Results 16,741-16,760 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Process (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy’s question the following table gives a breakdown of the number of amendments to legislation I proposed during Committee and Report stages in Seanad Éireann in 2012: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Seanad Éireann Amendments 2012 Act No. of Amendments proposed by Minister No. of Amendments proposed by Minister accepted No. of Amendments...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Issues (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 269 to 272, inclusive, together. At this juncture in the annual Budget cycle, my Department is not in a position to produce detailed costings of scenario-based proposals for adjustments to existing impositions on public service salaries and pensions, such as the Pension Related Deduction (PRD) and the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR). The Deputy's...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Exchequer Savings (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 273 to 276, inclusive, and 280 and 281 together. I refer to my replies to Questions Nos. 402, 403 and 407 of 16 July 2013. Comparative data is not available in my Department in the form sought by the Deputy. Current data on public service numbers can be accessed at while available population data can be accessed at www.cso.ie. The current Government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Staff (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy’s question the following tables outline the staffing levels and salaries of the Private Office and Constituency Office in my Department and Deputy Brian Hayes in the Office of Public Works from 2011: Department of Public Expenditure & Reform Ministers Private Office Year No. of Staff (Whole Time Equivalent) Salary Scale (fulltime rate per annum)...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Exchequer Savings (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the total annual savings to the Exchequer if the salaries of the Special Advisers in my Department were capped at the first point on the Principal Officer pay scale would amount to €34,859.00. My Minister of State has no Special Advisers.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Programmes (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Preparation work for the PEACE IV (2014-2020) Programme is progressing well. The planning process has been under way since April 2012, when my Department and the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland requested the Special EU Programmes Body to commence preparation of detailed programme proposals for both PEACE IV and the successor INTERREG Programme, INTERREG VA. ...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Section 3 states that "expenses incurred in the administration of this Act shall be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas." I do not think that should be controversial.

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Senator for the series of amendments. I will take amendments Nos. 10 and 11 together first because they relate to the confidentiality of Cabinet discussions. Section 71(1)(a) provides that the committee shall not direct a person to give evidence or documents relating to discussions at a meeting of the Government or a committee appointed by the Government whose membership...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I regard this as one of the most important Bills that I have been privileged to introduced. It is an overarching power for the Oireachtas - either each House or both Houses acting in consort - to conduct inquiries into matters of public importance. It was the Government's opinion that we should strengthen the powers of the Oireachtas to find matters of culpability in respect of inquiries,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (18 Sep 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the judgement referred to by the Deputy is under appeal it would be inappropriate for me to comment directly on it. Reform of public procurement is one of the major projects of key strategic importance in the Government's Public Service Reform Plan, which was published in November 2011. Procurement of supplies and services accounts for around €9 billion of current spending by the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (18 Sep 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Valuation Office is currently undertaking a systematic programme of revaluing, for rates purposes, all industrial and commercial properties in the State. The immediate objective of the national revaluation programme is to ensure that the first revaluation of all rating authority areas is conducted as soon as possible. Revaluation is conducted across all relevant properties in one or more...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (18 Sep 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Appointments Service already advertises a large number of public service posts on publicjobs.ie when requested to by the relevant body. My Department promotes the availability of this service to public service bodies on an on-going basis. Filling of vacancies in State Agencies and Commercial Semi-State Bodies is often a matter for individual organisations and Boards. The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Legislation (18 Sep 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Section 6 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill 2013 contains a generic definition of public body which will enable FOI to apply to all public bodies unless specifically exempt in whole or in part. Essentially, FOI is being extended to the widest possible definition of public bodies, including a number of significant high profile bodies which have been excluded since the legislation was...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of the Ombudsman Staff (18 Sep 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The process to be followed in the appointment of a new Ombudsman is set out in the Ombudsman Act 1980, as amended. This appointment is made by the President following nomination by resolution of each House of the Oireachtas. Since the Freedom of Information Act 1997 came into force, the Ombudsman has also held the office of Information Commissioner. Appointment to the post is by a similar...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Legislation (18 Sep 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 443 and 444 together. I believe that commercial state bodies should not, in general, be subject to FOI requirements because of the uneven competitive playing field that would be created in circumstances that commercial state bodies operating in a competitive market were subject to FOI but their privately-owned market competitors were not. This would be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (18 Sep 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy’s question since its inception in July 2011 my department has spent €3,719.83 in 2011 and €2,493.36 in 2012 on media advertising. In determining whether the advertising is done on national or local media my Department examines each case on its own merits and a decision is made on that basis. The following is the position in respect of the cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Appointments (18 Sep 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 446 to 448, inclusive, together. In response to the Deputy's questions I can confirm the following in respect of the Boards under the remit of my Department: Outside Appointments Board The Outside Appointments Board (OAB) is an independent body established in 2005 under the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour. The Board is comprised of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (18 Sep 2013)

Brendan Howlin: All employers, including public service employers, must comply with the provisions of the Minimum Wage Act 2000 and I am not aware of, nor would I support, the non-compliance by public service employers with the terms of the Act. Where breaches of the Act occur inadvertently or otherwise by public service employers, my policy is to ensure such issues are addressed urgently and with no loss...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Issues (18 Sep 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I am unable to comment on the particular circumstances of the individual concerned. The provisions in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 and the related proposals in the recently concluded Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) must be considered in their wider context. The Agreement negotiated will deliver the necessary €1bn saving in the public service pay...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (18 Sep 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In relation to improving access for small and medium sized enterprises my Department has issued guidelines (Circular 10/10) that require public bodies to promote participation of such enterprises in the award of public contracts. These guidelines set out positive measures that contracting authorities are to take to promote the involvement of smaller enterprises in a manner that is consistent...