Results 19,661-19,680 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Appointments to State Boards (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Appointments to State Boards (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: No, only to state the post had been filled. The role is set out in law under the National Lottery Act 2013.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Appointments to State Boards (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy was agin the appointment of the regulator, too.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Appointments to State Boards (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I am not prepared to do that because there are specific cases where a bespoke skillset is required by law. The National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2014 sets out such criteria in relation to the NewERA companies.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Appointments to State Boards (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: No. In the semi-State companies, for example, NewERA is given a role in the appointment because it must devise the skillset to ensure that the best commercial persons operate on commercial semi-State boards. Where the Oireachtas, having debated it, has set a legislative framework for the appointment of individuals, I will not set that aside but this is an overarching structure that will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Civil Service Reform (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I appreciate the Deputy placing a focus on this. We might find an opportunity, perhaps at a committee, to discuss it because this is the culmination of two streams of work. The Civil Service Renewal Plan, which I launched with the Taoiseach last week, is the product of a year-long engagement involving more than 2,000 staff and stakeholders. It brings together the outcomes of two separate...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Civil Service Reform (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: On the Professor Kevin Rafter group proposal to have a single head, I spoke to him at length. The group looked at the model in Britain and in other countries, and they changed the model a couple of times. Their recommendation was to have either of two options, the first of which was a designated person involving the set up of a new entity with a new Secretary General who would be the head...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Civil Service Reform (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: There were a lot of detailed questions that I will not have time to answer and we need a better forum than one which provides a minute to answer these questions. On the first question, I will have an open mind on the leadership. If the other model presents itself in 18 months' time as a better model, I will support that. The review of the discipline code will happen. It is part of what...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Deputy for his question. In my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching responsibility for recruitment to the Civil Service. All such recruitment is governed by the Public Service (Management and Recruitment) Act 2004. Under the Act, the method of appointment to a permanent Civil Service post is as a result of being successful in a competition run...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In general, I am far happier to have permanent appointments where there is a permanent job to be filled. That is what we are going to migrate to. We certainly had difficulties in filling positions that were needed during the time there were restrictions on recruitment. Some staff were recruited on a short-term basis. I have a difficulty. I want permanent staff in PeoplePoint, but I must...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As PeoplePoint became operational in March 2013, staff have not been there for years. I take account of the point made by the Deputy that we must have some consideration for those who are doing the job on a temporary contract, some of whom have had that contract rolled over because it is only an annual contract. I do not know whether it is the Deputy's position that they should...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy used pejorative words like "slashing". The bottom line is that if every organisation of State was to do things more effectively and efficiently - which it can do - we would produce much more for less by transforming the way we provide services. I know that the Deputy would not be so backward as to think we could not modernise the Civil Service or that we should stay in a frozen...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I echo the Deputy's view on the quality of the Civil Service. I remarked at the launch of the Civil Service reform document that on the evening before the final departure of the troika, the head of the troika group told me it had never dealt with a more competent Civil Service than ours. I thought that was high praise and I passed it on. However, we need to modernise and upskill, as well as...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy's questions underscore the point I made earlier to Deputy McDonald on the need for a more structured debate on this exciting set of reforms, which will be transformative for the Civil Service. In regard to a spokesperson for the Civil Service, it has been determined that the Secretary General of my Department will be the official spokesperson for the Civil Service. We need...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Programme (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: My Department commenced a review of the public capital programme in April of this year in parallel with the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure. The purpose of the review is to assess all areas of public capital investment and to refresh the existing investment strategy and multi-annual envelopes to ensure that they are in line with emerging Government priorities and that our...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Reports (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As I outlined previously in relation to a similar question on the Comptroller and Auditor General's Report, the focus of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is on well-managed and well-targeted public spending, through modernised, effective and accountable public services. The recently published report on the 'Accounts of the Public Service 2013' is part of the wider...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts Social Clauses (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The main purpose of the EU public procurement regime is to open up the market and to ensure the free movement of supplies, services and works within the EU having regard to Treaty of Rome principles including transparency, proportionality and equal treatment. This is the rationale that shapes the detailed rules (Directives) governing the regime. The new EU rules comprise a suite of three...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Semi-State Bodies Remuneration (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In 2012 the Government reviewed the position on the payment of performance related reward schemes or bonuses for Chief Executive Officers in Commercial State Companies and agreed to continue with the policy which it introduced in 2011 of requesting the State Companies concerned not to award such bonus payments in light of the serious state of the public finances. Furthermore the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (6 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware the Government recently announced a revised model for Ministerial appointments to State Boards. In future, all appointments to State Boards must be advertised openly on the State Boards portal at , which is operated by the Public Appointments Service. My officials are currently preparing overarching guidelines on appointments for approval...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Nov 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...