Results 21-40 of 9,919 for speaker:Jack Chambers

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (15 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department has taken a proactive and coordinated approach to supporting the responsible and effective adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the Public Service. In May 2025, the Department published the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Service, which provide a practical framework to assist Public Service Bodies in designing, developing...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (15 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125 and 126 together. Budget 2026 takes a whole of budget approach, considering the totality of expenditure, where this funding is being invested and what is being delivered for our growing population. This year a different approach to the Estimates process was undertaken which placed a greater emphasis on reform, efficiency and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Artificial Intelligence (15 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department does not currently use agentic AI in the delivery of its services or operations. However, we do believe that there may be opportunities to explore the value of it, especially in the delivery of our Life Events programme.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (15 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: Responsibility for the development and operation of the national electricity grid rests with EirGrid, as Transmission System Operator, and ESB Networks, as Distribution System Operator. Both entities are overseen by the independent regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). The CRU approve price reviews on a five yearly basis. These set out the operating and investment...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Policies (14 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department plays a key role in developing budgetary parameters and monitoring overall expenditure in line with the objectives of the Government and agreed fiscal policy. My Department is responsible for the sound management of public expenditure within the overall allocation agreed by Government. Each decision in relation to expenditure, recruitment and pay policy is taken not in isolation...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (14 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department published the Medium Term Expenditure Framework in September 2025. This included an analysis of temporary expenditure. This expenditure provided flexibility to respond to external shocks while protecting day-to-day investment in public services. Non-core expenditure was €4.6 billion in 2023 and €4.3 billion in 2024. Separately in 2023 and 2024, €2.9 billion...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (14 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: I propose to take Questions Nos. 374, 377, 378, 379 and 381 together. I would like to thank the Deputy for his questions. As the Deputy is aware, it is the legal responsibility of Departments to ensure that they comply with all public procurement requirements. The annual sanction from myself, as the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (14 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: I propose to take Questions Nos. 375 and 380 together. My Department has made available on the Open Data Portal, a dataset of Public Procurement information from the eTenders platform, covering the period 01/01/2013 to 30/09/2025. . The dataset provides comprehensive information on public sector procurement activities in Ireland. This dataset includes detailed records of tender...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (14 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department published Circular 05/2023 () on 28 March 2023. The circular was published alongside a dedicated information page www.gov.ie/en/office-of-government-procurement/publications/ new-circular-to-assist-smes-in-public-procurement/, which included an informational video and an FAQ . Upon publication of the circular, communications were issued to all Accounting Officers and the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (14 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: In line with Circular 05/2023 (Initiatives to assist SMEs in Public Procurement), contracting authorities are required to publish contract award information for all procurements over €25,000 (exclusive of VAT), including any contract awarded under a Framework Agreement, on the eTenders website on completion of the award whether the procurement was advertised on eTenders or not. For...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Circulars (14 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. Public Body Compliance with Circular 05/2023 requirement to publish contract award notices for contracts above €25,000 How this requirement is met State Laboratory Yes Since 2024, all procurement contracts over €25,000 are completed on an electronic...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Reports (14 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: I wish to advise the Deputy that a deferred reply will be issued to him in respect of this Parliamentary Question, in line with Standing Order 52(1)(b).

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (14 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: I wish to advise the Deputy that a deferred reply will be issued to him in respect of this Parliamentary Question, in line with Standing Order 51(1)(b).

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (14 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department’s work on green budgeting initiatives seeks to better embed climate and environmental information within the budgetary process with a view to informing the policy choices and budgetary decisions Government makes, intending to improve outcomes. The main outputs of this work are published annually with the Revised Estimates Volume (REV), in December of each year. As...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (9 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department published the Medium Term Expenditure Framework in September 2025. This included an analysis of temporary expenditure. This expenditure provided flexibility to respond to external shocks while protecting day-to-day investment in public services. Non-core expenditure reduced from €15.4 billion in 2020, following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, to €4.3 billion in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2025 (9 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: Budget 2025 set out planned expenditure of €105.4 billion for 2025. Earlier this year, Government agreed to increase the ceiling by €0.9 billion to facilitate additional capital funding for the key areas of Housing and Education. This brought the Government Expenditure Ceiling for 2025 to €106.4 billion. The Summer Economic Statement in July 2025 set out a revised...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2026 (9 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: In Budget 2026, as per Sections 27, 28 & 29 of the Finance Act 2020, the carbon tax increased by €7.50 per tonne, as part of a schedule of increases to €100 per tonne in 2030. These increases are phased, with auto fuel changes being introduced annually in October, and changes for all other fuels the following May to allow for a lower rate on home heating fuels during the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (9 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: I wish to advise the Deputy that a deferred reply will be issued to him in respect of this Parliamentary Question, in line with Standing Order 52(1)(b).

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Equipment (9 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department’s policy is that Departmental official data must be stored centrally in appropriate record management systems. My Department has 24/7/365 support in place and users must promptly notify the Department if a device is lost or stolen whereby the device in question is remotely wiped and connectivity removed. As can been seen from the table below the number of official...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (9 Oct 2025)

Jack Chambers: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not had any software or IT systems deemed unfit for purpose. This is also the position in respect of the State Laboratory, Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery, Public Appointments Service and Office of Public Works. Information in respect of the Office of the Ombudsman and the National Shared Services Office is set out in the...