Results 10,501-10,520 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Programme Expenditure (8 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The following table sets out the levels of Exchequer voted gross capital expenditure in each year from 2000 to 2013 in nominal terms and expressed as a percentage of GDP. Figures for investment at EU level are available on the Eurostat website (). The Eurostat estimate for average levels of Central Government fixed investment in 2013 was 2.2% of GDP for the Euro 28. It...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Programme Expenditure (8 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The original allocations for the present five year capital envelope are set out in "Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2012-2016: Medium Term Exchequer Framework". The annual capital allocations for the Ministerial Vote Groups are published in the Revised Estimates for Public Services each year (Appendix 9 for 2012 and 2013, Appendix 8 for 2014). A table showing both...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I announced at the time of the 2014 Budget, last October, that a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure would be carried out during this year to help inform the multi-annual expenditure ceilings for the three years 2015 to 2017.  This review process is now under way, and the outcome will help inform the decisions that Government will take when framing the 2015 Budget.   In...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Advisers Remuneration (8 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Department of Finance issued "Instructions to Personnel Officers Ministerial Appointments for the 31st Dail', dated 24 March 2011, which states the following in relation to Special Advisers and Increments: "Where a Special Adviser is placed on a salary point below the maximum of the scale he or she may be paid an annual increment until the maximum of that scale is reached".  The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Rehiring (8 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following table gives a breakdown of retired civil and public servants that have been re-hired on temporary contracts or as consultants under my remit. Retired staff rehired on temporary contracts under the remit of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Department / Office Year No. of Staff Associated Costs Department of Public Expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Authority Expenditure (8 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: All publicly funded projects and programmes are subject to the appraisal framework set out in the Public Spending Code (available at ) which has been developed by my Department. Responsibility for compliance with the Public Spending Code lies with the Sponsoring Agency and Sanctioning Authority for a particular project. In the case of the project to which the Deputy refers,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Data (8 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The information  the Deputy requests is set out in detail on my Department's website, at .  This databank provides information on staffing numbers by Department, on a quarterly basis, from 2008 to present. The data show that public service numbers have been reduced by almost 10 percent in that period, from a peak of more than 320,000 to below 290,000. The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Outsourcing of Public Services (8 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is committed to exploring alternative service delivery models, including outsourcing, as part of an overall objective to improve the quality and efficiency of public services while ensuring they remain affordable and sustainable. This is a key component of the Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016, published in January 2014. Each public body, in considering whether or not to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Fees (8 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware, the Government has previously agreed to substantial reductions in the internal review and appeal fees for FOI. A reduction from €75 to €30 has been agreed in relation to the fee for an application for internal review, while the cost of an appeal to the Information Commissioner is being reduced from €150 to €75. The FOI Bill 2013 is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Remit (8 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Freedom of Information legislation is primarily designed to provide access for the public to records of public bodies. Certain hospitals, third level institutions and other bodies providing services in the health sector, run by or in the ownership of religious congregations, are also covered by FOI. A new Freedom of Information Bill is currently proceeding through the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Child Protection (8 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: If the Deputy is aware or has any information which suggests that there may be a convicted paedophile in public employment with access to children, the facts should be brought to the attention of An Garda Síochána as a matter of urgency. Alternately, if  an  employer,  or indeed any person, considers that a person may pose a risk to a child or children, this can be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget Targets (3 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Ensuring the sustainability of the public finances is a pre-requisite for our economic recovery.  This Government is committed to restoring economic stability and growth and has pursued a determined deficit reduction strategy in order to reduce the General Government Deficit below 3% of GDP by the target date of end-2015.  This is a challenging target and one that is set against a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Redeployment (3 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: There are no formal arrangements in place within the Civil Service to facilitate requests for transfers to other locations/employments, except in the case of grades represented by the Civil & Public Services Union. Transfers for these (mostly Clerical and Staff Officers) are arranged in accordance with formal procedures agreed with the Staff Side at General Council under the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commercial Rates (3 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Further to my previous answer to the Deputy, I must reiterate that the Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the exercise of his functions under the Valuation Act, 2001 and I, as Minister, have no role in decisions in this regard. The position regarding claims for exemption is that in order for a property occupied by an organisation to be exempt from rates under the terms of Schedule...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (3 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Special EU Programmes Body is a North South implementation body established under the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999 which implements the Good Friday Agreement.  The Body works under the auspices of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC).  The SEUPB does not have a Board. In 2013, on foot of the review of the St Andrew's Agreement, the NSMC examined the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Sick Leave (3 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I wish first to assure the Deputy that the management of sick leave is taken most seriously in my Department. Sick leave absences and any patterns emerging are monitored and analysed and, as per the guidelines set out in Circular 06/2014 - Arrangements for Paid Sick Leave local managers are supported by the HR Strategy Unit to ensure that sick leave review meetings and resumption of work...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Consultancy Contracts Data (3 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following table outlines the total amount spent on external reports commissioned by my Department since its inception in 2011: Name of External Report Costs Date of Commission Date or Expected Date of Publication Name of External Consultant Independent verification of savings arising under the Public Service Agreement €35,819.80 16 May 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cumas Gaeilge sa Stát Seirbhís (3 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Mar is eol don Teachta, tá cur chuige nua chun tacú le cumas Gaeilge sa Stát Seirbhís ceadaithe ag an Rialtas in áit an chórais faoina dtugtaí marcanna breise le haghaidh cumas Gaeilge i gcomórtais earcú agus ardú céime don Stát Seirbhís.  De réir an chórais nua, tá beartais á dtabhairt isteach chun an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (3 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government decided on 11 February to allocate up to €69.5 million for repair and remediation of public infrastructure that was damaged by severe weather in the period 13 December 2013 to 6 2014 January. Of the figure of €69.5 million, up to €19.6 million was allocated for repair by local authorities of existing built coastal protection and flood defences in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Proposed Legislation (3 Jul 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government published the Valuation (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2012 on 3rd August, 2012 as part of its legislative programme. The Bill proceeded through its second stage in Seanad Éireann on 11th October 2012. The primary purpose of the Bill is to accelerate the national programme of revaluing every commercial and industrial property in the country which is being undertaken by the...