on which areas of spending...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In July 2012 the Government approved the drafting by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel of a Freedom of Information Bill (FOI) on the basis of the General Scheme of a Bill. The General Scheme was also published at that time and was submitted to the Oireachtas Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform Committee for a pre-legislative scrutiny process. As the Deputy will be aware the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Proposed Legislation (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is currently finalising the General Scheme of a Bill which will provide for the statutory regulation of lobbying. It is my intention to present these proposals to Government shortly and to submit them to the Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform Committee thereafter for pre-legislative scrutiny. The aim of regulating lobbying activity through registration and reporting...