Results 10,741-10,760 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government decided on 11thFebruary 2014 to allocate total funding of up to €69.5m for repair of public infrastructure and facilities damaged by the severe weather events in the period 13thDecember 2013 to 6thJanuary 2014 based on estimates of costs provided by Local Authorities to the Department of the Environment Community and Local Government (DoECLG). This allocation included up...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery Licence Sale (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I am committed to ensuring that the National Lottery continues to operate in a socially responsible way under its new licensee.  I consider it very important that the Lottery continues to build on its strong record in this area dating back to its foundation in 1986 and I welcome the National Lottery's ongoing commitment to best practice in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pensions Levy (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The public service Pension-related Deduction (PRD) was introduced in March 2009 under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. PRD is a progressively structured multi-band reduction imposed  on the pay of pensionable public servants.  PRD continues to be a critical component of the public service pay and pension measures adopted as...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The reform of the procurement system across the public service is a key element of the reform programme for the public service.  Public Procurement savings enable public service organisations deliver much needed services within the tighter budgets that they much now operate. The fragmented procurement arrangements across the public service have enabled suppliers to charge different...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government decided on Departmental allocations for 2014 in the Budget which was announced on 15thOctober, 2013. The full details in relation to these allocations were set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services, 2014 (REV) published on 18thDecember, 2013 and approved by the Dáil on Thursday, 30thJanuary, 2014.  Ministers and their Departments are responsible for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Properties (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Commissioners of Public Works have assigned seventeen former Garda stations to local community and voluntary groups subject to agreed licence. The Commissioners are currently examining proposals from community and voluntary groups for a further five former Garda stations.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2015 (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Following on from Ireland's successful exit from the Troika programme in December last, the Government's fiscal target for 2015 is to bring the General Government Deficit below 3 of GDP, in line with our commitments under the Excessive Deficit Procedure. In order to help ensure that we achieve the deficit target for 2015, the Expenditure Report 2014 (as published on Budget Day in October...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Decentralisation Programme (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government agreed in November 2011 that the Decentralisation Programme, announced in the December 2003 Budget Statement by the then Minister for Finance, should be cancelled in the light of the budgetary and staffing outlook. It was also agreed that a review of 22 projects should be carried out. Following completion of that review in January 2012, a total of 43 projects had been...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Exchequer Savings (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Haddington Road Agreement contains provisions which, when fully implemented, will enable the delivery of savings totalling €1 billion by the end of the Agreement.  The total amount of allocated savings arising from the implementation of provisions under the Agreement was almost €300m in 2013.  A further €465m in savings was incorporated into the budgetary...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In order to achieve the general government deficit target of below 3 per cent of GDP by 2015, all components of the public finances must make an appropriate contribution. Public Servants have made a significant contribution to the fiscal recovery of the State, through a number of measures which have helped to reduce the Public Service gross pay bill from its peak of €17.5 billion in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Retirements (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 to 71, inclusive, together. The provisions relating to ill-health retirement are set out in statute in the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956, as amended, and the associated Circular 22/07: Ill-Health Retirement from the Civil Service.  The provisions relating to ill-health retirement pensions are set out in the Superannuation Acts and related...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Service Management (Sick Leave) Regulations SI 124 of 2014 were signed by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on 6th March 2014 and were laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Regulations came into effect in the majority of Public Service organisations on 31 March 2014 and will come into effect in the Education Sector on 1 September 2014. The new Public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Heritage Sites (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Commissioners of Public Works retain no documents relating to the transfer of Skyrne Tower from private family ownership to the State. The site actually came into public ownership following the Irish Church Act of 1869. The 1869 Irish Church Act held as a premise belief that Churches covered by the Act were to be preserved as National Monuments and not used as places of public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Exchequer Savings (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 75, 77, 79, 80 and 82 together. Managing the delivery of public services within the Departmental Budgetary allocation is a key responsibility of each Minister and Department, and several measures are in place to help ensure that these budgetary targets continue to be met.  My Department is in regular communication with all Departments and Offices to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Exchequer Savings (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 81 together. It is important to note that public servants have made a significant contribution to our overall fiscal recovery to date. In this context, the Public Service Exchequer Pay Bill has been reduced by 22%, from €17.5 billion gross in 2009 to an estimated €13.6 billion net by the end of 2014. In relation to the Croke...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Exchequer Savings (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is continuing to make good progress on achieving its overall deficit targets and priorities.  Since its peak in 2009, Gross Voted Expenditure has been reduced from €63.1 billion in 2009 to a targeted €53 billion in 2014.  Staff numbers have been reduced by over 30,000 since 2008, at the same time as demand for public services significantly increased. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Haddington Road Agreement Implementation (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The provisions set out in the Haddington Road Agreement will help to deliver an unprecedented increase in productivity across the Public Service, through the provision of almost 15 million additional working hours annually and a range of other efficiency and reform measures. While the application of these additional hours varies by sector, depending on local patterns in the demand for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The new Public Service Sick Leave Scheme came into effect from 31 March 2014 for the generality of the Public Service. The Scheme is set out in the Public Service Management (Sick Leave) Regulations S.I. 124 of 2014 and, generally, applies to all public servants. The new Sick Leave Scheme was introduced, following the enactment of the Public Service Management (Recruitment and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Service Contracts (4 Jun 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The pre-qualification of contractors stage of the tender process is nearing completion. It is expected to issue tender documents in the next few weeks to a shortlist of suitably qualified contractors and to appoint a main contractor by the end of July 2014. This is a complex project that will be carried out in phases to facilitate the continued operation of the school. Subject to a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Measures (28 May 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 314 of 27 May 2014.