Results 19,081-19,100 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The need to protect and support women during pregnancy and ensure that they are not discriminated against is a priority strongly reflected in the design of the new public service sick leave scheme.  We brought this to the Labour Court and specifically asked it to consider additional protection for women. The new scheme operates strictly in accordance with the European...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy makes a very valid point and it is something I will re-examine on foot of this discussion. It has always been a point in regard to the delivery of public services that we have the maximum flexibility to allow for normal family pressures, probably better than is done in the private sector. I acknowledge much pressure has been put on that in the past few years because we have asked...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Again, I believe the Deputy is right. There are new sick leave arrangements which we have spent a year and a half discussing with the unions and bringing through the Labour Court, and it was in the Labour Court right up to the end of last year. We then enacted specific legislation which we brought through the Houses in this regard. However, there are probably many public sector workers who...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: One of the objectives we have is to allay fears and it is important that we give assurances rather than raise anxieties. I believe this will work out as a very fair scheme. We have specifically looked at the whole area of pregnancy-related illness as a unique set within the sick leave design generally. As I said in my first answer to Deputy Daly, when we have the review in 12 months time,...

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Again, this overlaps with a question I answered earlier. Public procurement procedures require all applicants to meet certain standards when applying for public contracts.  In this regard, applicants are required to make declarations in regard to their financial standing, their legal standing and payment of taxes and social contributions.  The criteria upon which contracting...

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As I indicated earlier to Deputy Fleming, it is the legal responsibility of the contracting authority - if it is a school, the Department of Education and Skills, if it is a road, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the NRA - to ensure that all legal requirements are complied with. The Deputy raised the case of subcontractors. In any public contract valued at greater than...

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy raised a number of questions. I will deal with the last one first. There are set criteria for excluding somebody from the tendering process but, obviously, fair procedure must apply, because excluding somebody from being able to apply for a public contract is a significant penalty and the contractor would have recourse to the courts to vindicate its rights to do that. I can...

Other Questions: Flood Prevention Measures (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Deputy for his question. The report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht on Shannon flooding dealt with and included recommendations on a number of issues within the areas of responsibilities of a range of Government Departments and State bodies. The OPW responded to the committee by way of a written reply in September 2012 in respect...

Other Questions: Flood Prevention Measures (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I am advised that data from the exercise was collated by the hydrometric section of the OPW and forwarded to the CFRAM consultants, Jacobs Engineering, for analysis as part of the CFRAM study. I am advised that data from this exercise is available on the Shannon CFRAM and OPW websites.

Other Questions: Flood Prevention Measures (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: That is what they are telling me.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The River Suck is the main tributary of the River Shannon. It meets the Shannon a few kilometres north of the village of Shannonbridge. The River Suck forms part of the River Suck Joint Drainage District. As such, responsibility for maintenance of the channel rests with Galway and Roscommon County Councils. The maintenance work is undertaken through the River Suck Joint Drainage District...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Budgets (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Managing the delivery of public services within agreed budgetary allocations is a key responsibility of each Minister and Department, and several measures are in place to help ensure that these budgetary targets continue to be met.  My Department is in regular communication with all Departments and Offices to ensure that expenditure is being managed within agreed allocations and we...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The conditions governing the appointment of consultants by the State are governed by national and EU rules in relation to public procurement.  The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money.   Public procurement procedures require all applicants to meet certain standards when...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Public Procurement is governed by EU and National rules. The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money. It would be a breach of the EU rules for a public body to favour or discriminate against particular candidates on grounds such as nationality, organisational size, etc. and there are legal...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service Accountability (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In January last, I established the Independent Panel on Strengthening Civil Service Accountability and Performance.  This followed the publication of the consultation paper on the Programme for Government commitments: 'Strengthening Civil Service Accountability and Performance'.  The Independent Panel oversaw an extensive public consultation process on these issues, reviewed...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Contracts are awarded following a competitive process conducted in compliance with the National and EU rules.  The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money.  Public bodies cannot favour or discriminate against particular candidates on grounds of nationality and there are legal...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (9 Jul 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 arrangementsDepartments now invite expressions of interest on their websites from the public in vacancies on the boards of bodies under their aegis. It is open to all members of the public regardless of gender, political affiliations or geographical...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government Reform Unit in my Department is responsible for progressing the Government Reform Programme as set out in the Programme for Government, and the Public Service Reform Plan 2014- 2016.  This Unit is headed by a Assistant Secretary General on a 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) basis.  It includes three Principal Officers (2.8 FTEs) who manage...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As I set out in detail in my responses to other questions on this specific issue, the need to protect women during pregnancy and ensure that they are not discriminated against is a priority that has been strongly reflected in the design of the new sick leave scheme.  The new scheme operates its provisions for pregnancy-related illness in accordance with the principles of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (9 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In the absence of any unforeseen significant economic shocks that would undermine the necessary but extremely difficult fiscal consolidation path which this Government has been required to pursue since 2011, I do not foresee any requirement for the enactment of further Financial Emergency Measures legislation. The Financial Emergency Measures legislation was enacted to provide...