Results 7,801-7,820 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy understands basic economics.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy said he followed the argument on non-recurring costs, but he then went back to the figure of €24 million, the argument about which he says he understands. We have protected class sizes. We did not worsen pupil-teacher ratios in any of the budgets we introduced. Even in the teeth of the crisis we protected them and have now improved them. With the very first easement of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: We have set out a further investment of €2.8 billion to ensure schools of the highest calibre will be available. Of course, we also have an IT programme to ensure every school has high quality broadband.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fiscal Policy (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The major progress achieved in securing fiscal stability means that from the beginning of next year Ireland will exit the corrective arm of the Stability and Growth Pact and become subject, as the Deputy knows, to its preventive arm. The core of this fiscal rule is the medium-term objective to achieve a balanced budget in structural terms, whereby allowances are made for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: On foot of decisions taken by this Government, serving Ministers, as I indicated clearly yesterday, will not benefit from any pay restoration as set out in the FEMPI Bill 2015.  Former Ministers will benefit only to the extent that all former public servants will benefit in the Government's highly progressive programme of pension restoration. There is no such thing as a bonanza for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy plays the politics of this but she knows full well, because I have said it and her own legal advice will confirm it, that emergency legislation cannot selectively penalise a particular cohort of public service pensioners. It would collapse the Bill constitutionally. The Deputy knows that but that does not stop her playing politics with it. Accordingly, the proposed amelioration...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will peddle the political argument knowing that it is fatally flawed constitutionally and legally, having no regard for the Constitution and the decisions of the courts of the land and having no regard for anything but the narrow political advantage of trotting out names in the hope that this will accrue some support for her party. One cannot select a cohort of public sector...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy does not like to hear it so she shouts down. As we emerge from the crisis, there will be decisions to be made because one day somebody will take a challenge against the FEMPI legislation and we will have to be on robust ground. I will ensure as long as I am in charge of it that we are constitutionally sound on this.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Government Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Consistent with the requirements of the Stability and Growth Pact, SGP, the pace of economic growth and greater than forecasted tax receipts this year have allowed the Government to allocate, on a prudent basis, additional amounts to expenditure in priority areas. The Revised Estimates volume 2015 set out total gross voted expenditure for the year of €53.231 million. This level of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Government Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy, as usual, is completely wrong. The deficit we set for this year was a demanding deficit to reach the target of below 3% of GDP. When we framed the budget for 2015 in October of last year, it provided for a deficit of 2.9%. In the spring, we reduced that to have an even tighter deficit of 2.7%. The actual outturn, including the additional expenditure that I have outlined, will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Government Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: It is interesting to note that the Fianna Fáil official position is against additional expenditure this year, which runs counter to all its Private Members' and special notice questions baloney. They are against any relief or any further expenditure that we have set out such as the winter initiative, ensuring the fair deal is provided within a two-week scenario or ensuring the summer...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy's question highlights the pivotal role played by my Department in supporting the delivery of Government priorities such as securing fiscal stability, sustainable economic growth and social progress. My Department has played a key role in ensuring that Ireland continues to meet its key fiscal targets. As a result of the fiscal policies of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will recognise the success achieved over the term of the present Government in meeting its key fiscal targets each year.  As a result Ireland is on course to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure at the end of 2015 with a forecast General Government Deficit of 2.1% for the year.  In implementing the expenditure reductions required to return...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Staffing levels in the Public Service are increasing, and have been since December 2013. There are more nurses, teachers, gardaí, and special needs assistants now than at any time since the onset of the economic and fiscal crisis. Public service staff numbers have increased by just under 5,000 in the first nine months of 2015 alone, on foot of Budget decisions taken last year, which...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Assessment of the appropriate level of investment in the economy depends on a number of factors, including: - the need to  maintain sustainable rates of growth in the economy;  - securing economic and fiscal stability as a key enabler of the level of private investment in the economy; and - ensuring that the Exchequer component of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In relation to pension schemes for public service employees or for employees in the wider public sector, schemes are in general provided for under legislation relating to the body or sector and subject to the oversight of the relevant line Minister.  The Occupational Pension Schemes (Funding Standard) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 which were signed by the Minister for Social...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As stated in my response to PQ 40614/15, there are important issues relating to differences in the composition of public expenditure in different jurisdictions affected by such factors as, for example, the age profile of the population, the level of defence spending and the mix between public and private provision of particular services that need to be taken into account in seeking...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Expenditure Reviews (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: My Department has introduced a number of significant reforms to ensure that taxpayer money is allocated to the maximum benefit of society.  Public service reform remains at the heart of this Government's agenda to ensure efficiency and improved outcomes for citizens. In this regard, the wide-ranging reforms to the budgetary architecture introduced by this Government support the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Remit (19 Nov 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Programme for Government contained a commitment to extend Freedom of Information (FOI) to the administrative side of An Garda Síochána, subject to security exceptions.  The Government has honoured that commitment by providing that Freedom of Information Act should apply to the force's administrative records relating to human resources, finance and...