Results 1,181-1,200 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: Mr. Desmond tells us there is monthly monitoring of the budgets. However, up to a week before the budget, we could not get an answer from the Ministers for Health or Public Expenditure and Reform on what the likely Supplementary Estimate would be. Is there a reason they do not know?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: That is why I asked if we are going to need an additional Supplementary Estimate. It is very hard to have confidence even in the Supplementary Estimate that was passed as to whether it is going to be enough, considering there is such a lag. Surely there is a better way of pinning this stuff down.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: Where are now in respect of that?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018: Committee Stage. (11 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: I agree with the amendment. I will take the opportunity to speak on the section. A number of amendments were ruled out of order. One of them was tabled by Deputy Cowen and one was tabled by me. The amendment related to a cohort of public servants who would be excluded under the legislation, particularly those who are working under the circular at present. The policy adviser in my office...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018: Committee Stage. (11 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: Three reasons were given by the officials. One was that some of those public sector workers may not have been re-hired in the role they were in and they may be in new roles. The second was that some of those workers no longer pay into the old pension scheme and, if they resumed employment on a permanent basis at the old salary scale they had left, then a new pension scheme would have to be...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018: Committee Stage. (11 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move amendment No. 6:In page 4, line 10, to delete “but not higher than 75 years”. The amendment seeks to remove the upper limit on the age for retirement. It is the policy of my party that we are opposed to a mandatory age.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018: Committee Stage. (11 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: Is the Government agreeing that the age being prescribed will be higher than 70 years and that no upper limit will be put on it?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018: Committee Stage. (11 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: It proposes the deletion of the words "not higher than 75 years".

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018: Committee Stage. (11 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: To answer Deputy Murphy's initial question, some studies have been done. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform reviewed this issue in its Review of Barriers to Extended Participation in Public Service Workforce report, which was published in November of last year. The report in question analysed the arguments in favour of and against the proposed extension in the four key areas of...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018: Committee Stage. (11 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: We are not proposing to table any amendments on Report Stage. We are as eager as the Minister of State to have this done as quickly as possible. Whatever we can do to facilitate that will be done.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Services Regulation (11 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: 250. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps taken to act on the 2006 recommendations of the Competition Authority to establish a legal services commission in order to regulate the legal profession and legal services market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52015/18]

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: I am happy with the proposal.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: As mentioned by the Minister of State, amendments Nos. 1 and 2 are amendments agreed to by the Government in the Seanad. The Minister is now proposing to delete the wording of those amendments and to substitute it with the wording proposed in amendment No. 3. I do not understand the need for this change. The Minister of State said it is being done on the basis of advice he received from...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: I would be happier to leave the amendments which were accepted on Report Stage in the Seanad. During that debate the Minister of State said:I am accepting amendment No. 8 in the names of Senators Higgins and Ruane because it strengthens the language after the word “identity”. Similarly with amendment No. 9, where the Senators have drawn attention to Article 9 of the GDPR, it...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: In fairness, the amendments only came out the other day. I spent nine hours in the Dáil Chamber yesterday dealing with the abortion legislation, and ten the day before. We will take up the offer of engagement before Report Stage. For that reason, we will not accept the amendments.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: That is not the issue.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: The Minister of State is misunderstanding what is being proposed. What is being proposed is that if someone opts into the once-only principle and submits his or her data, there is an implied consent that the data can be shared. These amendments seek to ensure that there is some mechanism in place that allows an individual to opt out. Deputy Wallace will correct me if I am wrong but it is...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: It is not a perfect amendment. We tabled it to have this discussion. We are saying express consent would have to be received from a data subject before the data would be shared with certain public bodies. Obviously, there is an issue in terms of the data to be shared with the Garda or the Revenue Commissioners. We need some mechanism in that regard.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: I have a couple of questions about section 10. It deals with the meaning of "public body". Section 10(4) reads, “The Minister may, at the request of a body that would not otherwise be included in the definition of “public body” in subsection (1) and with the consent of the Minister of the Government in whom functions in relation to that body are vested, by order...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: Are we talking about private companies that may have a service contract with a Department or that provide a public service and are therefore being partly funded by Government through a contract? They are in receipt of public moneys.