Results 12,801-12,820 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Social Impact Bonds (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Steering Committee on Social Impact Investing is progressing projects in the context of a developing a pilot phase. I understand that the assessment of projects by the Steering Committee will be finalised in the near future, following which I will be in a position to seek Government approval on the future strategic direction of Social Impact Investing in Ireland.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware in 2011 the Government introduced new arrangements for the appointment of State board members. Under the new arrangements, Departments now invite expressions of interest from the public in vacancies on the boards of bodies under their aegis on their websites. It is open to all members of the public regardless of gender, political affiliations or geographically location...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Agencies Pension Provisions (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question there are two State agencies under the aegis of my Department as follows: Economic and Social Research Institute 1. The Economic and Social Research Institute Pension Plan Employer Contribution 25% Employee Contribution 8.5% 2. The Economic and Social Research Institute Superannuation Plan Employer Contribution 15% Employee Contribution - Non-integrated...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Expenditure (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the following tables outline the miles claimed for and amount of travel expenses paid to Deputy Brian Hayes and I from 2011: Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform - - - - - 2011 2012 2013 Total Mileage Claimed 17,145km 38,148km 11,457km 66,750km Travel Expenses €4,879.47 €12,836.98 €5,230.73 €22,937.18 ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Process (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy’s question the following table gives a breakdown of the number of amendments to legislation I proposed during Committee and Report stages in Seanad Éireann in 2012: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Seanad Éireann Amendments 2012 Act No. of Amendments proposed by Minister No. of Amendments proposed by Minister accepted No. of Amendments...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Issues (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 269 to 272, inclusive, together. At this juncture in the annual Budget cycle, my Department is not in a position to produce detailed costings of scenario-based proposals for adjustments to existing impositions on public service salaries and pensions, such as the Pension Related Deduction (PRD) and the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR). The Deputy's...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Exchequer Savings (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 273 to 276, inclusive, and 280 and 281 together. I refer to my replies to Questions Nos. 402, 403 and 407 of 16 July 2013. Comparative data is not available in my Department in the form sought by the Deputy. Current data on public service numbers can be accessed at while available population data can be accessed at www.cso.ie. The current Government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Staff (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy’s question the following tables outline the staffing levels and salaries of the Private Office and Constituency Office in my Department and Deputy Brian Hayes in the Office of Public Works from 2011: Department of Public Expenditure & Reform Ministers Private Office Year No. of Staff (Whole Time Equivalent) Salary Scale (fulltime rate per annum)...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Exchequer Savings (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the total annual savings to the Exchequer if the salaries of the Special Advisers in my Department were capped at the first point on the Principal Officer pay scale would amount to €34,859.00. My Minister of State has no Special Advisers.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Programmes (18 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Preparation work for the PEACE IV (2014-2020) Programme is progressing well. The planning process has been under way since April 2012, when my Department and the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland requested the Special EU Programmes Body to commence preparation of detailed programme proposals for both PEACE IV and the successor INTERREG Programme, INTERREG VA. ...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Nobody has pointed that out to me before. The Bill has been drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and it is happy with it.

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: This section was added to amend the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2012 to assign the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council statutory responsibility for endorsing the macroeconomic forecast on which the budget and stability programme will be based. In essence, this would be an assignment carried out by the Minister for Finance. Under the new European architecture for the budget, we need to assign...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: We had a debate in the other House about the language used. In plain English, it should state "endorse or not endorse". I went back to the Parliamentary Counsel about it. Apparently, the phrase “endorse” allows the council to endorse or not to endorse. While it might sound peculiar, in legislative language, one does not include the negative.

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: While this Bill is short, it provides a statutory basis for the multi-annual medium-term expenditure framework. I thank Senators for co-operating in the passage of the Bill because it is important to put the framework on a statutory basis before the end of the term and the budgetary round starts.

Leaders' Questions (17 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It is to allow them to-----

Leaders' Questions (17 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Contrived anger.

Leaders' Questions (17 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Contrived.

Leaders' Questions (17 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It is contrived.

Leaders' Questions (17 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: For many years.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Open Government Partnership (17 Jul 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I submitted a letter of intent for Ireland to participate in the Open Government Partnership on behalf of the Government in May. A stakeholder consultation process is now underway for the development of proposals for inclusion in Ireland’s Open Government Partnership national action plan. The four core principles of the Open Government Partnership are: Transparency, Accountability,...