Results 18,561-18,580 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (10 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 31 together. Significant progress is being made in relation to this Government's programme of political and legislative reform aimed at enhancing openness and transparency.  The Regulation of Lobbying Bill will form an integral part of this programme.  The decision to proceed with the Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014 marked a significant step...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: External Service Delivery (10 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is committed to exploring alternative service delivery models including outsourcing, as part of an overall objective to reduce costs and improve customer services. This is a key component of the new Public Service Reform Plan 2014 2016, published in January 2014. There has already been considerable progress made in this area, as outlined in the Second Progress Report on the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (10 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: For public service pensions coming into payment from 29 February 2012, the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 which provided for pay reductions for public servants receiving annualised remuneration of €65,000 under the Haddington Road Agreement, also provided for Public Service Pension Reduction rates ranging from 2% to 8%  to be applied to annual...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Expenditure Reviews (10 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 to 70, inclusive, 72, 75 and 76 together. Ensuring the sustainability of the public finances is a prerequisite for economic stability and growth and therefore remains a central feature of Government policy. This Government has pursued a determined deficit reduction strategy in order to reduce the General Government Deficit below 3% of GDP by the target...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (10 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 74 together. As set out in my reply to the Deputy's Oral Question today (reference 16728/14) on a similar theme, the Government is continuing to make good progress on achieving its deficit targets and priorities.  Since its peak in 2009, Gross Voted Expenditure has been reduced by €10.1 billion or 16%, from €63.1 billion in 2009 to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Data (10 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I refer the Deputy to the detailed information on public service staff numbers and expenditure available on my Department's website, at .  The databank gives details of public service staff numbers by Sector and by Vote Group, and it also provides corresponding details of expenditure, both pay and non-pay, for the years to which the Deputy refers.  It will show that from 2008...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Issues (10 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: PeoplePoint, the Civil Service HR and Pensions Shared Service will, when fully operational, be administering the transactional HR and Pensions activity for 38Civil Service Departments and Offices.  The role of PeoplePoint is to administer relevant transactional activity on behalf of Civil Service organisations.  PeoplePointcommenced operation at the end of March 2013.  To date...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Directives (15 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Under EU law, public contracts above certain values must be advertised EU-wide 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...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Tribunals of Inquiry Recommendations (15 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Moriarty tribunal made two recommendations for changes to company law, as follows: - That a provision similar to section 172 of the UK Companies Act, 2006 be adopted, together with the adoption of additional implementation or enforcement measures. - That consideration be given by the Oireachtas, and/or by the Company Law Review Group, to enacting provisions similar to those contained in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (15 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Act 2013 was signed into law by the President at the end of December 2013. The Act provides for the removal of legislative barriers to redeployment and mobility within the public service by: - broadening the definition of public service body to encompass all public service employers except commercial State bodies and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Legal Costs (15 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response the Deputy's question the following table is a list of total legal costs incurred by my Department in 2011, 2012, 2013 and estimated in 2014: Legal Costs Department/Office Year Amount Department of Public Expenditure and Reform 2011 Nil 2012 €89,773.25 2013 €143,015.76 2014 €152,599.00 Office of Public Works 2011 €342,033.24 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (15 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question I can confirm that no external public relation firm was availed of by my Department since its formation.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Museum Projects (15 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: At the request of the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD., the Office of Public Works assisted the Irish Jewish Museum with the development of the design of its proposed new museum facility up to Statutory Approvals Stage for the project. There is no proposal for the involvement of the Office of Public Works post Statutory Approval and no such request has been received. To comment on what is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Leader's Allowance Issues (15 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The following tables set out the full amounts paid under the relevant legislation to each qualifying Party Leader and to Independent TDs for the years 2001 to 2013 inclusive. The current data systems in use allow for detailed payment records in the manner requested from 2001 only - the system does not permit detailing the payments prior to 2001. Party   2001 2002 2003 2004...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (15 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In line with the Haddington Road Agreement and in accordance with Action Plan set out in the Government's new Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016 - page 79, section 4.2.1(iii) - my Department is currently working to develop options for advancing the objective of grade restructuring as one of a number of actions to strengthen Human Resource Strategy and resourcing policies. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (15 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In line with the Haddington Road Agreement and in accordance with Action Plan set out in the Government's new Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016 - page 79, section 4.2.1(iii) - my Department is currently working to develop options for advancing the objective of grade restructuring as one of a number of actions to strengthen Human Resource Strategy and resourcing policies. This...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (15 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Five of the six North/South Implementation Bodies, including Waterways Ireland, along with Tourism Ireland, operate the North/South Pension Scheme (N/SPS).  The Scheme is unique in covering public service staff employed on both sides of the border; staff of the affiliated employers in this jurisdiction are automatically members of the Scheme.  The Chief Executive Officers of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (15 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The information requested by the Deputy on all costs for the establishment of PeoplePoint, the Human Resources and Pensions Shared Service Centre (HRSSC), are set out in the following table.  It outlines both the Project Implementation costs and PeoplePoint Operational costs incurred in 2012 and 2013 and the estimated costs for 2014:- Year Project Implementation Costs €m...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Legislation (16 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The reform of Freedom of Information legislation is central to the Government's goal of enhancing public governance through a significant strengthening of openness, transparency and accountability of government and public administration.  In that regard, the Deputy may wish to note the speech I delivered at a Public Affairs Ireland Conference earlier this month on...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Legislation (16 Apr 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I intend to submit the draft Code of Practice to Government shortly with a view to publication for public consultation.  My intention is that the Code of Practice will come into effect on enactment of the FOI Bill.  Clearly it has been and will continue to be necessary for the draft Code to be amended to reflect any amendments that are made to the Bill as it progresses through the...