Results 11,701-11,720 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question 55074/13 of 19th December 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware, reformed sick leave arrangements for public service employees were the subject of a Labour Court Recommendation in July 2012 relating to the introduction of a single uniform Sick Leave Scheme. The rationale for the introduction of these arrangements was the need to reduce the unsustainable cost of sick leave for the public service overall. This...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery Licence Sale (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I announced on 3rd October 2013 that Premier Lotteries Ireland Limited, a consortium comprising Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (the owner of the Camelot Group), An Post and An Post pension funds, has been selected as the preferred applicant for the next National Lottery licence. Premier Lotteries Ireland Limited met the Essential Requirements specified in the terms of the competition for the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I am keenly aware that public procurement can be an important source of business for Irish small and medium enterprises (SMEs). I am also aware of the need for Departments and Offices to make every effort to contain and reduce all administrative costs to ensure the continued provision of much needed public services. In this regard, the recently established Office of Government Procurement...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: There is no embargo on recruitment to the public service. There are restrictions and there are targets to reduce, in overall terms, the numbers employed in the public service, but there has also been and will continue to be recruitment into key positions across the system - in health, in education, in some areas of the Civil Service and most recently in An...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Oireachtas Members' Expenses (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: From 1 January 2013 I introduced changes to the Oireachtas expense allowance regime to require full vouching for expenditure under the Parliamentary Standard Allowance, other than for monthly expenditure in the nature of petty cash for incidental expenses per month of €100 for each Deputy and €75 for each Senator. The travel and accommodation element of that allowance, which...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Erosion (21 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I can assure the Deputy that the Government places great importance on the matter of coastal erosion. This natural and ongoing process needs to be considered in a holistic way as its impact can vary greatly in different locations and over time. It only becomes a problem when it threatens human life, infrastructure and properties. It differs significantly from coastal flooding, as assets...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Surveys (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In setting Budgetary allocations, the Government balances the requirements of bringing sustainability to the public finances, promoting and supporting economic recovery and protecting the most vulnerable in society.  Each Minister and Department is responsible for ensuring that their Vote-level allocations are adhered to while at the same time ensuring that they continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Redundancy Payments (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: It is not part of the National Procurement Services (NPS) remit to monitor employment law obligations or enforcement of awards. Employment law and its enforcement apply equally to public and private sector contracts. My colleague Mr Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation has overall policy responsibility for employment rights including redundancy...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I can confirm that the engagement of all service-providers by my Department is done within the parameters of value for money with every effort made to minimise costs. In line with stated Government policy, all public bodies must use a competitive process for the purchase of any goods and services, whatever the value. The following table outlines the total amount spent on photography costs by...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Relations Contracts Data (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I can confirm that no external public relation firm was availed of by my Department since its formation. However the engagement of all service-providers by my Department is done within the parameters of value for money with every effort made to minimise costs. In line with stated Government policy, all public bodies must use a competitive process for the purchase of any goods and services,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following table outlines the total amount spent on professional fees since the formation of my Department up to 31 December 2013: *The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a North South Implementation Body established under the Good Friday Agreement. It is headquartered in Belfast and its administration costs are funded by the Department of Public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In line with Section 2.31 of the Haddington Road Agreement, proposals for revised incremental salary scales to address the imbalance between those who entered the Public Service since 2011 and those before that date have been discussed between trade unions representing public servants and officials of my Department.  It is expected that the matter...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Economic Growth Initiatives (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Since July 2012 I have made a number of announcements in relation to additional capital investment to augment the existing Exchequer capital framework which is focused on projects with a high employment impact and which can benefit local economies throughout the State. This investment is predicated on the use of non-traditional funding methods e.g. private financing through the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Bodies (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Service Reform Plan aims to secure €20 million in enhanced service efficiencies and value-for-money from the rationalisation programme; a target that will be achieved. The bulk of the savings are derived from a reduction in the number of public servants working in the merged entities and from other administrative efficiencies. From the outset I have maintained that the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Language Issues (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy,  I am satisfied that my Department is in  position to conduct its business through the medium of Irish and  English as appropriate.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Language Issues (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I published a public consultation paper, 'Strengthening Civil Service Accountability and Performance' on 9th January  last.  This follows on from the commitments in the Programme for Government to reform and reconfigure the relationship between Ministers and their departments and civil servants. The publication of the consultation paper is intended to initiate a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Solidarity Fund (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The EU Solidarity Fund was established by the European Union to respond to major natural disasters within the Union and to express Union solidarity with disaster-stricken regions within Europe.  For the purposes of the Fund, a major disaster is defined as damage in a Member State estimated either at over €3bn or more than 0.6% of GNI.  In Ireland s case, this would amount to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy s question I can confirm that my Department does not provide any funding to Irish Charities.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Earcaíocht Seirbhíse Poiblí (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Molaim ceisteanna Uimh. 130 go 132, cuimsitheach, a fhreagairt le chéile. Ag cruinniú a tharla ar an 30 Deireadh Fómhair 2013, ghlac an Rialtas le cur chuige nua chun tacú le hinniúlacht Gaeilge sa stát seirbhís. Tugadh na socraithe nua seo isteach chun teacht in áit an chórais a bhí ann go dtí seo faoina dtugtaí marcanna breise as...