Results 701-720 of 9,563 for speaker:Jack Chambers

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ethics in Public Office (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: As the Deputy notes in the question, during the last Government my Department carried out a wide-ranging review of the legislative framework for ethics in public life and published a report on its findings in February 2023. Our recently agreed Programme for Government commits under the political reform chapter to “update the Ethics in Public Office legislation”. I will be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Weather Events (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is administered by the Community Welfare Services section of the Department of Social Protection. It was activated on the 23rd January 2025 to assist householders affected across the country by Storm Éowyn. The purpose of the scheme is to provide financial support to people whose homes are damaged and who are not able to meet costs for essential...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Data Centres (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Shared Government Data Centre is a digital infrastructure initiative under the Government’s Public Service ICT Strategy to provide required critical state infrastructure. The Data Centre will deliver high-quality energy efficient Data Centre facilities for Public Service Bodies, which are fit for purpose and are capable of meeting the Government's technology and energy saving...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Programme for Government sets out the clear ambition to prioritise the delivery of transformative, critical and growth-enhancing infrastructure over the next 5 years by driving the delivery of projects as early as possible and within budget. A key commitment of the Programme for Government is to prioritise an early review of the National Development Plan, which will be completed in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: In Ireland unemployment is low and labour market conditions have tightened as a result of our economic growth in recent years. Labour and skills gaps present challenges for employers across the labour market, including the civil and public service. Despite this, staff numbers in the public sector have continued to grow consistently. Between 2015 and September 2024, the estimated numbers...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Emergency Services (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Tetra communications network was designed to provide a reliable and robust emergency network for the State's emergency personnel with the widest possible coverage and is delivered by Tetra Ireland. The coverage of Tetra is far in excess of the sum of the commercial mobile networks in Ireland. The network offers push to talk voice services for emergency personnel throughout the state....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Act 2024 established the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund (ICN Fund). The purpose of ICN Fund is to support the economy in times of exceptional need and to support Ireland’s transition to a low carbon economy. A total of €2bn will be invested in the Fund each year from 2024 to 2030 building up to an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Priorities (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department is leading on digitalisation of public services based on redesigning these public services around the needs of users when going through a life event. This is a core component to the Better Public Service Transformation strategy to 2030. A ‘life event’ is a significant event in someone’s life, such as a birth, death or marriage, learning to drive, getting or...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Programme for Government sets out the clear ambition to prioritise the delivery of transformative, critical and growth-enhancing infrastructure over the next 5 years by driving the delivery of projects as early as possible and within budget. A key commitment of the Programme for Government is to prioritise an early review of the National Development Plan, which will be completed in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ethics in Public Office (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: During the last Government my Department carried out a wide-ranging review of the statutory framework for Ethics - which includes the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 - and our recently agreed Programme for Government commits under the political reform chapter to “update the Ethics in Public Office legislation”. In this context, I will consider the particular technical...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Industrial Disputes (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: My officials have regular ongoing engagement on a wide range of issues with their counterparts in both the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, with whom the responsibility of Section 39 workers rest, and the Department of Health and the HSE who have responsibility for health sector workforce issues. Government recognises the essential work carried out by staff both in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2026 (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The inflationary shock which started in 2022 was the most significant episode of inflation experienced in Ireland since the mid-1980s. Aware of the challenges that inflation poses for households and businesses, Government provided a series of temporary and permanent cost of living packages. The purpose of the supports was to ameliorate exceptionally high energy bills as a result of market...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Priorities (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department has developed and continues to enhance the administrative accountability of the State in regard to the responsibility and accountability of public officials at senior levels. High standards of administrative accountability are fundamental to good governance and vital to ensuring trust in public administration with a range of legislation and instruments to ensure a high degree...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: A comprehensive review of the FOI regime has been undertaken and is nearing completion. The review was undertaken in the context of a system that appears to be operating well on its own terms. Since the introduction of the updated legislation in 2014, there has been a large expansion in FOI usage. The number of organisations covered by the legislation was significantly increased and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: Given the nature of its role, my Department does not procure helicopter or air services for its own use. However, the Office of Government Procurement, which is a division of my Department, does assist other public bodies in their procurements, which at times may include such services. Suppliers should monitor the national tendering platform eTenders for all available tenders. A supplier...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: My Department has responsibility for developing and monitoring overall expenditure policy in line with Government objectives and agreed fiscal strategy. This is done through a number of means across the year, including at regular monthly and quarterly intervals. Every month spending figures are published in the Fiscal Monitor. This is published by the Department of Finance and can be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (13 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Programme for Government has emphasised the delivery of essential infrastructure as a key driver in attracting and retaining investment in Ireland, growing our economy, fostering regional development, delivering on our housing targets and achieving our ambitious climate goals. A key commitment of the Programme for Government is to prioritise an early review of the National Development...

Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I will come back on some of the points raised. First, relating to the section, it is obviously being opposed. As I said previously, the purpose of the Bill is to allow for the appointment of 23 Ministers of State. The importance of Ministers of State is not something new. It was already acknowledged in 1924 with the Ministers and Secretaries Act that first provided for the appointment by...

Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (12 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I thank the Deputies for their contributions and reiterate our intention to ensure the work of the new Ministers of State achieves the whole-of-government approach we are trying to implement and which is reflected in the programme for Government. This will be achieved by many of the Ministers of State presiding over cross-departmental structures and teams, as in the case of the fisheries and...

Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (12 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The purpose of this Bill is to give effect to the decision by the Government to increase the maximum number of Ministers of State from 20 to 23. As the House will be aware, the number has remained unchanged for the last 18 years, since 2007, when Minister of State numbers increased from 17 to 20. The Bill will also allow for the...