Results 15,761-15,780 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

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

Brendan Howlin: The Government continues to make good progress on 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 contributing to the overall budgetary consolidation...

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

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware this Government is committed to developing a leaner, more efficient Public Service. To this end, we agreed on 2 October 2012 to accelerate the reduction in Public Service numbers in order to achieve the previous end 2015 target of 282,500 by end 2014 instead. Greater efficiencies in the way the Public Service is going about its business means that some posts have...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The area in question is a limestone area with a high water table and therefore wet land is characteristic of the area. The Office of Public Works carries out maintenance works on the channel at this location, as it is a maintainable watercourse under the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act. The OPW has committed to carry out extensive weed cutting in the channel three times per year, subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Directives (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Office of Public Works is not aware of any EU Directives signed into Irish law which alter responsibility for coastal protection.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Kenmare has been designated as an Area for Further Assessment (AFA) under the South West Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (SWCFRAM) study, currently underway. This is an in-depth examination of the flood risk in the main river catchments in the South West region. A detailed plan with specific recommendations on measures to manage that risk will be produced by consultants, Mott...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Proposed Legislation (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Government, at its meeting on 14 May 2013, approved the publication of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013. The Bill provides for a statutory qualified privilege for private papers of Members and official documents of the Houses. These provisions are intended to apply in all circumstances and are not restricted to inquiries carried out under the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As stated in replies to previous questions on this matter, the Office of Public Works has no responsibility for the maintenance of the river concerned. However, the OPW and Kerry County Council engineers are shortly to visit this location to assess its suitability for an application for funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works Scheme. Any application received will be assessed under...

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

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69, 71 to 74, inclusive and 78 and 80 together. The Government is determined to achieve €300m in savings this year and €1bn by 2015 in the public service pay and pensions bill to ensure that it meets its fiscal targets and restores the public finances to a sustainable position. These savings are in addition to the savings enabled by the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Banking Inquiry (23 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. As is evident from the text of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sale of State Assets (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware, I agreed with the Troika in May 2012 that all of the proceeds from asset disposals will be available, in the short term, to be used in one shape or another to support job creating initiatives in the economy. Half of the proceeds will be available to fund employment enhancing projects of a commercial nature. The other half, while destined eventually to pay down...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sale of State Assets (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As I have previously informed the House, none of the potential receipts from the State assets disposal programme are to be used as a means of achieving budgetary targets. Instead, it has been agreed with the Troika that all of the Government’s proceeds from the programme will be available, in one shape or another, to support job creating initiatives in the economy. Half of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Targets (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is making good progress on achieving all of our targets and priorities, as articulated in the Programme for Government. 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 practices play a full part in contributing to the overall budgetary consolidation effort. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Targets (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: To date, good progress has been made on delivering savings and implementing change across all Departments and all quantitative fiscal targets set as part of the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support have been met in full. This is a vital part of our approach to bring the public finances back onto a sustainable footing and thereby supporting economic recovery. The expenditure ceilings and...

Topical Issue Debate: Public Sector Pensions Issues (28 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I fully appreciate the case being made by Deputy Mitchell, and it is a fair and reasonable one, but it is very difficult to disaggregate pensions into the proportion that is transferred-in. As she is aware, because of the vulnerability of many private pensions, for example, in academia, most of them have now been transferred into the State and most of them are in deficit. Should somebody...

Topical Issue Debate: Teachers' Remuneration (28 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, who the House will appreciate is in Brussels today. I thank Deputy Kirk for raising this issue, which is I know of great concern to the individuals involved and their families. I understand that the teachers' dispute with the International School of the Martyrs, ISM, in Tripoli...

Topical Issue Debate: Teachers' Remuneration (28 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I will certainly pass on the Deputy's request to the Tánaiste who I know has a personal interest in the matter. For clarity, I should tell the Deputy and the House the leaving certificate examination will go ahead. For security reasons, it will be held once again in a centre in Malta. I know Deputies will recognise it would be completely unjust to the students involved, who are not at...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Order for Second Stage (28 May 2013)

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

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Order for Second Stage (28 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It was agreed earlier on the Order of Business.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Second Stage (28 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: We have identified that proportionate contribution as a further reduction of some €1 billion, or 7%, in the cost of the pay and pensions bill. Otherwise the existing significant burden of adjustment falling on services and social transfers rather than pay would be untenable. In short, if we seek to exclude public service pay and pensions from further consolidation efforts, the burden...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Second Stage (28 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I would not rule out a collective agreement yet. It is still possible that we will achieve one.