Results 18,741-18,760 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (14 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I will try to make it clear. What I have said is accurate. I can say it again. In essence, the weaker protections will not apply if the stronger protections of this Bill apply. If the stronger protections do not apply, for whatever technical reason, the sectoral protections that are implicit in the existing Acts will apply.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (14 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Correct.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (14 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: No. The default position is this Bill. This is it. If this Bill does not apply for some technical reason, the other one will apply.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (14 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: That is the intent. I have been told that is the legal position.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (14 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Yes.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (14 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Yes.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (14 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I am glad the Deputy asked the question. It is important.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (14 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I take the opportunity to inform members that I propose to address the following matters on Report Stage: the alignment of employer types with worker types in the definition; a closer alignment of the description of the different types of employer set out in the definition of that term with the definition of the different types of worker set out in the definition of that term in the Bill and...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (14 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: My officials have taken note of the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (15 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question there are eighteen defibrillators located in Government offices and buildings under the remit of my Department and those under my aegis, nine of which are in shared accommodation with the Department of Finance. The average cost is approximately €1,800 each. For health and safety reasons these defibrillators are only available to staff trained in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (15 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Under EU Directives on public procurement public works, supplies and service contracts above certain thresholds must be advertised on the Official Journal of the EU and awarded on the basis of objective and non-restrictive criteria. For works contracts the threshold is €5.186 million; for supplies and service contracts awarded by Government Departments the threshold is €134,000...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Parliamentary Party Allowances (15 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Parliamentary Activities Allowance (formerly known as the Party Leader's Allowance) is provided for under the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act 1938, amended most recently by the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices)(Amendment) Act 2014. The legislation provides that each party leader and independent Member of the Dáíl or Seanad in receipt of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (27 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Many properties within the town of Adare, including the development mentioned by the Deputy, lie within the “Benefiting Area” or floodplain of the River Maigue Catchment Drainage Scheme (CDS) which is under the statutory care of the Commissioners of Public Works. The embankments protecting the Maigue Catchment floodplain were constructed to a standard to protect agricultural...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation Office (27 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Valuation Office is currently undertaking a systematic programme of revaluing, for rates purposes, all industrial and commercial properties in the State. The immediate objective of the national revaluation programme is to ensure that the first revaluation of all rating authority areas is conducted as soon as possible. Revaluation is conducted across all relevant properties in one or...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (27 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Office of Public Works has no responsibility for the maintenance of any channel at these locations. The investigation of localised flooding problems of this nature is a matter for Galway County Council in the first instance. More generally, flooding problems in Portumna are being assessed under the Shannon Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study. Good progress is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Heritage Sites (27 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Office of Public Works retains no plans or drawings of Skyrne Tower, County Meath.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Measures (27 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Under section 12 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013, I must review the  Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2009-2013 annually and cause a written report of my findings to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas. As part of that review I am required to consider whether the measures continue to be necessary having regard...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (27 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR) was introduced in 2011 under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2010. It generates an estimated saving of some €125 million annually for the public finances, based on the estimated full-year position following the PSPR rate adjustments of 1 July 2013, which were legislated for by way of the Financial Emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Haddington Road Agreement Review (27 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In accordance with the terms of the Haddington Road agreement, the necessary changes in conditions of employment of civil and public servants have been put in place to increase the standard working hours for all public servants, with a net working week of less than 39 hours. Through its provisions, the Agreement is delivering an unprecedented and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Lease Agreements (27 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The following table schedules the top 100 premises that the Office of Public Works (OPW) is leasing on behalf of the State. The table shows the agreed rent per annum and the Landlord. The OPW is not in a position to supply details on leasing arrangements that may have been entered into by other Government Departments or Agencies on behalf of the State. LOCATION PROPERTY NAME RENT PA...