Results 8,381-8,400 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Is the Deputy a social democrat now in his latest reincarnation? On my way from Wexford I have seen posters about retaining a swimming pool. The Garda station was his campaign last year. The Deputy opposes every expenditure reduction, so I am interested as to whether he is academically interested in reducing spending or if it is an actual interest. In each of the past four and half...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy does not need a Minister at all as he answers his own questions.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: There is really no point in being here at all. The Deputy is either completely deaf or he has decided that he does not like the answer he has heard. He has put words into my mouth that I certainly did not say. If he listened to what I said, he would know that I welcome the creation and advice of the IFAC. We do not necessarily accept all advice that we get. The Deputy is quite absolutely...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Lansdowne Road Agreement (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: When all the senior negotiators for every trade union in the public service have been in the same building, often on the same floor and in the same rooms, as the senior negotiators for each line Department for a protracted period of time - as the Deputy will know there is a good deal of waiting time in all these negotiations - bilateral discussions can take place on issues that are not part...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Lansdowne Road Agreement (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I do not think any line Minister has any difficulty in explaining what was agreed by their negotiators during the process. I want to make it clear that it is not part of the overall agreement and it is not part of what has been balloted upon. I will raise that with colleagues if people want to raise it with line Ministers. In regard to the outsourcing question, we have a procurement...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Lansdowne Road Agreement (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As part of the measures required to repair the Government finances and meet our international commitments to reach a GDP deficit target of 3% or below this year, it was necessary for the Government to secure agreement with unions and associations representing public servants for the introduction of significant productivity measures and also additional pay cuts for public servants earning over...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Lansdowne Road Agreement (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: No. On the contrary, the Deputy is fundamentally wrong. The whole focus of Lansdowne Road agreement was to concentrate pay restoration initially on the lowest paid. If one considers what has happened with the unions, that is the reason the recommendations for acceptance have come largely from the lower paid. The ones that are resisting, such as the Association of Higher Civil and public...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Lansdowne Road Agreement (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The context of the discussions that I initiated with the trade unions and associations representing public servants across the public service was the need to plan and provide for a measured unwinding of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts. My aims were also to secure the continuation of the productivity measures introduced under the Haddington Road agreement, honour...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2016 (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The fiscal adjustments implemented in order to successfully return sustainability to the public finances required the introduction of significant policy measures. Gross voted expenditure was reduced from its peak of just over €63 billion in 2009 to €54 billion in 2014. Budget 2015 marked a turning point in our recovery when expenditure reductions were no longer required to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Fuel card services are a mechanism by which organisations can leverage their buying power while also reducing their administrative costs and improving visibility and control on fleet costs.  Drivers typically use the fuel card to buy fuel, oil and vehicle washing services through a network of filling stations, with detailed information on vehicle registration number, odometer...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: At a time when our economy is in recovery, investment for equitable and sustainable economic growth is vital. For this reason, the capital allocations published in Budget 2015 included increased investment for social housing in particular, reflecting the Government's prioritisation of investment in this area.  They also provided for continued investment in Education, to meet demographic...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Take home pay is subject to variable tax impacts depending on individual circumstances while future tax impacts are subject to budgetary and expenditure decisions by Government which have yet to arise or be considered by Government. Any changes in income tax provisions apply across the economy irrespective of whether a worker is employed in the public or...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware, new multi-annual ministerial expenditure ceilings (both capital and current) for the years 2015 to 2017 were published in the Comprehensive Expenditure Report on Budget Day 2015.  This Budget marked a move away from cuts to overall spending and allowed for some targeted increases in both capital and current expenditure.  On...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: At the outset, I wish to make clear that neither persons in civil partnerships or those who will enter into same sex marriages in the future are discriminated under any aspect of the public service pension schemes. This view has been upheld in a recent Equality Tribunal hearing on this very subject in relation to a civil partnership. The public service operates a Spouses' and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The increasing complexity of the Public Service delivery means that new skills and ways of working are needed for the delivery of effective and efficient services to all citizens of the State. Workforce Planning plays a key role in identifying human resource trends and forecasting workforce gaps in the medium term across the Public Service.  The specific tools used for Workforce...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Bodies Mergers (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The purpose of the Government's Agency Rationalisation programme which was initiated in 2011 was to reduce the overall number of State agencies and to make efficiency savings, as part of the wider Public Service reform agenda. As for the final geographic location of the bodies affected by the Rationalisation programme, that was and remains a matter for the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Civil Service Management Board (CSMB) composed of Secretaries-General of Government Departments and Heads of Civil Service Offices has been assigned a central role under the Civil Service Renewal Plan for reforming performance management in the civil service and for strengthening the Performance Management and Development System (PMDS).  The Deputy may wish to note that...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Public Service Reform is a key element of the Government's overall strategy for recovery.  Led by my Department, the reforms delivered over the past four years have enabled us to maintain and improve public services in the face of the necessary reduction in staff numbers and budgets, at a time of increased demand for public services. The Government's second Public Service...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The reform of the public procurement infrastructure is a key element of the reform programme for the public service.  Such reform enables public service organisations deliver much needed services within the tighter budgets that they must now operate. However, I would point out that reforms in this area are being carried out in a manner that recognises the importance of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (2 Jul 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The reform of the procurement system across the public service is a key element of the reform programme for the public service.  The fragmented procurement arrangements across the public service have enabled suppliers to charge different public service bodies different prices for the same goods and services. Public Procurement savings are necessary to enable public service organisations...