Results 17,921-17,940 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The party must exist outside government.

Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Charlie Haughey set the standard for Fianna Fáil with his Charvet shirts.

Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: That is what he spent the allowance on. The Deputy should not lecture us.

Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: That was not factual.

Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: It is not factual.

Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: It is the last allowance we have not cut. We have cut every other one.

Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In their pockets.

Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: It is a party political system.

Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I would be interested to see them.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Consultancy Contracts Data (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following table outlines the total amount spent on consultancy fees in my Department in 2013: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Consultancy Fees 2013 Company Name Details Amount Davy Corporate Finance Financial and commercial advice regarding the competition for the next National Lottery licence €568,875.00 Social Finance Ltd...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I understand that the agreements referred to by the Deputy relate to commodity financial services that allow a merchant to accept credit or debit cards. At present Contracting Authorities within the State appear to be paying different rates for merchant services to multiple service providers, albeit potentially for different volumes. One of the primary reasons for establishing the Office of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Leader's Allowance Issues (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Party Leader's Allowance is provided for in the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act, 1938, as amended, most recently by the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Act, 2001. The allowance is paid to the parliamentary leader of a qualifying party in relation to expenses arising from the parliamentary activities, including research, of the party. Payments...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: NewERA Remit (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: NewERA is involved in a number of Inter-Departmental Groups dealing with various aspects of the commercial State sector and, in particular, the management of sale transactions under the State assets disposal programme. NewERA has, in this context, provided advice on a number of matters including those to which the Deputy's question refers. For example, in the case of Coillte, on foot of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: NewERA Remit (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: On the basis of work that has been undertaken by NewERA on moving to a full holding company structure which would hold the shares in commercial semi-state companies, I understand that there are legal and other difficulties associated with making such a change in the ownership structure of the commercial State sector.  An interdepartmental Steering Group, chaired by my Department, has...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Plan (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: On 14 January, I published the new Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016 and the Second Progress Report on the previous Reform Plan.  I have sent both documents to all members of the Oireachtas. Just over two years since the Government's first Public Service Reform Plan was published, the new Reform Plan builds on the progress made to-date and sets out an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Redundancies (23 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: This issue was addressed under Section 4.2 of the Haddington Road Agreement whereby the Government reaffirmed the commitment given under Paragraph 1.6 of the Public Service Agreement that compulsory redundancy will not apply within the Public Service. However, this commitment is subject to the following exceptions: -Where existing exit mechanisms have applied, such arrangements will...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Job Creation Data (28 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is responsible for setting the overall expenditure allocations for Departments; in doing so, a capital budget of €3.4 billion was set for 2013. A breakdown by Department is available in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2013 which can be found on my Department's website. Decisions in relation to the types of projects and programmes to be funded from the individual...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I am aware that public procurement can be an important source of business for Irish small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Currently public service procurement activity is transacted by several hundred contracting authorities throughout the State. As a result where data is collected it's quality is inconsistent and the process of collecting the data is fragmented. Accordingly, a significant...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (28 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Under Section 12 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I am required to review the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2009 to 2013 annually. The review determines their operation, effectiveness and impact, having regard to the overall economic conditions of the State and national...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Under EU and national rules, public contracts are advertised and awarded to the most competitive tender in an open and objective process. The aim is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers value for money. It would be a breach of the rules for a public body to favour or discriminate against particular candidates on grounds that they have...