Results 7,621-7,640 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Fees (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputies' question the following table outlines the amount my Department has received in fees from Freedom of Information requests in 2014 and in 2015: - 2014 2015 € € Standard Fees 840.00 - Search & Retrieval Fees 659.91 123.16 Appeals 180.00 - Total 1,679.51 123.16

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Staff (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: There are two Special Advisers working in the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform - Ms. Anne Byrne and Mr. Ronan O'Brien whose salaries in 2015 are €84,706 and €106,880 respectively. In addition, I have three Constituency Office staff, two of whom are paid directly by my Department. The salaries of those two individuals in 2015 are €54,490 and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Process RIA (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question my Department has published twenty-five Bills since I was appointed Minister with six Bills requiring a Regulatory Impact Assessment. The following is a list of the seven Regulatory Impact Assessments carried out: Name of Act/Bill - Statute Law Revision Bill 2012 RIA published by the Attorney General Protected Disclosures Bill 2013 RIA published...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The estimates for 2016 for gross Exchequer Public Service pay and pensions are €15.4 billion and €2.9 billion respectively, as set out in the Revised Estimates Volume 2016, due to be published shortly. This volume also will show estimates of €15.2 billion for pay, and €2.9 billion of pensions, for 2015. In respect of 2014, the outturns were €14.7 billion for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Levy (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: It is estimated that ceasing the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR) from 1 January 2016 would cost in the region of €135 million in 2016; this is by comparison with the estimated PSPR yield in 2015. A part-restoration of the PSPR imposition on pensions, in three stages over the period 2016 to 2018, is provided for under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation Office (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Commissioner of Valuation is responsible under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 for the valuation of commercial property for the purposes of the calculation, by local authorities, of commercial rates. The legislation gives me as Minister no role in the valuation of property. Previously, under the Valuation Act 2001, a Community Sports Club that held a licence under the Registration of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Expenditure (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Under the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act 2003, responsibility for the expenditure and staffing of the Houses of the Oireachtas transferred to that Office from the Minister. The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Service therefore has agreed to send the information requested directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The total cost of setting up my Department is not easily identifiable and would necessitate a full-scale survey of  Departmental costs in 2011 to identify any expenditure which might not have already been encompassed by Department of Finance allocations.  It  would take a disproportionate amount of time to identify, retrieve and collate...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware the Government introduced new arrangements to the appointment of State Board members in 2011.  Under the new arrangements departments now invite expressions of interest from the public on their websites for vacancies on the boards of bodies under their aegis.  It is open to all members of the public regardless of gender, political affiliations or geographical...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question I can confirm that the two chairpersons of State Boards under the aegis of my Department, both of whom were originally appointed before I took Office, have not appeared before their relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commencement of Legislation (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question, the following table outlines a list of Acts currently in force for I have lead responsibility that have parts or sections yet to be formally commence: Title of Act Sections yet to be formally commenced Purpose Expected Commencement Date Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2015 Section 11 To introduce pay scales for the judiciary. 2016

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Living Wage (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the table below provides the annual cost of introducing a living wage minimal threshold gross salary of €11.50 for all employees in my Department, and those under my remit, are as follows: Organisation Annual Cost Department of Public Expenditure and Reform €685,539 Valuation Office €11,897 Institute of Public Administration As...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Directives (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: There was no cost over and above a proportion of the salary costs of the officials involved in the transposition of Directive 2004/18/EC via Statutory Instrument (S.I. No. 329 of 2006) during the period 2004 to 2006. At that time an experienced Assistant Principal was primarily involved in the transposition process along with support staff under the supervision of a Principal Officer. The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (17 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The inclusion of social considerations in public procurement contracts encourage suppliers to perform actions focussed on broader policy considerations. They can be used in public procurement in cases where they are targeted at factoring into the procurement process consideration of social issues such as employment opportunities, equal opportunities and social inclusion.  In order to be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Redeployment (16 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware there are currently no formal arrangements for the transfer of staff between the different sectors of the public service. While, for example, expressions of interest did allow for some movement between sectors such moves were, in the main, designed to address specific skills shortages. About 12,000 civil and public servants have...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commercial Rates Exemptions (16 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform am not empowered by any provision in the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 to request the Commissioner of Valuation to re-assess the valuation of any property for rating purposes. The Commissioner is independent in the exercise of his duties under the Valuation Acts and the making of valuations for rating purposes is his sole prerogative as provided...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sale of State Assets (15 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Report of the Review Group on State Assets and Liabilities, published by my Department in April 2011, listed the Irish State companies that had been sold since 1991.  The only company in that list in which shares were sold in the past 10 years was Aer Lingus (2006). In relation to the Commercial State sector, which comprises the companies for which I am...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sale of State Assets (15 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware, State-owned companies are used for a variety of reasons including, for example, not for profit companies established to achieve certain policy objectives or implement certain government policies via a separate and distinct implementation body, with its own appropriate corporate governance framework.  At the other end of the scale, the State also...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Remuneration (15 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 191 together. The nearest data currently available within the Department to that sought by the Deputy are based on the estimated breakdown of public service employee numbers on a whole time equivalent basis by mid-point of salary range up to €112,500 at end September 2014. Numbers of public servants have since increased on foot of Government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Appointments (15 Dec 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Notwithstanding any practice that may apply in the case of an individual board and of which, in the absence of further details from the Deputy, I am currently unaware, I can assure him that the Government has no policy of age restrictions in regard to service on State boards. Under the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards that I issued in November 2014, detailed specifications...