Results 8,581-8,600 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

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

Brendan Howlin: In my previous reply in relation to this matter I advised the Deputy that the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is committed to an equal opportunities policy. In accordance with the Employment Equality Acts (1998 to 2011) PAS aims to ensure that all applicants are treated equally. A key element of PAS's ongoing commitment to equality is the monitoring...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Exchequer Deficit (19 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The table below shows net voted expenditure and the Exchequer deficit for the period January to April 2011 and for the period January to April 2015. This information was published in the end April 2011 and end April 2015 Exchequer returns. Expenditure and deficit position: January to April 2011 compared with January to April 2015 JanApril 2011€m JanApril 2015 €m Change...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (19 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 150 together. The Government acknowledges the significant role that SMEs play in the Irish economy and is committed to ensuring that SMEs are fully engaged with public sector procurement and the opportunities presenting.  The French system of dividing up tenders to provide small and medium enterprise a better chance of being successful when...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Haddington Road Agreement Review (19 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 155 together. The Haddington Road Agreement provided for savings arising from the implementation of various measures, including overtime rate changes and increment deferrals. Both of these  measures are currently being implemented across the public service at Departmental and Agency level within the reduced pay allocations provided in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (19 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Family Income Supplement (FIS) is a weekly tax-free payment to employees with children, paid directly by the Department of Social Protection to the employee subject to qualification criteria based not only on salary, but also on the personal circumstances of the claimant, in particular family size. Qualification for payment is a matter directly between the employee concerned and the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Minimum Wage (19 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Low Pay Commission was officially launched on 26 February 2015.  This independent body is now beginning its work on advising the Government on the appropriate rate of the National Minimum Wage. It is expected to submit its first report to Government by the middle of July and the  Commission will examine the rate of the minimum wage on an annual basis from now on. The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pensions Levy (19 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Based on estimates of current PRD yield the data sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Increase in PRD Threshold Estimated Cost €17,500 €20m €20,000 €40m €22,500 €118m €25,000 €196m €27,000 €257m

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Levy (19 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: A number of measures have been introduced in recent years which impact on public service pensions in payment.  The Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR), commencing 1 January 2011, imposed reductions on annual public service pensions in payment in excess of €12,000, using a progressively tiered set of bands and rates with a top rate of 12% on any public service pension amount...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Legal Costs (19 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question there has been no expenditure on legal fees in my Department appealing decisions taken by the High Court.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Authority Rates (14 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Valuation Office is currently undertaking a national programme of revaluing, for rates purposes, all industrial and commercial properties in the State on a rating authority area basis. The purpose of revaluation is to bring more equity, fairness and transparency into the local authority rating system and to distribute the commercial rates liability more equitably between ratepayers....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Consultancy Contracts Data (14 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following table outlines the total amount of expenditure on consultancy in my Department since it was established in July 2011. Year Company Amount 2011 Deloitte €65,915 Accenture €80,465 Total €146,380 2012 Davy Corporate Finance €285,051 Accenture €30,750 Deloitte €87,330 IVI €30,750 ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (14 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has no role in relation to the management of the sluices at Athlone Weir. I understand that this is a matter for Waterways Ireland and the ESB.  Waterways Ireland is responsible for navigation on the inland waterways system. On the Shannon Navigation and the southern portion of the Shannon-Erne Waterway, Waterways Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (14 May 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...

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (12 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: No, we will get the full amount we have listed, but the Deputy asked me a specific question regarding where the money is now - like a Father Ted question "Is it lodging in your account?" Pending payments of further dividends to the State, Ervia has used part of the remaining proceeds to reduce its debt balances and to restructure its current debt facilities, resulting in cheaper finance...

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I will not read a prepared reply to this question because we have already covered the ground in a number of other questions. The Haddington Road process was my first direct exposure to the structure of this type of broad-ranging, general public sector talks. These talks are, of necessity, complicated, because we have approximately 290,000 public sector workers, somewhat less than the 300,000...

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In terms of productivity generally, my Department was set up with two objectives. First, it had a public expenditure role, to work towards a deficit of less than 3% of GDP and this has been the overarching fiscal imperative of the Government for the past four years. Now that we have reached that, we have set a new horizon, in accordance with the fiscal rules voted upon by the Irish people,...

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: He is the co-founder of a political party.

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: He is not a private citizen.

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (12 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Under EUROSTAT rules, the amount of any dividends received from a State company, including proceeds from asset disposals, which can improve the general government balance, GGB, is limited by reference to the income of the relevant company in the previous year.  In order to comply with the fiscal rules of the Stability and Growth Pact, the scope for...

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I have answered a few questions like this one and do not want to repeat the entire preamble. My intention is to open discussions today with the public sector and that has happened. We understand the economic circumstances in which we are discussing these matters. In an article I had published today I stated we did not have a greenfield site. We cannot undo all of the cuts; that would take...