Results 15,441-15,460 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Strategic Management Initiative (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Strategic Management Initiative (SMI) was launched by the then Taoiseach, John Bruton, in February 1994. The stated objective of the SMI was to present Public Service management with an opportunity to make a substantial contribution to national development, through the provision of quality and effectively delivered services. It should be noted that while the focus of the SMI was...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Equality Proofing of Policies (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: All changes in relation to work-life balance arrangements in the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) proposals were aimed at streamlining existing arrangements so that a satisfactory balance could be struck between the delivery of the business needs of the employer – in this case the consistent delivery of high quality services to the public – and the need for working parents and...

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: Ministerial Remuneration (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The salaries which will apply to the Taoiseach, each Minister and the Secretaries General of Government Departments, if the pay reductions set out in the recent Labour Relations Commission proposals on the draft Public Service Agreement 2013-2016 are implemented, are set out in the following tables: Current Pay Rate of pay on application of proposed deductions Pension Related Deduction...

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

Brendan Howlin: On 7/8 February 2013, the European Council agreed the Multi Annual Financial Framework (MFF). The EU budget included provision for funding of €150 million towards a new PEACE programme. This budget is subject to European Parliament agreement. The final size of the next PEACE programme, which will include funding from Ireland and the UK, will depend on the outcome of the programme...

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

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware the LRC noted the Government’s intention to require public service pensioners to make a further contribution to the consolidation measures in conjunction with the contribution being sought from serving staff, thereby ensuring an element of burden sharing from higher paid public service pensioners. These matters now fall to be considered further in the light...

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

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 to 114, inclusive, and 119 to 121, inclusive, together. The Government is making good progress on achieving all of our targets and priorities, as articulated in the Government Programme. We are bringing public expenditure back to a sustainable level and driving forward the public service reform agenda to ensure that efficiencies and reformed work...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Savings (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Implementation Body, which is charged with driving the implementation of the Public Service Agreement, is required to assess the savings being facilitated under the framework of the Agreement on an annual basis. As part of this annual review process, savings returns are completed and returned to the Body in respect of every sector, Department and Office. The Body has carried out two...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Savings (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 118 together. In view of the Unions’ non acceptance of the measures proposed by the Labour Relations Commission, it will now be necessary for the Government to decide on and secure alternative measures that will deliver the necessary savings to meet our expenditure targets. As the Labour Relations Commission proposals have not been agreed...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Issues (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The discussions which led to proposals from the Labour Relations Commission for a draft Public Service Agreement were between public service management and the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. In addition, a parallel process involved the staff representative associations of the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána. The objective of these discussions...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Issues (18 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The discussions which led to proposals from the Labour Relations Commission for a draft Public Service Agreement were between public service management and the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, as representative of public service staff. In addition, a parallel process involved the staff representative associations of the Defence Forces and An Garda...

Public Sector Pay and Conditions: Motion [Private Members] (23 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I would like to share time with Deputies Nash, Connaughton and Dowds.

Public Sector Pay and Conditions: Motion [Private Members] (23 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 1:To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following: “acknowledges:— that public servants have made a substantial contribution towards the necessary reductions achieved in public expenditure since 2008, including through the unilateral imposition by the then Government of the pension levy and pay...

Public Sector Pay and Conditions: Motion [Private Members] (23 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Thankfully, things have improved somewhat since Fianna Fáil were run out of office. This Government has reduced the deficit to 7.6% of GDP. In the year before Deputy Martin, Deputy Fleming and their colleagues opposite left office, the deficit was over 30% - in fact, 32.4% - the highest deficit on the planet at that time.

Public Sector Pay and Conditions: Motion [Private Members] (23 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The contrast does not end there. This Government approached the issue we are debating very differently from its predecessor Government.

Public Sector Pay and Conditions: Motion [Private Members] (23 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: This Government afforded trade unions the opportunity to ameliorate the budgetary challenge facing their members in the public service. On two occasions, Deputy Martin's Government cut the pay of public servants unilaterally - no negotiations, no votes, just cut. There is no doubt, and I say this honestly, that I would prefer to be standing in front of this House this evening defending the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Issues (23 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In view of the Unions’ non acceptance of the measures proposed by the Labour Relations Commission, it will now be necessary for the Government to decide on and secure alternative measures that will deliver the necessary savings to meet our expenditure targets. The Government will reflect on the outcome of the ballot and the manner in which the required savings can be achieved this...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (23 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The moratorium on recruitment in the public service applies to all posts, including those where work-sharing arrangements are in place. Of course, it is open to departmental managers to redeploy staff into priority areas, either from within their organisation or from other areas of the public service, once they meet their overall numbers ceilings. In exceptional circumstances, some limited...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Remit (23 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Drafting of the new Freedom of Information (FoI) Bill is at an advanced stage and it is currently planned that, following Government consideration, the Bill will be published during the current Oireachtas session. The purpose of the Bill is to address the main substantive restrictions in access to official information introduced in 2003, to extend Freedom of Information to all public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Savings (23 Apr 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Question Nos. 18179 and 18181 of 18 April 2013.