Results 9,941-9,960 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: We are determined that economic recovery should be and will be accompanied by social recovery. Getting people back to work remains this Government’s number one priority. A new back-to-work family dividend will be introduced to provide an additional incentive for families to move from welfare to work. This will allow families to retain the full qualified child increase of...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Provided circumstances allow, we will increase child benefit again in 2016, by a further €5.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: We are increasing the rate of the living alone allowance to €9 per week, benefitting almost 180,000 elderly people from January 2015.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: These are the first rate increases to be applied to social welfare since 2009 when the economy was collapsed by the previous Administration. The outturn figures for unemployment for 2014 are much better than forecast. The Government has decided to allocate a portion of these live register savings to pay a 25% bonus to social welfare recipients this coming Christmas.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: This is a current year payment from 2014 figures. Whether a similar bonus will be paid next year will again depend on the availability of sufficient savings in next year’s social protection Vote. Water The establishment of Irish Water is a necessary measure to put the provision of this critical resource on a long term sustainable footing. Securing a quality water supply, as...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: This will benefit 653,000 households in this country-----

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: -----who will see their water bill reduced by €100 to mirror the allowance available to taxpayers announced by the Minister for Finance.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: This will leverage private finance and provide at least another 2,000 housing units over the period 2016 to 2018. The Government believes it is entirely appropriate that the disposal of one State asset should finance a different State asset which meets an urgent social need. Overall, this large-scale investment will fund the provision of well in excess of 10,000 housing units between now...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: We expect it to fall to 10.2% in 2015. We have created 76,600 net new jobs.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The number of people now at work is as high as it was in 2009. Unemployment is still too high, but the employment support measures we have introduced are paying dividends. In 2015, €1.6 billion will be made available to provide approximately 300,000 work and training places in support of the Pathways to Work strategy. This will help people acquire the skills necessary to compete for...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy thinks that is funny, of course.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The capital allocation of €450 million for the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation next year will ensure continued strong support for job creation and enterprise supports, with a focus on building on our recent strong export performance. Another critical component underpinning future growth in jobs is sustained investment in research, development and innovation. The...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: This will involve three main strands. First, more than €1.5 billion will be directly invested by the Exchequer by 2017. Second, public private partnerships will be used to invest €300 million in social housing units by 2017. Third, an off-balance sheet financial vehicle will provide at least €400 million from 2015 onwards to approved housing bodies. Turning...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In fairness, he got off the ship.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Today we are announcing the Government’s fourth budget. It is a significant day which marks the end of an era of budgetary austerity. This time last year, we estimated that to meet our budget deficit target, it would require further cuts of €1.3 billion on the spending side. That we are now in a position to increase expenditure, responsibly, indicates the progress we have...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Rehiring (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question I can confirm that in 2012 and 2013, no public or civil servant in my Department in receipt of a pension had been recruited on a temporary or permanent basis. To date in 2014, two retired public servants were awarded temporary contracts through open competition with the Public Appointment Services. The Audit Committee for the Office of the Ombudsman...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I refer the Deputy to my reply to PQs 38320/14 and 38321/14 of the 9th October 2014. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question, the tables outline the number of appointments to State Boards under my remit, including recommendations, credentials and if vacancies were advertised, since the formation of my Department in 2011. An Post National Lottery Board Member Date Appointed Recommended By Credentials If vacancy advertised Mr. Donal Connell (Chairman) Re-appointed 29/02/2012,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Communications (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Sustainable and far reaching Public Service Reform has been a key element of the Government's strategy to meet the challenges that have faced the country in recent years.  Public Service Reform will also continue to play a key role in our recovery.  We published our first Public Service Reform Plan in November 2011.  A Progress Report on the Reform...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (14 Oct 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be aware that delivery of better outcomes for citizens and businesses through innovation, flexibility and the delivery of streamlined services are important elements of the Public Service Reform Plan. A number of initiatives have taken place to improve the provision of public services to citizens depending on the particular service. My own Department provides the website ,...