Results 15,681-15,700 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Leaders' Questions (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: No.

Leaders' Questions (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: He is just in the door.

Leaders' Questions (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Nobody said the Deputy did.

Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Order for Second Stage (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Second Stage (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The Bill establishes a comprehensive statutory framework for the Houses of the Oireachtas to conduct inquiries within the current constitutional framework. It is underpinned by a detailed legal assessment of the scope for Oireachtas inquiries on the basis of the outcome of the Abbeylara case. It is very clear from the Supreme Court's...

Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Second Stage (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It is unconstitutional.

Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Second Stage (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: They cannot.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Banking Inquiry (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government, at its meeting on 14th May 2013, approved the publication of the text of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013. The aim of this Bill is to establish a comprehensive statutory framework for the Oireachtas to conduct inquiries within the current constitutional parameters. The Bill envisages a central role for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Requests (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Freedom of Information Act sets out the procedures and statutory time frames for dealing with requests and which FOI decision makers and internal reviewers are obliged to comply with under the Act. The Deputy may wish to note that under section 41 of the Act, failure to reply to an FOI request within these statutory timeframes is deemed to be a refusal, thereby allowing the requester to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Review (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: At the request of the Government, the Labour Relations Commission has lately been engaged in discussions with public service employers and trade unions with a view to establishing whether there may be a basis for a negotiated public service agreement which would meet budgetary targets. This talks process has been concerned with the pay and conditions of employment of public servants. In...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Issues (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Information on dismissals in the public service is not collated centrally in my Department. The rationale for this is twofold. First, I am responsible for employment policies in the civil service rather than the broader public service. Employment policies, including those related to dismissals, in other areas of the public service are a matter for the relevant Minister. Second, under...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Expenditure (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The position in relation to the pensions of former Taoisigh and former Ministers, along with that of public service pensioners generally is kept under review by my Department. In this context I should point out that, over the course of recent years, several Government measures have been taken which serve, directly or indirectly, to substantially reduce pension awards and pensions in payment...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Expenditure (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Following the decision last month by the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to reject the Labour Relations Commission proposals for a Public Service Agreement 2013–2016, the Commission, at the request of Government, made contact with the parties to establish whether a basis could be found for a negotiated public service agreement to meet budgetary targets....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Career Breaks (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: There are currently no plans to reintroduce an incentivised career break scheme in the wider civil service or in the education sector. However, it is now possible for civil servants to avail of a career break for the purpose of taking up employment in the private sector or becoming self-employed. This means civil servants can take a career break to work for up to 3 years in the private...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts Social Clause (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The EU procurement directive primarily envisages that social considerations may be included as contract performance conditions, provided they are not discriminatory and are included in the contract notice or in the contract documents and relate to the performance of the contract. A further consideration is the ability of contracting authorities to effectively monitor compliance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Disability Act Employment Targets (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in common with all other civil service Departments and Offices, fully implements the Government’s policy on the employment of people with a disability. The Disability Act 2005 provides that public bodies shall, as far as practicable, take all reasonable steps to promote and support people with disabilities. It also provides a framework...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: On foot of the Government’s decision last year that a concession for the harvesting rights to Coillte’s forests be considered for sale, an inter-Departmental Steering Group was established, comprising representatives of my Department, the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine and NewERA, to progress the proposed transaction and advise on how it should be implemented. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Under EU law, public contracts above a certain values must be advertised EU-wide and awarded to the most competitive tender in an open and objective process. The aim is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers value for money. It would be a breach of the rules for a public body to favour or discriminate against particular candidates on...

Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I thank colleagues on all sides of the House for the informed and thoughtful range of contributions on a Bill that is of particular interest to Members of this House. As many speakers observed, the legislation will allow the House to conduct inquiries into matters of general public importance in an effective and efficient manner within the well structured and well understood constitutional...

Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I did not realise there was a time limit on reply.