Results 9,181-9,200 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (27 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 and 222 together. There are no centrally imposed requirements for a minimum turnover. The assessment of a tenderer's financial and economic standing is a key part of any procurement process. Establishing the appropriate suitability criteria that are relevant and appropriate to a particular contract is, of course, a matter for the contracting...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Levy (27 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The public service Pension-Related Deduction (PRD), which applies to the pay of pensionable public servants, was introduced in March 2009 under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. It continues to provide very important revenue to the State, and as such remains a key constituent of the suite of financial emergency measures affecting public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts Data (27 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As outlined in the response to PQs: 73 and 74 of 15 January 2015, it is the responsibility of individual contracting authorities to publish award notices following the signing of a contract. This process is facilitated through the national eProcurement portal .  The contract performance is managed locally and consequently all contract files are retained by the contracting authorities....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (27 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As with Public Servants generally, the pensions of politicians, including Ministers and other Officeholders, have been subject to a range of measures implemented over recent years which have had, and will continue to have, significant downward effects on pensions and pension awards. The Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 introduced a new Single Public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Measures (27 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 44305 of 18 November 2014. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation Office (27 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Under section 28 (4) of the Valuation Act 2001, a Revision Officer, appointed by the Commissioner, may carry out a revision of valuation in relation to a particular property only if a material change of circumstances (MCC) has occurred since the property was last revised. MCC is defined in section 3 of the Act as a change of circumstances, which consist of a new building, a change in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (27 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The information being sought by the Deputy is not collated by my Department.  Clause 5.3 'Pay and Conditions of Employment' of the public works contracts contains provisions which apply to all workers engaged on the site.  Clause 5.3.6 makes specific provision where the Contractor has not complied with Clause 5.3, that the Employer shall be entitled to estimate the amount that...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (27 Jan 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 inscope organisations transition, PeoplePoint will provide services across 38 organisations.  PeoplePoint began calculating retirement benefits and...

Seanad: Appointments to State Boards: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Senator should not suggest that no reform has been happening.

Seanad: Appointments to State Boards: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: He cynically suggests we are fancifully claiming to be a reforming Government. It is objectively the truth. I am very proud of getting Government support and being able to bring legislation through these Houses. The debate in this and the other House on every piece of legislation I have brought in has greatly improved that legislation. The Registration of Lobbying Bill has just been...

Seanad: Appointments to State Boards: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: They are equally important elements and I am proud of the job done by the Government in balancing the books, which is absolutely necessary if we are to have a sustainable future achieved through reform. I have mentioned political reform but there has also been public service reform. Much of this happens below the water line and it grieves me to see people who should be informed commenting...

Seanad: Appointments to State Boards: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: That is why we changed it.

Seanad: Appointments to State Boards: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Does the Senator believe that membership of or association with a political party should bar a person from being appointed to a State board?

Seanad: Appointments to State Boards: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: That is all right then.

Seanad: Appointments to State Boards: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I thank all the Senators for their contributions to this important debate. I warmly welcome Senator Craughwell to this House. I should probably not say this, but I greatly appreciate the kerfuffle that has allowed me to change things fundamentally. Like a presenter of a cookery programme, I had it ready to present when the opportunity arrived. It was important. I will do my best to not...

Seanad: Appointments to State Boards: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: It is a good job I was not deciding.

Seanad: Appointments to State Boards: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I would not quite put it like that, Senator.

Seanad: Appointments to State Boards: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I welcome the opportunity to come to the House today to set out the details of the Government's recently revised arrangements for ministerial appointments to State boards and to report on the progress we have made in implementing the new arrangements. The revised model for State board appointments that was agreed last September is one of a number of measures that have been adopted or are...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Semi-State Bodies Dividends (22 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Under the NewERA initiative (whereby NewERA provides financial and commercial advisory services to relevant Ministers on the activities of certain commercial State companies) the Government has reformed the manner in which it manages its relationship with the Commercial State Sector. As part of the reform, NewERA has developed, in conjunction with the relevant Government Departments, a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (21 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is responsible for setting the overall allocations (both capital and current) across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at Departmental level. Within the overall allocations set by my Department, individual Ministers and their Departments allocate funds across various projects and programmes and monitor performance in line with their Department's priorities. ...