Results 15,781-15,800 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Review (25 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The position is that privilege days no longer pertain in the Civil Service and have been incorporated into the annual leave allowance of civil servants. In the context of a more integrated public service, as set out in the Public Service Agreement 2010 – 2014, the issue of standardising annual leave arrangements across the public service was agreed between my Department and the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Numbers (25 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to the Career Break Scheme in the Civil Service, the details of which are set out in Circular 18 of 1998. Under the terms of this Circular, Departments have delegated sanction to grant or refuse career breaks. While staff should be facilitated as far as possible, the needs of the work may require that some applications will have to be refused....

Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Fourteen years.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Judicial Pay (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The total cost of judicial pay in 2010 and 2011 is set out below. Year Amount 2010 €27,168,740.87 2011 €26,712,154.00 In line with the favorable outcome of the referendum on the Twenty Ninth Amendment of the Constitution, which concerned judicial remuneration, legislation was enacted in 2011 to provide for the application of the two Financial Emergency Measures in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Rehiring (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 55 together. In relation to my Department, fifteen staff have been recruited to the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service. Of the fifteen staff recruited, seven will be seconded to other Departments/Offices. The recruits met the essential requirement of candidates to these posts which were: (a) that they had achieved at least a Level 8 on...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government approved the drafting of the Protected Disclosures in the Public Interest Bill, 2012 in February 2012. The General Scheme of the Bill was published on my Department’s website and referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform for its views. The Committee’s report containing its detailed observations on the General Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 53 together. The Deputy will be aware of the significant commitments given in the Programme for Government to restore the Freedom of Information Act, to extend its remit to other public bodies. To this end the Government has recently approved plans to reform and extend Freedom of Information and I have submitted the General Scheme of the Freedom of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government has approved the General Scheme of the National Lottery Bill 2012. The General Scheme has been sent to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government. It is my intention to seek Government approval for the Bill in the current Dáil session and, subject to approval, the Bill will be published shortly afterwards.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: A consultation process was carried out by my Department earlier this year, based on the broad OECD principles, to inform the development of proposals for lobbying regulation in Ireland. Following this process policy proposals were published drawing on the outcome of the consultation. A public seminar was then held in early July to discuss the proposals, following which a further...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is currently finalising the Draft Heads of the Bill to amend the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 and I expect to bring proposals to Government for agreement very shortly. My officials will be liaising with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) with a view to having the Bill drafted and published at the earliest possible date.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Reports (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Third Report of the Organisational Review Programme (ORP) was published on 26th January 2012. That report contains the findings of reviews of four Departments as well as comprehensive follow-up action plans prepared by each of these organisations and by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in relation to the National Parks and Wildlife Service. A Progress Report on...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In March 2012, the Secretary General of my Department wrote to all Departments informing them of the commitment in the Public Service Reform Plan that every Purchase Order by a Government Department or Agency for €20,000 or over should be published online by the end of 2012. In the letter, Department and Offices were asked to put appropriate processes in place in their own Departments...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Following the publication of the Final Report of the Mahon Tribunal in March 2012, I committed to examining how the existing legislative framework for ethics could be reformed to develop a single, comprehensive legislative framework grounded on a clear and comprehensive set of principles. This involves overhauling and reforming the current fragmented legislative framework and to strengthening...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Review (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to strengthen civil service accountability. This is a key element of the objectives reflected in the Public Service Reform Plan to boost the performance and capacity of the overall system of public administration in Ireland. The Government Reform Unit in my Department is currently preparing a policy paper on civil service accountability...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Review (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government’s Public Service Reform Plan, published last November, places a strong emphasis on the need for effective governance structures to ensure delivery of the Reform Plan and to maintain oversight of the reform programmes of Departments and Sectors. To this end, in November last year, I established a dedicated Reform and Delivery Office in my Department, led by an externally...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Rehiring (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Following the publication of the Government’s Public Service Reform Plan last November, a Reform Delivery Board was established to oversee and monitor the delivery of Public Service Reform at a strategic level and provide assurance to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and to the Cabinet Committee on Public Service Reform that reform is being successfully delivered. The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Bodies Mergers (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Regarding the 46 critical reviews, my Department is currently considering the responses received by Departments. Following this consideration I will bring a Memorandum to Government highlighting the results of the review process and requesting a decision on how best to proceed with implementation of the agency rationalisation programme.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Bodies Mergers (20 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The proposed measure is one of 46 critical reviews of State bodies which are being undertaken as part of the Public Service Reform plan, published in November last year. TheDepartment of Public Expenditure and Reform is currently considering the reviews received by Departments. Following this consideration, a Memorandum will be brought to Government highlighting the results of the review...

Confidence in the Minister for Health: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (19 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: God help them they will only have €120,000 per year.

Confidence in the Minister for Health: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (19 Sep 2012)

Brendan Howlin: He sounds like a great Minister.