Results 19,721-19,740 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Who elected Deputy Stephen Donnelly leader?

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Deputy Donnelly is an expert on everything.

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy should stop shouting down the Tánaiste.

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: He is not in the Cabinet.

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: That will be done.

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I am pleased to have the opportunity to make a contribution to this debate. It is an important one with significant long-term implications for our society. Primarily, it is about water. It is about the right to water - not the water that falls from the sky but the water that is cleaned, treated and delivered to our homes. It is a human right but so also are electricity, housing and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Haddington Road Agreement Implementation (20 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The career break scheme provides flexibility for staff by allowing staff to apply to take a period of special leave without pay. The details of the scheme are set out in Circular 4 of 2013. The Haddington Road Agreement has not changed the operation of the Civil Service career break scheme. It is a voluntary scheme and staff are aware that, under the rules of the scheme, there is no...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Data (20 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question while my Department does not have a specific Data Protection Office I can confirm that the Department itself is the legal entity or Data Controller that controls and is responsible for the keeping and use of personal information held on computer or in structured manual files. Responsibility for the keeping and use of personal information on...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply of 6 November 2014 to Parliamentary Question Number 42277.  The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: There was one request made for additional staff in the Office of the Information Commissioner during 2013. This involved a request for 5 additional staff to assist in meeting the demands arising from the changes to the Freedom of information legislation, including the extension of the provisions of the Act to a significant number of additional bodies. The request for additional staffing was...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Valuation (Amendment)(No.2) Bill 2012 was initiated in the Seanad. The Bill completed Report and Final stages in the Seanad on 20th November 2014. The Bill will be introduced at Second Stage in the Dail in the near future, subject to availability of Dail time.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question I can confirm that neither my Department nor any Agency under my remit awarded contracts to the company you mentioned since March 2011.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I am minded to agree with the Deputy. In the original version of the Bill, when I brought heads to Cabinet, it was the Regulation of Lobbyists Bill. We changed it on the advice of the Parliamentary Counsel who interpret these matters very strictly. They said the new title more accurately reflected the content and purpose of the Bill. I prefer the Deputy’s title. If the Deputy is...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I agree with Deputy Fleming that there should be transparency about the number of determinations made under the delayed publication provisions as set out in section 14. I have ensured that transparency does apply in the Bill by including a requirement in section 25 that information relating to any determination made under section 14, or enforced during any year, be included in the annual...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: No, it is in section 25 on page 21, “2 (a) any determinations under section 14 made or in force in that year,”. Section (1) states: The Commission shall prepare an annual report relating to the operation of this Act and shall cause a copy of it to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas no later than 30 June in the year following that to which it relates.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Section 14 relates to the publication.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I do, but positive and negative determinations are captured by the section and both will be referenced.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Many of the other grouped amendments are technical to ensure consistency throughout the Bill. Amendments Nos. 59, 60, 69, 71, 73, 74, 77, 78, 79, 82, 83, 85 and 86 all have the effect of describing the commission in the singular throughout the Bill, “commission” as opposed to “commissions”. The amendments delete “they” and substitute...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 3: In page 6, line 1, to delete “5 years” and substitute “3 years”.I will speak on amendments Nos. 3 and 4 first. The published Bill provides a periodic review of this legislation. The first review of the operation of the Act will be one year of operation subsequent to commencement. There was some debate about this on Second Stage. I am...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 4: In page 6, line 3, to delete “5 years” and substitute “3 years”.