Results 13,821-13,840 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Under EU law, public contracts above a certain values must be advertised EU-wide and awarded to the most competitive tender in an open and objective process. The aim is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers value for money. It would be a breach of the rules for a public body to favour or discriminate against particular candidates on...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Issues (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The economic forecasts underpinning Budget 2013 were consistent with the expenditure consolidation set out on Budget day and included provisions for savings through a reduction in the public service pay bill of €300m in 2013 and an overall reduction of €1bn by 2015. These forecasts were updated at the end of last month for the Irish Stability Programme – April 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Issues (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Government continues to make good progress on achieving all of our deficit targets and priorities, as articulated in the Government Programme. We are bringing public expenditure back onto a sustainable path and driving forward the public service reform agenda to ensure that efficiencies and reformed work practices play a full part in contributing to the overall budgetary consolidation...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Redundancies (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is aware this Government is committed to developing a leaner, more efficient Public Service. To this end, we agreed on 2 October 2012 to accelerate the reduction in Public Service numbers in order to achieve the previous end 2015 target of 282,500 by end 2014 instead. Greater efficiencies in the way the Public Service is going about its business means that some posts have...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The area in question is a limestone area with a high water table and therefore wet land is characteristic of the area. The Office of Public Works carries out maintenance works on the channel at this location, as it is a maintainable watercourse under the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act. The OPW has committed to carry out extensive weed cutting in the channel three times per year, subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Directives (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Office of Public Works is not aware of any EU Directives signed into Irish law which alter responsibility for coastal protection.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Kenmare has been designated as an Area for Further Assessment (AFA) under the South West Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (SWCFRAM) study, currently underway. This is an in-depth examination of the flood risk in the main river catchments in the South West region. A detailed plan with specific recommendations on measures to manage that risk will be produced by consultants, Mott...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Proposed Legislation (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Government, at its meeting on 14 May 2013, approved the publication of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013. The Bill provides for a statutory qualified privilege for private papers of Members and official documents of the Houses. These provisions are intended to apply in all circumstances and are not restricted to inquiries carried out under the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As stated in replies to previous questions on this matter, the Office of Public Works has no responsibility for the maintenance of the river concerned. However, the OPW and Kerry County Council engineers are shortly to visit this location to assess its suitability for an application for funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works Scheme. Any application received will be assessed under...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Savings (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69, 71 to 74, inclusive and 78 and 80 together. The Government is determined to achieve €300m in savings this year and €1bn by 2015 in the public service pay and pensions bill to ensure that it meets its fiscal targets and restores the public finances to a sustainable position. These savings are in addition to the savings enabled by the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Banking Inquiry (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government, at its meeting on 14th May 2013, approved the publication of the text of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013. The aim of this Bill is to establish a comprehensive statutory framework for the Oireachtas to conduct inquiries within the current constitutional parameters. As is evident from the text of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sale of State Assets (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware, I agreed with the Troika in May 2012 that all of the proceeds from asset disposals will be available, in the short term, to be used in one shape or another to support job creating initiatives in the economy. Half of the proceeds will be available to fund employment enhancing projects of a commercial nature. The other half, while destined eventually to pay down...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sale of State Assets (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As I have previously informed the House, none of the potential receipts from the State assets disposal programme are to be used as a means of achieving budgetary targets. Instead, it has been agreed with the Troika that all of the Government’s proceeds from the programme will be available, in one shape or another, to support job creating initiatives in the economy. Half of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Targets (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is making good progress on achieving all of our targets and priorities, as articulated in the Programme for Government. We are bringing public expenditure back to a sustainable level and driving forward the public service reform agenda to ensure that efficiencies and reformed work practices play a full part in contributing to the overall budgetary consolidation effort. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Targets (23 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: To date, good progress has been made on delivering savings and implementing change across all Departments and all quantitative fiscal targets set as part of the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support have been met in full. This is a vital part of our approach to bring the public finances back onto a sustainable footing and thereby supporting economic recovery. The expenditure ceilings and...

Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Second Stage (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It is unconstitutional.

Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Second Stage (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: They cannot.

Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Order for Second Stage (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Second Stage (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The Bill establishes a comprehensive statutory framework for the Houses of the Oireachtas to conduct inquiries within the current constitutional framework. It is underpinned by a detailed legal assessment of the scope for Oireachtas inquiries on the basis of the outcome of the Abbeylara case. It is very clear from the Supreme Court's...

Leaders' Questions (22 May 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Nobody said the Deputy did.