Results 11,681-11,700 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of the Ombudsman Remit (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Programme for Government contained a commitment to extend the Ombudsman Act, to ensure that all statutory bodies, and all bodies significantly funded from the public purse, are covered. The Ombudsman (Amendment) Act 2012 extended the remit of the Ombudsman bringing some 180 public bodies within remit.  As such, it was the most significant extension of the Ombudsman's remit in 30...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Websites (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) has a number of roles including researching and investigating international best practices in eGovernment. As such it is aware of the UK approach to Government websites as well as approaches adopted by other countries. This is something that is being considered in the context of the Public Service ICT Strategy currently being...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Consultancy Contracts (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware, commercial state companies are established to operate explicitly in a market environment, at arm's length from Ministers, and they enjoy considerable autonomy in operational terms as they seek to generate profits in the interests of the shareholder. Operational matters, including those to which the Deputy's question refers,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Irish Presidency completed detailed, lengthy and complex negotiations with the European Parliament, and achieved agreement on the Public Procurement Package (Classical Directive, Utilities Directive and Concessions* Directive). These Directives will make it easier for businesses and SMEs to tender for procurement contracts. Administrative burdens will be reduced, procurement procedures...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Offices (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) was established late last year as key element of the Public Service Reform agenda to reduce costs and achieve better value for money through reform of public procurement. The OGP's mission is to deliver sustainable procurement savings for the tax payer by optimising value for money across the public service. The OGP will be head-quartered in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 87 together. The Programme for Government contained a commitment to introduce new legislation to protect small building subcontractors that have been denied payments from bigger companies. My colleague, Minister of State Brian Hayes worked closely with Senator Feargal Quinn to develop the Senator's private member's Construction Contracts Bill into a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Recruitment (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Government Chief Information Officer tendered his resignation for personal family reasons.  We have commenced a recruitment process and I am confident that we will find a suitable replacement as soon as possible to ensure the continuity of our ambitious reform agenda. In establishing the Office of Government CIO, the CIO identified the budget and resources required over the next...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89, 90, 94, 95 and 97 together. Each year the Budgetary Estimates are published on Budget day as part of the Expenditure Report, and further detail including agency statements is published in the annual Revised Estimates Volume (REV). These publications compare allocations with amounts for the preceding year.  This information is also available at . ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Implementation (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I refer the Deputy to my response of 21 November 2013 to Parliamentary Question 23. As I noted in that response, the final report of the Implementation Body for the Croke Park Agreement concluded that the Agreement facilitated significant cost savings, amounting to €1.8 billion over its lifetime, while also acting as a key enabler for reform both at central and sectoral levels in a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The expenditure reduction measures adopted by Government  to restore our economic sovereignty, including pay and pension reductions applied to serving and former public servants,  have been directed at ensuring  that the  reduction in the public service pay and pensions bill makes a proportionate contribution to the significant...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Retirements (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Since 2008, the size of the public service has been reduced in net terms by about 31,500 (or c. 10%) to its present size of about 289,000.  Detailed statistics are available at  .  In the course of this downsizing, we have ensured the prioritisation of key posts and services and have allowed recruitment and the filling of priority vacancies across key areas of the public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Outsourcing of Public Services (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: All Exchequer-funded services - including any such services that are outsourced - are subject to the normal rules governing the allocation and spending of public monies. Expenditure ceilings for individual Votes are agreed by Government within the context of the overall fiscal targets. It is a matter for each Minister and their Departments to ensure that Vote-level allocations are adhered to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sale of State Assets (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: None of the receipts from the sale of State assets either completed or currently underway were required to meet our debt reduction targets to-date, including for 2014. Rather, the Government intends that the funds released from these asset disposals are to be used in the short term, in one form or another, to support job...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Semi-State Bodies Remuneration (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's questions I can confirm that there are no Semi-State organisations under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: On my recommendation, the Government has approved the nominations of former High Court Judge Daniel O'Keeffe for the post of Chairperson of the Standards in Public Office Commission and former Deputy Jim O'Keeffe as an ordinary member of the SiPOC. I have discussed the proposed appointments with the leaders of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin and the whip of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commercial Rates Exemptions (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The work of the Valuation Office is underpinned by the Valuation Act, 2001 which provides for the valuation of all commercial and industrial property. The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Act and the making of valuations is his sole prerogative. The statute does not accord me as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform any function in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Reports (21 Jan 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: State Bodies Numbers (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The rationalisation of State bodies is a key element of this Government's reform programme. As the Deputy is aware, in November 2011, the Government set out 2 commitments in relation to agency rationalisation: - to implement 48 measures. All of these (involving over 100 bodies) either have been fully delivered or will be delivered this year, apart from the small number where the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Service Reform Plan Update (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I am happy to welcome any submissions  from the public at any time on the subject of Public Service Reform or any other area of Government policy that I am responsible for. Submissions can be sent to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Government Buildings, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2 or emailed to . In addition, my Department has run a number of formal public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following tables outline the amount spent on an annual basis in payments to Oracle and Accenture Consultancy firms since the formation of my Department: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Consultancy Costs paid to Oracle and Accenture Consultancy firms 2011 Company Name Amount Details Oracle €1,200.00 Yearly renewal of Oracle...