Results 17,101-17,120 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts Expenditure (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 154 together. Under a public contract the contractual relationship is between the public body and the main contractor. A public body has no contractual ties with a subcontractor engaged by a main contractor. Any contractual relationship is exclusively a matter between the main contractor and its sub-contractor. The general issue of policy...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 to 158, inclusive, together. In response to the Deputy’s questions I can confirm that, since the formation of my Department in July 2011, no payments were made to any of the companies you inquired about with the exception of the following: Company Name Year Amount Deloitte 2013 €209,541.38  - 2012   €87,330.00...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The following table sets out the amounts paid to senior counsels by my Department since it was formally established. 2011 2012 2013 Total 0 71,678.25 81,508.41 153,186.66

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy may be aware that a provisional agreement on the Public Procurement Package (Classical Directive, Utilities Directive and Concessions Directive) was reached under the Irish Presidency of the European Council. The inclusion of social considerations in public procurement procedures, specifically at the contract award stage, is an issue that is being addressed in the reform of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: International Agreements (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy’s question I am not aware of any administrative burdens that would necessitate a cost benefit analysis to be undertaken by my Department resulting from the impact of Ireland signing the Antarctic treaty.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Select Sub-Committee (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: An enormous amount of discussion has taken place in this regard and it is one of the flagship Bills that I want to bring through to greatly expand the capacity of freedom of information in this State. I welcome the pre-legislative scrutiny this committee did and the submissions we received in regard to it. Although we will be dealing with some 90 amendments, there was, I suppose, one...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Select Sub-Committee (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I did not go near that.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Select Sub-Committee (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy is deliberately misconstruing what I am saying.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Select Sub-Committee (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: One request.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Select Sub-Committee (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I made none of those points.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Select Sub-Committee (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The people on this committee worked very hard on this legislation and have given very valuable advices to me, much of which I have taken, in respect of this legislation and other reforming legislation that we want to get enacted, such as the whistleblowers legislation and so on, before Christmas if possible. I certainly do not want the enormous volume of work done by the officials in my...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Select Sub-Committee (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It was always the way.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Select Sub-Committee (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It is amendment No. 33.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Select Sub-Committee (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I want to make a point because I did not respond. I know the view of the NUJ on fees generally. They have a strong and coherent view that there should be no fees, that information should be free. There are many experts in the area and Deputy Donnelly name checked some of them who hold that principled view, and it is a noble and fine view. I made a discernment from the beginning in this,...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Select Sub-Committee (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I have been open to any amendment that has been tabled in this regard. With all respect to the representative of Sinn Féin, in terms of openness I will not take any lectures from Sinn Féin.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The vast majority of public bodies being brought within the remit of FOI legislation for the first time will be subject to it within six months of the enactment of the legislation. This is to allow these bodies time to make the administrative preparations required for the application of FOI legislation. The Bill allows the Minister the power to make an order to extend the preparation time...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I want it to be done as soon as is possible, but I do not want to place burdens on some that are impractical. If bodies argue the case that it will take two years, I will tell them that it must be done within one year. I will be rigorous in that regard, as I think people will accept.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It was always my intention to develop publication guidelines for model publication schemes as soon as possible after enactment of the Bill. As the Deputy and committee members are aware, the concept of a publication scheme is new and will require careful attention by all public bodies subject to FOI legislation once the Bill is enacted. What might be appropriate for some Departments will...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I approached this on the basis that there would have to be an element of retrospection, but not one that presented such a burden for organisations that they simply could not cope. Obviously, the maintenance of records dating back to the date suggested presents a real issue. There is nothing particularly scientific about the date of April 2008 other than that it was the tenth anniversary of...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It is too far back in that it presents a burden.