Results 13,321-13,340 of 21,204 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: We touched this issue in the course of last week's debate. At that stage I raised with the Minister of State the importance of increasing the access of indigenous small and medium-sized enterprises, including micro-enterprises, to public procurement contracts, in view of the new EU rules agreed in January 2014.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Civil Service Reform (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 5. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his decisions with respect to the recommendations for Civil Service reform by the independent panel on strengthening Civil Service accountability and performance and by the Civil Service renewal task force. [42276/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Civil Service Reform (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: My question relates to the publication, One Vision Civil Service: The Civil Service Renewal Plan, which is an interesting document. The process by which it has been produced has also been interesting. I am concerned that it does not pass us all by in the busyness of everything else. First, I wanted the Minister, Deputy Howlin, to set out his initial plans for the implementation of what is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Civil Service Reform (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I agree that this needs a considered discussion, if not by way of debate on the floor of the House, certainly at committee. We need to explore all of these matters. Why did the Minister decide to go for what he calls a "collective responsibility" model rather than, as has been proposed by Professor Rafter and others in the course of their work, a head of Civil Service? I understand Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Civil Service Reform (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I ask that that matter be kept under review. It might well emerge that the Minister is, in fact, correct in that assessment, and if it works, it is fair enough and all is well. However, Deputy Howlin hears my concern. The beauty of having a head of Civil Service is that accountability does not get lost in the collective. I ask that we do not entirely jettison that idea as, perhaps, one...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I welcome the deletion of the measure. At the time it was regarded correctly as a very negative development, not just in terms of the pay and conditions of public service workers but also a real intrusion on the voluntarist system of collective bargaining which had traditionally operated in this jurisdiction. It gave the Minister unilateral powers, which he said he did not use. Of course,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister will recall that at the time he did not invoke the provision as he did not have to do so. Public sector workers felt that, while they were nominally around the table for discussions, in fact, they were on the menu. They felt hugely disempowered. The Minister took an onerous power onto himself. It is welcome that the measure will be repealed and removed from the Statute Book...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: It was a case of accept it, or else.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 2. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the implications of his proposal to delete section 2B of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 for the take-home pay of Civil Service and other public sector workers; and his plans for future negotiations with the public sector trade unions. [42275/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: My question is in a similar vein, although it refers specifically to the Minister's proposal to delete section 2B of the FEMPI Act of 2009. As we all know, this gave him unilateral power to cut the pay of public servants and increase their hours. What is the implication of the repeal of that section for the take-home pay of civil service and public sector workers, and what are his plans for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts Social Clauses (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 13. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to increase the social dividend and community benefit from spending on public procurement contracts, in view of the impending requirements under the new EU rules agreed in January 2014. [42057/14]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 25. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to introduce stronger measures to prevent conflicts of interest, favouritism and corruption in public procurement contracts, in view of the impending requirements under the new EU rules agreed in January 2014. [42058/14]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 37. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in view of his recent announcements in relation to budget 2015, his plans to restore public sector pay for those earning €35,000 per annum or less; and the improvements in pay and conditions that public sector workers earning €35,000 or less per annum may expect in 2014-2015. [42055/14]

Topical Issue Debate: Community Development Projects (5 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister read out all of the target groups involved, including children, lone parents, new communities, the unemployed, including the long-term unemployed, and every category he recited is box-ticked for the inner city of Dublin. I am very puzzled by this resource allocation model and how it functions because I cannot for the life of me figure out how such a model could be used to come...

Topical Issue Debate: Community Development Projects (5 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Will the Minister meet it?

Topical Issue Debate: Community Development Projects (5 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: On 16 October 2014 the Minister reiterated his and the Government's commitment to the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP. He lauded the scheme in terms of its ability to create opportunities, provide supports and ease the transition into meaningful employment for the harder to reach in the most disadvantaged areas in society. He announced that €46 million...

Leaders' Questions (5 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Here we go again.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Constitutional Convention Recommendations (4 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 135. To ask the Taoiseach his response to each of the recommendations of the Constitutional Convention concerning Dáil reform; and when the Dáil will debate these recommendations. [41654/14]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Constitutional Convention Recommendations (4 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 136. To ask the Taoiseach his response to each of the recommendations of the Constitutional Convention concerning the entrenchment of economic, social and cultural rights; and when the Dáil will debate these recommendations. [41655/14]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Constitutional Convention Recommendations (4 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 137. To ask the Taoiseach his response to each of the recommendations of the Constitutional Convention regarding the convening of a second Convention, and the scope of subject matter that such a future Convention should consider; and when the Dáil will debate these recommendations. [41656/14]