Results 9,301-9,320 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together. Clause 5.3 of the public works contracts titled Pay and Conditions of Employment contains provisions which apply to all workers engaged on the site, regardless of whether they are employed by the contractor or their subcontractors. This clause requires the main contractor to observe, in relation to the employment of all workers on...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Data (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Information on the whole time equivalent numbers employed in the Public Service is reported on a quarterly basis.  The latest available data is for end Quarter 3, 2014, which showed a whole time equivalent number of was just over 288,500. Further details on the information the Deputy requests is available on my Department's Databank website...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Bodies Abolition (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I refer the Deputy to the Report on the Implementation of the Agency Rationalisation Programme which is published on my Department's web site.  The Report provides information on what has been achieved in reducing the number of state bodies as set out in the 2011 Public Service Reform Plan, including savings, and can be found at The Report, based on information provided...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Decentralisation Programme (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: My Department was established in July 2011 and up to the end of that year I can confirm that no sections decentralised in that period.  As no sections decentralised there are no associated costs to report. 

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be aware that in September 2014 the Government agreed to introduce a new system for State Board Appointments. The Decision, building on the earlier 2011 Decision, required my Department to prepare Guidelines on a new process to be agreed by Government. The Guidelines were approved by Government in November 2014 and seek to provide good practice rules around the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Pensions Reform (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Responsibility for the State Pension lies with the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection. Any questions on the matter should be addressed to her.

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

Brendan Howlin: My Department has responsibility for the delivery of a number of actions in the annual Action Plan for Jobs. One such action, in the 2013 Action Plan, was to progress the development of Ireland's National Action Plan on Open Government.  This involved the launch of an Open Data initiative including the establishment of an Open Data Portal to act as the primary source of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Valuation (Amendment)(N0.2) Bill 2012 was passed by the Seanad on 20th November 2014 and includes a Government  amendment, accepted at Report Stage, to insert into Schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001 an exemption from rates for properties occupied by parties that provide early childhood care and education on a not-for-profit basis. I intend that the Bill will be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 and 208 together. Public Procurement is governed by EU and National legislation and rules. The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money for public funds. It would be a breach of the EU rules for a public body to favour or discriminate against particular...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Seirbhísí Aistriúcháin (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Ar an Oifig um Sholáthar Rialtais atá an fhreagracht seirbhísí aistriúcháin go gach teanga a bhíonn de dhíth ó na cuideachtaí san earnáil phoiblí a thagann faoina chúram a sholáthar, seirbhísí Gaeilge ina measc.  Mar chuid den ullmhúchán chun na Creat-Chomhaontuithe reatha uile-Rialtais, atá ar...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Inniúlacht sa Ghaeilge sa Stát Seirbhís (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: Mar fhreagra ar cheist an Theachta, is féidir liom a dhearbhú go bhfuil de chumas ag ochtar ball foirne obair na Roinne a dhéanamh trí Ghaeilge.  B'fhéidir go bhfuil cuma íseal ar an bhfigiúr seo, ach is cinnte gur leor é chun freastal a dhéanamh ar riachtanais na heagraíochta.  Mar gheall ar an ról ata aici, ni bhíonn...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Service Management (Sick Leave) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 124 of 2014) set out the provisions of the new Public Service Sick Leave Scheme. Regulation 10 of the Sick Leave Regulations provides that an individual's sick leave record will be reviewed over a 4-year period in order to determine how much paid sick leave they have access to.  Reviewing records...

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

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following table outlines the total amount spent on consultancy firms engaged by my Department in 2014: Name of External Report Costs Date or Expected Date of Publication Name of External Consultant Open Data project: - Best Practice Handbook - Data Audit Report - Roadmap for Open Data - Evaluation Framework - Open Data Publication Handbook...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Service Management (Sick Leave) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 124 of 2014) set out the provisions of the new Public Service Sick Leave Scheme. The Sick Leave Regulations provides that an individual's sick leave record will be reviewed over a 4-year period in order to determine how much paid sick leave they will have access to.  Reviewing records over a period...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Official Languages Act 2003 Compliance (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware, in October 2013 the Government approved the introduction of a new approach to ensure that there are a sufficient number of civil servants who are able to perform their duties through Irish.  These new arrangements were put in place in the context of replacing the policy of awarding bonus marks for Irish language proficiency in civil service...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Directives (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following table outlines the number of EU Directives which remain to be implemented within my Department: EU Directives yet to be implemented by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Name Purpose Expected Implementation Date Directive 2014/23/EU Award of concession contracts April 2016 Directive 2014/24/EU Public procurement and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy’s question the following table outlines the Bills initiated in my Department that have been subject to the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure in the Oireachtas: Bills initiated by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Number Name Purpose Subject to Pre-Legislative Scrutiny Reason why no Pre-Legislative Scrutiny took place No. 39 of 2012 Statute...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following table outlines all Department and Public Expenditure Bills enacted since September 2013, including those published but not yet enacted: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Bills enacted since September 2013 Name Enacted Purpose Appropriation Act 2013 20/12/2013 (No. 43 of 2013) To appropriate to the proper supply services and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Data (14 Jan 2015)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 to 225, inclusive, together. Responding to this PQ I will also deal with PQs 1862/15 and 1876/15 as the questions are related. My Department was established in July 2011 and I can confirm that we have not had any secondments out or into the Department involving private firms. Circular 03/2013, "Staff Exchange Scheme between the Civil Service...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Reports (18 Dec 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Work on an annual report for 2013 for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform under the Public Service Management Act 1997 is well advanced and it will be published as soon as possible.