Results 8,561-8,580 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Aer Lingus Share Disposal: Motion (Resumed) (27 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: That speaks volumes. I am glad to have this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the sale of the State's remaining shareholding in Aer Lingus. I echo the comments of the Minister for Finance in commending the efforts of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Donohoe, and the Government's steering group in bringing the potential deal to the point where the Government is...

Business of Dáil: Motion (27 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Irish Water.

Business of Dáil: Motion (27 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: This is a speech.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Bodies Data (27 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 to 67, inclusive, together. I refer the Deputy, in the first instance, to a recently published report on the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES), which is available on my Department's website and on the IGEES web site .  This report, which covers the period 2012 to 2014, will provide the Deputy with information on...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ombudsman's Remit (27 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In accordance with the Ombudsman (Amendment) Act 2012, it is my intention to extend, by Ministerial Order, the Ombudsman's remit to private nursing homes whose residents are in receipt of state support or subvention.  By extending the Ombudsman's remit, greater accountability and assurance will be afforded to patients of these nursing homes and to their...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Government Procurement (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 316 and 331 together. The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) was established as key element of the Procurement Reform Programme to drive a more professional and joined up approach to procurement and to achieve better value for money for the taxpayer on goods and services purchased by Public Sector Bodies (PSBs). The OGP's mission is to deliver sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Question No: 18370 of 12 May last. The public service pay discussions between Public Service employers and unions and associations representing Public Service employees including the Civil and Public Services Staff Union are continuing.  

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: European Stability Programmes (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: For 2016, the Spring Economic Statement (SES) has outlined that a budgetary package of €1.2 billion to €1.5 billion will deliver compliance with the Expenditure Benchmark. Based on this package being split evenly between tax and expenditure, we are envisaging an increase in expenditure of between €600 million and €750 million in 2016 which will be used to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Retirements (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Information on the numbers of public servants retiring each year is not held centrally but the information available to my department indicates that the total number of public service pensioners increased by just over 4,500 in 2014. This is a net number; the change to pensioner numbers is increased by the number claiming pension benefits (retiring, preserved pensioners,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Recruitment (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the table provides information on the numbers of staff recruited in my Department and the bodies under my aegis during 2014.  Numbers of staff Department of Public Expenditure and Reform 342 The Valuation Office 9 Institute of Public Administration 4 Public Appointments Service 10 State Laboratory 2 Office of the Ombudsman 15 Special EU...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Redeployment (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the table provides information on the numbers of staff who were seconded from my Department and the bodies under my aegis during 2014. Total numbers of staff seconded during 2014 Number of staff who were seconded abroad Department of Public Expenditure and Reform 12 3 The Valuation Office 1 Institute of Public Administration 2 Public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 324, 327 and 328 together. The reform of the public procurement infrastructure is a key element of the reform programme for the public service. This reform enables public service organisations deliver much needed services within the tighter budgets that they must now operate. The Government acknowledges, however, the significant role that SMEs play in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 325 and 326 together. It is the responsibility of individual contracting authorities to publish tender notices and contract award notices. In 2013, public service and semi-state bodies published 5,826 tender notices. This process is facilitated through the national eProcurement portal . This portal is the Irish Government's public platform for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Semi-State Bodies (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Each commercial semi-State company publishes its annual report and accounts, which include information on the assets and liabilities of the company. In addition, the Finance Accounts published annually by the Minister for Finance includes, under Statement 1.8(A), information on the State's shareholding and the State's net assets in a number of State companies....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Office of the Information Commissioner was established under the Freedom of Information Act 1997 with its continuance provided for under the Freedom of Information Act 2014. The Information Commissioner is independent in the performance of his or her functions.  As the Deputy is aware, section 37 of the FOI Act 1997 empowered the Commissioner to require the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Public Procurement is governed by EU and National rules. The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money. It would be a breach of the EU rules for a public body to favour or discriminate against particular candidates on grounds such as nationality, geographic location or organisational size, and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Travel (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following tables provide details of all the official trips that I and the Minister for State Simon Harris T.D., intend to take between now and the end of the year. Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Mr. Brendan Howlin T.D. Date Details of people the Minister will be meeting Purpose Duration Plans to promote Ireland as a good place for doing...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Statistics (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Budget 2015 marked a welcome point in our fiscal recovery with overall reductions in expenditure no longer required to meet our fiscal targets. Targeted increases were provided in areas of priority - particularly social housing, some welfare supports and Education.  The Government's recent Spring Economic Statement outlined that our estimate of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The nearest data currently available within the Department to that sought by the Deputy is the estimated breakdown of employee numbers on a whole time equivalent basis (based on a whole time equivalent figure of 288,700) by salary range within the public service at end September 2014 and is set out in Table below.  30-Sep-14 Salary Range € Whole Time Equivalent (WTE)* 0...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Minimum Wage (26 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I refer the Deputy to my previous response to PQ Ref No. 19548. The position remains unchanged.