Results 15,361-15,380 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Pensions and Retirement Lump Sums: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (7 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: With facts.

Pensions and Retirement Lump Sums: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (7 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I welcome the opportunity to contribute briefly to what is a very important debate. Pensions are an important public policy issue, and it is useful and important that we debate them frankly, openly and honestly in this House. There are misconceptions or worse about public service pensions in particular and the steps the Government has been taking to limit the cost of such pensions to the...

Pensions and Retirement Lump Sums: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (7 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I will explain it again. Pensions are a preserved property right under the Constitution. That is the legal advice. Deputies can go and get independent advice if they wish. If they want a constitutional amendment, let us consider that.

Pensions and Retirement Lump Sums: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (7 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Let us be honest, however, about what can be done in all the circumstances. Members opposite spoke about allowances and other matters which are well beyond the scope of this debate. I am very eager to hear that debate. If any Members of the Opposition feel they should not be in receipt of an allowance, there is a complete availability - and I will accept it immediately - of a return or...

Pensions and Retirement Lump Sums: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (7 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: There is no difficulty with that. Some colleagues have done that. If Deputies want to preach that, it is available to people. In the context of the budget, I will be taking careful account of everything that is said here. I am determined that the difficult budget to be placed before this House in the first week of December will be fair and proportionate. I must remind people that in 18...

Pensions and Retirement Lump Sums: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (7 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy should have stuck around.

Pensions and Retirement Lump Sums: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (7 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Since when is €3,000 "lousy"?

Pensions and Retirement Lump Sums: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (7 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: His party.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Agencies (7 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Some 46 critical reviews of State bodies were undertaken as part of the Public Service Reform plan, published in November 2011. I updated my Government colleagues on the rationalisation of state agencies on 31st October 2012. Critical review No.19 of the Agency Rationalisation Programme recommended the merger of the Forensic Science Laboratory into the State Laboratory upon co-location on...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (7 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The data requested by the Deputy is given in the table. Decisions in relation to the allocation of staffing resources between an individual Department and its agencies is a matter, in the first instance, for the management of the Department concerned having regard to a wide range of factors including the remit of the respective bodies, the relative priority of their functions, the profile of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Election Management System (6 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 389 and 390 together. The rates of pay for those taking the polls and counting the votes are laid out in the charges order approved by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in advance of each election or referendum event. The order details the basic rate and the rate for each additional hour worked. The rate varies if a number of polls are involved...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (6 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is examining the proposal to move weekly and fortnightly paid civil servants to a monthly pay cycle. This matter is the subject of discussions with staff side representatives.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Election Management System (6 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The final cost of the Dáil and Presidential Elections in 2011 is in the table that follows this reply. The cost of the Presidential Election includes the Dublin West By-Election and the two Referendums which were held on the same day as the Presidential Election. Expenses General Election 2011 Presidential Election 2011 Returning Officers €12,282,186.25 €16,465,511.19...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Legislation (6 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In late July 2012, the Government approved my proposals to reform Freedom of Information and extend the Act to all public bodies. There are over 500 bodies, including some voluntary bodies, under the Act. It is anticipated that in excess of 100 additional public sector bodies will be brought within remit as a result of my legislative proposals. Subject to specific conditions, this will...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff (6 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was set up in July 2011. Since that time, no staff members from my Department have been rehired.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (6 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: No staff in my Department are currently employed on a roster basis. Likewise, in the offices and agencies under the aegis of my Department, there are no individuals employed on a roster basis.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Radio Spectrum (6 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I understand from my colleague, the Minster for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, that the management of the radio spectrum is a statutory function of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) under the Communications Regulation Act, 2002 as amended. The level of spectrum fees that will be generated by the Multi-Band Spectrum Award process will be determined by the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery (6 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Request for Tender issued by my Department on 16 July 2012 specified, in accordance with the standard Request for Tender document, that any Registerable Interest involving the Tenderer/subcontractor and the Contracting Authority, members of the Government, members of the Oireachtas, or employees and officers of the Contracting Authority and their relatives must be fully disclosed in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (6 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is committed to creating a leaner and more efficient Public Service. To this end, the identification of staff surpluses is under way across the public service (including the Office of Public Works). Where surplus staff cannot be redeployed, exit mechanisms (including voluntary redundancy) will be employed. Final decisions on numbers reductions to be achieved in each sector...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff (6 Nov 2012)

Brendan Howlin: No civil servants who have retired from my Department are back on the payroll in my Department. In the Office of Public Works, the number of staff retained under the abatement principle, for varying periods, since 1/1/2010 is 16. With regard to the other agencies and offices under the aegis of my Department no staff who retired are back in employment in those office or agencies.