Results 3,601-3,620 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: I indicated in my written reply of 19 January last that of the 560.78 whole-time equivalent staff at my Department at the end of 2009, there were 57 officers who held degrees in economics and related disciplines, 44 who hold a master's-graduate qualification in economics and related disciplines, and two who hold a PhD. Specifically in the banking area, the Department retained two banking...
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: I do not accept a suggestion that the performance of my Department is underwhelming. I want to put on the record of the House my acknowledgement of the long hours spent by many senior officers of my Department in tackling the problems. Deputy Burton has been given many opportunities to brief herself by my officials on various aspects of our economic problems. As she will be aware, I am not...
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: This is a charge against civil servants in the House and I am entitled to deal with it.
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: I can get that data for Deputy Burton.
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: First, I must get the information sought by the Deputies. Qualification is an ongoing process in any Department, although I would have doubts about the capacity of the senior persons in the Department of Finance to undergo further qualification and study at present given the volume of business that they must transact. There is ongoing education and training in any Department, and especially...
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: There has been a great deal of public service reform in the past year and a half, and very difficult decisions had to be taken by the Government on the core issue of remuneration in the public service.
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: It was a fundamental and difficult change. Indeed, it is the change that has excited international approval because it is seen as a Government clearly in command. That is the most important message that Ireland must send out at present. We are holding an inquiry into banking, and no doubt we will have an inquiry into other matters. The scope of that inquiry will give ample time to look...
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009 made provision for a reduction in the salaries of public servants with effect from 1 January 2010. Under section 6 of the Act, I varied the application of the pay reductions for the assistant secretary and deputy secretary grades in the Civil Service, and related public service grades, to take account of the reduction...
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: The error in what Deputy Bruton suggests this afternoon is that there has been no change in pension entitlements. Pensions are linked to the previous rates. There has been no change in the basis of the calculation of pension and, therefore, no question of discrimination can arise. Everyone, for pension purposes, has been treated in the same way as they were treated before the budget, and...
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: That is the position and, therefore, there is no question of a discrimination having arisen.
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: I welcome Deputy Bruton's interruption. However, no final decision has been taken on how the pension issue will be addressed and, therefore, it is incorrect to suggest that there is any discriminatory effect at this stage.
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: We dealt with this matter on the last Question Time. Today's question relates to pension provisions. I do not believe there is any profit in going over the same ground again; suffice to say that the former bonus arrangement was treated as remuneration for the purposes of a particular grade that was benchmarked. If the bonus were withdrawn from this grade, it would have had a greater...
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: I do not accept that.
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: No I did not. What I indicated today was that we have a period to devise an appropriate solution until the end of the year and that no solution has yet been agreed or decided upon by the Government. As regards Deputies Morgan and Burton, I understand many people are unemployed as a result of the economic recession. I also understand many people's incomes have come under pressure, not just...
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: No, as I indicated the period was necessary to, first, prevent a disorderly withdrawal from the public services and, second, to afford a period for reflection on how we devise pension strategy and payments for these grades.
- Business of Dáil: Motion (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: I may be able to assist the House.
- Business of Dáil: Motion (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: I may be able to assist the House in this matter. I am anxious to have a discussion on it on the floor of the House because there are certain matters that should be put on the record before I assist the House. First, I welcome the fact Deputy Stagg indicated - I take it he was speaking for his party in this regard - that it was an inadvertent mistake on my part that I did not say "Ã" at the...
- Business of Dáil: Motion (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: One can argue that, although I do not want to go into a procedural argument about this and want to assist the House. It is an interesting procedural labyrinth we could spend hours exploring when we should be exploring the Finance Bill. With regard to the amendment itself, I have used the time available to have a further consideration of this amendment undertaken at my Department. The...
- Business of Dáil: Motion (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: I fear to tread where others have gone. Of course I do not wish to press that motion. I do not know if there is a procedural capacity in the House to agree the period of three months at this stage. That is the only issue. There may not be and in that case we will go to the Seanad and then back to the House.
- Business of Dáil: Motion (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Lenihan Jnr: That is not what I am trying to avoid.