Results 2,701-2,720 of 11,861 for speaker:Brian Hayes

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: Read the Constitution.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: We reduced VAT from 13% to 9%.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: Ambition is my middle name.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I am pleased to have the opportunity of introducing the Second Stage reading by Seanad Éireann of the Valuation (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2012. As Senators will be aware, the proposed amendments are designed to accelerate the national programme of revaluation of all commercial and industrial properties across the State, to minimise exemptions from rateability and to deal with difficulties...

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: In July, the Government made an agreement which is now published in circular form. It states that these contracts must be used or else a reason must be given as to why they are not being used. If a better price can be achieved, then I am very interested to hear that.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I am using this opportunity and I can follow it up. These decisions are not made centrally by our procurement officers; local government makes the decisions, by and large. As the Minister said, we have too many people in procurement locally making these decisions.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I will take the Chairman's question on print managed contracts first. It was interesting that the Chairman approached the issue from the perspective of the local business but not from the perspective of the public purse. It seems that if we are to make the savings on procurement, we must become a good deal more strategic and ensure we implement what we claim we will implement. The Chairman...

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I am making the case to the Chairman that we need the committee's support on this matter.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: The Chairman misunderstands it.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: The interpretation-----

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I apologise.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: Once the Chairman moans and groans with the facts, that is what it is all about. The circular refers to turnover but turnover is proportionate. In other words it should never be used as a reason not to grant a contract. That may occur because a local procurement officer does not know his or her business and is misinterpreting the circular in such a way.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: The Irish businesses on the framework which have won the contract and which will deliver this service at knock-down rates to the local government sector throughout the country are with it. They have shown that they can do this. Stationery is another example. A deal was won by an Irish business which is now securing costs in the local government sector that it thought unimaginable. If we...

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: We have too many managers involved in transactional aspects of human resources. In Clonskeagh we will move to an open plan office where all the human resource transactions will be dealt with in the same way as in Hewlett-Packard or any other organisation. That is the difference it will make. Deputy Fleming spoke about property, a matter he has raised this with me in the past. We have had...

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: It will have a new chief procurement officer to ensure that the savings are implemented.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: If they can get a better price, can they use it? Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: It is people with new titles.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I will.

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I welcome the opportunity to appear before the committee and recognise its importance in our work. To put it bluntly, the key task of the Government is economic survival. That means getting the country to a better position over a period of years in order that we can get the economy growing again. When both parties were elected to office, the mandate given to them was not just to clear up...

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: Yes. By the time our plans are fully implemented that number will be down to approximately 640. Bringing all of the HR personnel together will yield savings of 26%; therefore, we will have reduced by one quarter the total amount of money we are spending on HR services in the public sector. It will allow us to move HR personnel to do other things because of the arrangements in place under...