Results 16,401-16,420 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: Yes.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: The Deputy is welcome to it.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: Yes.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: I could stop it.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: It has to fit into the pattern of things that are proper.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: There is no problem getting any of that information.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: The Deputy should put that question to the Minister for Finance.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: It has nothing to do with the Bill, unfortunately.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: All the figures instanced by the Deputy are published in the White Paper on Receipts and Expenditure that is laid before the House just before the budget. It might be useful to have a debate on that.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: I would have no problem with that. We would have to do it earlier this year.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: The Government is defined in the Constitution, which sets out its role and the principles under which it operates. All government decisions are taken on a collective basis and are the responsibility of every member of the Government. To introduce a provision stating that the Government includes all Cabinet Ministers would be tautological. On the specific point made by the Deputy, I assure...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: I reiterate my earlier point. While there is a very open debate on these matters in Cabinet, I am not in a position to give the Deputy chapter and verse because to do so would be unconstitutional. However, I can give her the assurance she seeks. The process is that my Department will write to each line Minister, as we have done already in the context of this year's budget, and the...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: I am aware of the Deputy's interest in the issue of equality budgeting. The policy issues raised in the amendments are different from the subject matter of the Bill. At its core, the Bill concerns technical rules for limiting a budget that is drawn up on a multi-annual basis. The introduction in preparations of ministerial ceilings of assessments that would be required in relation to...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: The views of the Deputy's party on human rights and those of that which I represent would have been quite different for many years. They are, therefore, subjective in that context.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: No, I am not defensive. The Deputy is well aware that since we entered office there has been an obligation on us to try to work towards balancing the books. We are in our third year in office and we are still borrowing €1 billion per month. The people who loan us the money to spend in order to maintain the social infrastructure we regard as essential have attached conditions in...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: The form of words "as soon as may be" is standard and in my view it is appropriate. It is not always possible to proceed immediately in circumstances, for example, where the Dáil is not sitting for some period after the decision is made. The normal practice of inserting the phrase, "as soon as may be" is understood to imply as much expedition as is possible and practicable.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: It cannot be done immediately if the Dáil is not sitting immediately. Does that mean the law is being breached? There has to be some level of practicality about enactments of this kind.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: I think the phrase, "as soon as may be" is understood to be as soon as it is practicable to do it.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: No. The phrase, "as soon as may be" is perfectly understood to be as soon as practicable.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)
Brendan Howlin: I do not know what parents do in south Dublin.