Results 8,901-8,920 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Public Sector Allowances Payments (4 Mar 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Rent Allowance was discontinued for all new beneficiaries from 31 January 2012 and there are no plans to reinstate this allowance.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (3 Mar 2015)

Brendan Howlin: PeoplePoint is the HR and Pensions Administration Shared Service for the Civil Service. It was established in March 2013 and currently provides services to employees across 21 Civil Service organisations. Once all remaining in-scope organisations transition, PeoplePoint will provide services across 38 organisations. PeoplePoint began calculating retirement benefits and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (3 Mar 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I launched the Civil Service Renewal Plan along with the Taoiseach on 30 October last.  The Plan outlines 25 practical actions that will create a more unified, professional, responsive, open and accountable Civil Service that can provide a world-class service to the State and to the people of Ireland.  Work has commenced on the implementation of the Plan which is being overseen by...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Recruitment (3 Mar 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Positions for the Category Specialist Higher Open competition, which was run by the Public Appointments Service are location specific and are awarded by order of merit. I understand that the individual concerned has been in contact with the HR Unit in my Department and any further queries in relation to this matter should be followed up by the individual with them accordingly.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Remit (3 Mar 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Section 1(3)(b) of the FOI Act 2014 provides that in respect of a body that was not subject to FOI under the 1997 Act but is subject to FOI under the new Act, the Act will come into operation 6 months following enactment or on such later date, not later than 12 months from enactment, as the Minister may by order appoint.  The FOI Bill was enacted on 14 October 2014.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (3 Mar 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Under the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme, which came into effect for the generality of the Public Service on 31st March 2014 and for the Education Sector on 1 September 2014, public servants have access to the following paid sick leave: - a maximum of 92 days (3 months) on full pay in a rolling one year period; - followed by a maximum of 91 days (3 months) on...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Legal Costs (3 Mar 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question I can confirm that my Department availed of the services of Arthur Cox Solicitors amounting to €14,203.55 in 2011, £4,800.00 in 2012 and €6,150.00 in 2013. There were no payments made to this firm in 2014 and all contracts were closed in the same year the services were provided. Similarly, my Department availed of the services of McCann...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Climate Change Policy (3 Mar 2015)

Brendan Howlin: At the outset I would like to clarify for the Deputy that the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government is the lead Department on climate policy.  The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government advise that Ireland is on course to comply with the annual mitigation (emissions reduction) targets under the 2009 EU...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sale of Aer Lingus (3 Mar 2015)

Brendan Howlin: One key consideration in any decision about the use of the proceeds from the sale of State assets is the potential impact on the General Government Balance, which is calculated in accordance with Eurostat rules on General Government accounting. Under these rules, cash received by the Exchequer from the sale of State assets is classified as either a financial transaction or a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: By-election Issues (26 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: There have been six bye-elections to the current Dáil which are listed in the table below together with the estimated costs, where available. Three of the bye-elections were held on the same day as another election event in that constituency and, therefore, the bye-election costs reflect savings from a sharing of people and facilities. There were also savings in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Advisers Remuneration (26 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I can confirm that there have been no severance packages received by any special advisers in my Department since January 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation Office (26 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the exercise of his duties under the Valuation Act, 2001 and the carrying out of valuations for rating purposes is his sole prerogative. The Act does not accord me as Minister any function in this regard.  There are two provisions in the legislation governing the assessment of valuations which result in the issue of valuation...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ombudsman's Remit (26 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, the Ombudsman (Amendment) Act 2012 extends the Ombudsman's remit to all public bodies which conform to the definition of public bodies as set out in Part 1 of the First Schedule to the Act, except for those which are specifically exempt in whole or in part.  The administrative actions of some 180 additional...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (25 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I assume that the Deputy's question relates to an application for revision of a valuation which has been made to the Commissioner of Valuation. Such applications are considered under Part 6 of the Valuation Act 2001 and a "material change of circumstances" must have occurred since the property was last valued. Each application for revision is considered by a "revision officer"...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts Social Clauses (25 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Social clauses in 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 compatible with EU law, they must be made...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of the Ombudsman Remit (25 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Ombudsman Act 2012 represented the most substantial extension in both the powers of the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman's remit in over three decades significantly enhancing the accountability of public bodies to citizens.  The administrative actions of some 180 additional public bodies were brought within the Ombudsman's remit under the Act.  In line with the commitment in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (25 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Recruitment to the Civil Service is regulated by the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004. The Act established the Public Appointments Service (PAS) as the centralised recruitment body for the Civil and Public Service. The Act also established the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) as the regulator of civil service recruitment. The CPSA publishes...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pensions Levy (25 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply of 11 February 2015 to Parliamentary Question Number 5603.  The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Revised Estimates Publication (25 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Revised Estimates Volume (REV) is an annual publication that sets out very detailed information in relation to the expenditure allocations that are voted upon by the Dáil.  It contains financial information on voted expenditure across all Government Departments. As part of the reforms we have introduced, the REV also now contains information about the performance...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Remit (24 Feb 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Freedom of Information Act 2014 came into effect on 14 October 2014.  In line with the Programme for Government, the Act provides for the extension of FOI to An Garda Síochána for its administrative records relating to human resources, or finance or procurement matters, subject to security exemptions. In accordance with Section 1(3)(b) of the FOI Act 2014, in the case...