Results 17,881-17,900 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Appointments to the Standards in Public Office Commission: Motions (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: On what date?

Appointments to the Standards in Public Office Commission: Motions (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Intrigue.

Appointments to the Standards in Public Office Commission: Motions (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I did not realise that I had a right of reply and I did not take up my notes. I want to make a few points. On the general point about gender balance made by Deputy Fleming, I am obviously mindful of that in terms of State appointments, but since four of the six are by definition ex officio, I cannot demand under equality legislation that the Ombudsman be a woman or that the Clerk of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Service Reform Plan Update (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is committed to exploring alternative models for the delivery of public services, in the interests of providing better customer service and driving down costs. I have reiterated this commitment in the new Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016, which I published last week. One of the four key themes in the new Reform Plan is the delivery of improved outcomes for service users...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Heritage Sites (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Office of Public Works (OPW) recently placed an advertisement in the national newspapers seeking expressions of interest from commercial entities and individuals to bring new and enhanced facilities to its heritage sites. Any agreement reached will be on the basis of a licence or concession, not a lease. It might be noted that OPW currently operates several concessions, e.g., tea...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Management Remuneration (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In June 2011, I introduced a general pay ceiling of €250,000 for future appointees to Chief Executive Officers of Commercial State Companies and a €200,000 pay ceiling for future appointees to higher positions across the public service, subject to certain exceptions. No approvals have been issued for new appointments in excess of these pay ceilings where they apply.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Language Issues (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The detailed information requested by the Deputy in his question is not available as it is not collected on a routine basis by my Department.  In October, 2013, the Government approved the introduction of a new approach to support Irish language proficiency in the civil service to replace the policy of awarding bonus marks for Irish language proficiency in civil service...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 31 together. My Department is responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly capital expenditure at Departmental level. Within the overall allocations set by my Department, individual Ministers and their Departments allocate capital funds across various projects and programmes in line with their...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Monitoring (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The mission of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, as set out in our Statement of Strategy, is to serve the country, its people and the Government by delivering well managed and well targeted public spending, delivered through modernised, effective and accountable public services. We want to ensure sound and sustainable management of public spending that can underpin the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 28 together. The Government published the Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2012 on 3rd August, 2012 as part of its legislative programme. The Bill proceeded through its second stage in Seanad Éireann on 11th October 2012. At the outset, let me say that the Bill will not change the basis of valuation for rating purposes. This will continue...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Issues (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The most recent actuarial exercise conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General showed the accrued liability in respect of public service occupational pensions to have been an estimated €116 billion as of December 2009. Work is under way in my Department on updating this figure; this exercise will estimate the position as of December 2012, and will take into account the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Agencies (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: No new Agencies or State bodies have been established under the remit of my Department since 9 March 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Conducting a revaluation of all commercial and industrial properties in the State has been a policy of successive Governments since the enactment of the Valuation Act, 2001 and, as I mentioned in a previous reply, the Commissioner of Valuation has, in accordance with that policy, been conducting a revaluation programme since 2005. The revaluation programme which has been completed in three...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legal Services Expenditure (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In recent years, with a view to achieving significant reductions in legal costs, my Department has been actively engaged with the State's Law Offices and the Department of Justice and Equality, which are critically involved in the engagement of legal services. Prior to 2011, two separate reductions, each amounting to 8%, had been effected in regard to legal fees. In the period from 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Service Reform Plan Update (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Service Reform Plan sets out a commitment to evaluate alternative models for the delivery of services in a more cost effective and flexible approach, with a focus on customer service improvement. In July 2012, the Government agreed a range of actions aimed at achieving a focused and integrated approach to external service delivery of non-core processes with the objective of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Remit (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware, I indicated last November in the context of the Committee Stage debate on the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill that it was my intention that Irish Water should be made subject to FOI at an early stage following the enactment of the new legislation.  On the basis of recent developments and following the commencement of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of the Ombudsman Remit (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Programme for Government contained a commitment to extend the Ombudsman Act, to ensure that all statutory bodies, and all bodies significantly funded from the public purse, are covered. The Ombudsman (Amendment) Act 2012 extended the remit of the Ombudsman bringing some 180 public bodies within remit.  As such, it was the most significant extension of the Ombudsman's remit in 30...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Websites (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) has a number of roles including researching and investigating international best practices in eGovernment. As such it is aware of the UK approach to Government websites as well as approaches adopted by other countries. This is something that is being considered in the context of the Public Service ICT Strategy currently being...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Consultancy Contracts (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware, commercial state companies are established to operate explicitly in a market environment, at arm's length from Ministers, and they enjoy considerable autonomy in operational terms as they seek to generate profits in the interests of the shareholder. Operational matters, including those to which the Deputy's question refers,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Irish Presidency completed detailed, lengthy and complex negotiations with the European Parliament, and achieved agreement on the Public Procurement Package (Classical Directive, Utilities Directive and Concessions* Directive). These Directives will make it easier for businesses and SMEs to tender for procurement contracts. Administrative burdens will be reduced, procurement procedures...