Results 12,521-12,540 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Judicial Pay (10 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The total salaries and annual expense allowances paid to members of the judiciary in each of the Supreme, High, Circuit and District Courts in the year 2012, and an estimate of the amounts payable for 2013 are set out at Appendix 1. Members of the judiciary may receive an annual expense allowance to cover expenses which are not dealt with under the normal claim and recoupment arrangements....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (10 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Appointments Service advertised a series of Administrative Officer (AO) competitions on the 30 August 2013 with a closing date of 19 September 2013. The competitions covered five streams: Economics, Human Resources, Tax Policy, Law, and Banking and Finance. 2,672 candidates applied for the competitions. The Public Appointments Service is currently conducting a selection process...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Remuneration (10 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Government Pay Cap was introduced on 21 June 2011 on foot of a Government Decision (S180/20/10/1333) when it adopted a general policy of a €200,000 annual salary pay ceiling for new appointees to Senior Positions across the Public Service. This equalled the then Taoiseach’s annual salary of €200,000 which was reduced under the FEMPI Act 2013 to €185,350 from 1...

Other Questions: Pension Provisions (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Deputy.

Other Questions: National Procurement Service Savings (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Reform of public procurement is one of the main projects of key strategic importance in the Government's public service reform plan. Procurement of supplies and services accounts for approximately €9 billion of current spending by the State per annum. This represents a significant portion of overall spending and, therefore, it is essential that the public service achieve maximum...

Other Questions: National Procurement Service Savings (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: That is right.

Other Questions: National Procurement Service Savings (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Deputy for his complimentary observations about the new office of Government procurement. He has met Mr. Paul Quinn, who attended the committee last week. His value is obvious. A number of the new appointments that I have made in my Department are on a contract basis and the people in question have specific skill sets. This is a good model for public sector recruitment. I...

Other Questions: National Procurement Service Savings (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Deputies opposite for their observations. Sometimes, there is a dichotomy between maximising the benefit to the State and ensuring that we do not impact negatively on local jobs. We are considering how the small to medium-sized enterprise, SME, sector can tender for jobs. We have run training programmes for SMEs and discussed bundling for them. Mr. Quinn, the State's new...

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The issue of a post-sale value for money review was raised on the Committee Stage debate on the Gas Regulation Bill, which is being sponsored by my colleague, the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources. On foot of the debate, I understand that the Minister has proposed a Report Stage amendment to the Bill to provide for a report on the operation of the legislation to be...

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The reform package published by the Government includes a measure that asks for all legislation to be reviewed after a period. I have my own views in that regard. All legislation should be reviewed but the exact period will depend on the type of legislation concerned. Some matters lend themselves to a review after one year, but others would not be fully embedded in that period. That is a...

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In regard to the money we borrowed to invest in Bank of Ireland, when our investment is realised, it will be used to reduce the debt. I reached agreement with the troika that we could use 50% of the money accrued from the sale of State assets for direct job creation efforts and the balance as a back stop. I was conscious that Greece and other countries were using unspent Structural Funds as...

Other Questions: EU-IMF Programme of Support Negotiations (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware Ireland is in the final year of the EU-IMF programme of financial support. We successfully concluded the 11th review mission of our EU-IMF programme, and data released in the Exchequer statement on 2 October indicate that the Exchequer primary deficit target was met for the 12th consecutive quarter. In line with each of the previous quarterly reviews, Ireland has...

Other Questions: EU-IMF Programme of Support Negotiations (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I thank Deputy McHugh for his compliments to my staff and to those of the Department of Finance for the detailed discussions in which they engaged not only over the past few hours but also last weekend. We sometimes take for granted the work of civil servants but they work incredible hours in the interest of the State. We are now focusing on the next phase. We will exit the programme by...

Other Questions: Pension Provisions (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As legislated for in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013, and as noted in the Haddington Road agreement, the rate of pension related deduction on the €15,000 to €20,000 band of pay received in a year will fall from 5% to 2.5% on 1 January 2014. This rate cut will be worth €125 annually in gross terms to most public servants, with those taxed...

Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In respect of the first point about the ASTI, I am not sure-----

Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy made the point so I will respond to it. I am not sure whether he is addressing his comments to the Government or the ASTI. I regret that the ASTI is taking action. It is regrettable that the students from Deputy Fleming's constituency cannot visit the House. The ASTI is the only union outside the Haddington Road agreement. I would ask it to reconsider and allow the Haddington...

Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Not only do I want to look after the people who are most vulnerable, which is what we have done very effectively, I also want to look after workers. We cannot keep screwing workers either if that is what Fianna Fáil policy is. We must give some recognition for work and allow people to have a decent take-home wage as opposed to a headline wage. That is a reality too so we must strike a...

Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I have three points to make in response to Deputy McDonald's comments. First, I agree with her entirely that we need an objective analysis and not a partisan analysis from either side of the House. Objectively, if one looks at the totality of our public spending and taxation regime, one will see that we have a very progressive one in place. Can one tweak it one way or the other, do a...

Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Bluntly, I am surprised by Deputy Wallace talking about tax.

Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I have paid everything that was due.