Results 18,221-18,240 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Other Questions: Capital Programme Expenditure (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: So it was the Greeks what done it.

Other Questions: Capital Programme Expenditure (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: If I had more than 25 seconds available, I would be very happy to do so.

Other Questions: Capital Programme Expenditure (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Lead-Cheann Comhairle. Within our first 100 days in office we reallocated €500 million in respect of job creation in the tourism sector, with obvious effect. We tore up the promissory note which would have required us to make bullet payments of €3 billion every year for an extended period. Those in Fianna Fáil stated that this note was not renegotiable and...

Other Questions: Capital Programme Expenditure (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: We have not finished yet. We will put right the wrongs the Deputy's party have done to this country. Regardless of whatever way he and his colleagues might want to try to reconstruct history, they should remember that the people of Ireland are not fools.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Properties (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The powers and functions relating to property which previously vested in the Minister for Finance transferred in July 2011 to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform under the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 2011 and S.I. No. 418/2011 Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011.  The powers in relation to State property...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Language Issues (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: One of my Department s objectives or aims contained in the 20 Year Strategy on the Irish Language is to strengthen and develop language awareness and language training programmes so that a higher proportion of public service staff are truly functional in Irish and can deliver services in Irish to customers who seek them. In this regard my Department has devolved responsibility for the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Open Government Partnership (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Ireland will host a European-level Open Government Partnership (OGP) conference in Dublin Castle on 8th and 9th May. The conference will be a 2 day event with up to 300 participants expected to attend. Ministers, Government officials from European countries participating in the OGP, representatives of civil society and non-governmental organisations, representatives of international and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17, 103 and 108 together. Gross voted expenditure has been reduced from its peak of €63.1 billion in 2009 to €54.6 billion in 2013.  This represents a reduction of approximately 13.5 per cent between 2009 and 2013.  Estimated voted expenditure for 2014 will be in the region of €53 billion with a targeted General Government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware in 2011 the Government introduced new arrangements for the appointment of State board members.  Under the new arrangements Departments now invite expressions of interest from the public in vacancies on the boards of bodies under their aegis on their websites. It is open to all members of the public regardless of gender, political affiliations or location to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Shared Services is a key element of the Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016.  Significant progress has been made in relation to Shared Services, both as a concept and business solution since the publication of the original Reform Plan in 2011.  PeoplePoint, the Civil Service Transactional HR and Pensions Shared Services...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery Licence Sale (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware, Premier Lotteries Ireland Limited, a consortium comprising Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (the owner of the Camelot Group), An Post and An Post pension funds, has been selected as the preferred applicant for the next National Lottery licence. Discussions on finalising the terms of the licence have been taking place between my Department and the preferred...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Programme for Government Implementation (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is making strong progress on achieving our targets and priorities regarding the expenditure commitments, as articulated in the Programme for Government. Sustainable public finances are a pre-requisite for economic stability and growth. This Government has therefore pursued a determined deficit reduction strategy.  We are committed to reaching the 3% of GDP...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Internship Scheme Placements (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: No JobBridge interns who have been employed by my Department were subsequently offered full time employment with my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Sick Leave (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The implementation of the new single sick leave scheme for the public service generally will commence next month.  The effective date for the new scheme will be 31 March 2014.  The scheme is being introduced through Ministerial Regulations which are provided for in the recently enacted Public Service Management (Recruitment and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sale of State Assets (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As I have previously informed the House, a consortium comprising Centrica plc, Brookfield Renewable Power Inc and iCON Infrastructure has  been selected as preferred bidder for Bord Gáis Energy on the basis of a bid that puts an enterprise value of up to €1.12bn on the business. As the  sale agreements have yet to be  finalised, it...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Last December, the Government agreed to proceed to the next stage of a Financial Management Shared Services Project for the Civil Service, Defence and Justice sectors. The initial scoping phase of the project has already been completed and represents an undeniable case for change.  It is estimated that sustainable savings in the region of €14.6 million, or over 30%, per annum...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Issues (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In case there is some confusion on the matter, I want to state clearly that the circumstances whereby a retiring civil or public servant may benefit from an award of added years of reckonable service for the purposes of calculating superannuation benefits are very limited. Professional Added Years Schemes: These schemes apply to certain professional, technical and specialist posts in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: European Investment Bank (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: One of the key ways in which the Exchequer Public Capital Programme is supplemented, is by the use of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) which are primarily funded up-front from non-Exchequer sources.   The sourcing of funding for PPPs is led by the Department of Finance working with the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), and all Irish PPPs are reviewed for suitability for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Programme Expenditure (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware, the five year capital plan out to 2016 was set following a Government-wide review of the Public Capital Programme led by my Department in 2011. The plan includes a significant investment of some €17bn which will address critical infrastructure deficits, aid economic growth and provide much needed social infrastructure. As stated in previous replies, the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Solidarity Fund (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was set up to respond to major natural disasters and express European solidarity with disaster-stricken regions of Europe. The Fund was created in response to the severe floods in Central Europe in the summer of 2002.  In July 2013, following a review of the operation of the Fund, the European Commission proposed amendments to the EUSF...