Results 15,981-16,000 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) is a tool used by Departments to assess the costs, benefits and qualitative impacts of regulatory proposals. The use of this tool has been mandatory in relation to proposals for primary legislation as well as significant secondary and EU regulations since 2005, although, in general the practice to date has been that RIAs were only published once a Bill or...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I am conscious of time so I will be brief. I understand the concept behind the amendment. I caution that people should not rush to judgment on any matter but particularly if there are to be investigations in which Members may be involved. Anybody who might be subject to inquiry in the future will look very carefully at what is being said by Members who might act in, or sit on, such...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I have discussed it with them as recently as today.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: They understand it.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It does not take anything from them.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I thank Deputies again for their comments but we are trampling ground that has been well trampled in long debates on Committee Stage. Amendment No. 33, proposed by the United Left Alliance Deputies, seeks to delete section 40. That section sets out how pensions are to be increased referable to the consumer price index. If that is deleted, there is no appropriate way left in the Bill to...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: No. It must be remembered that the new regime would be included. As I have advised the House previously, it is appropriate to give effect to this in primary legislation. How it is to be done should be laid out clearly, which is done in section 40. For the avoidance of doubt, if Deputies look at the proposed section 40, there is no great discretion for the Minister not to give the...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Deputy Flanagan raised a point that is not pertinent to this particular section. We discussed this issue in some detail on Committee Stage. I am not sure what point the Deputy feels was not clarified. I have previously made clear that I value uniformed personnel, in particular, members of the Garda Síochána and prison officers. That is the reason they have unique preserved pensions...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I am not unsympathetic to the point the Deputy makes, but I believe it is not practical to have a report within six months of enactment of the legislation because very few pensioners will be affected within the first six months of its enactment. The Bill makes provision for a review and we can review it at that stage. I understand the point, but the solution the Deputy is proffering to deal...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I do.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I do.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I understand, and I commend the Deputy on the ingenuity of organising a debate on an issue that would otherwise be out of order. Obviously we must have a provision whereby people who have been overpaid will pay it back - whether it is in social welfare or elsewhere. We will always try to do so in a sympathetic way and I give that undertaking to the House.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: This matter was discussed in general terms on Committee Stage. The Deputy has raised a very important point. In the formulation of his amendment the Deputy is putting forward a concept rather than a legal framework. The idea of losing the confidence of the Government being the determination of losing one's pension would be a very risky position. For instance, one adviser who is working...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 30: In page 35, line 12, to delete "as subsequently adjusted thereafter, until payment of the lump sum" and substitute the following: "as adjusted thereafter, until payment of the pension and lump sum".

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It is not the practice to publish such advice and it is not my intention to do so. I have given the advice verbally. There are any number of eminent legal advisers available to the Deputy if she feels that countervailing advice is required.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The House will make the decision.

Written Answers — Budget 2013: Budget 2013 (10 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy is no doubt aware I do not comment on Budget measures prior to Budget Day.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (10 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I refer the Deputy to the reply I gave to PQ Ref 32379/12 on Wednesday 4th July 2012.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Comptroller & Auditor General's (C&AG) special study on public service pensions in 2009 estimated the annual pension cost for public servants to range between 10% and 41%. The new scheme will reduce these costs by approximately one-third. The employee contribution in the Single Scheme continues to be 6.5% (3% on pensionable pay and 3.5% on net pensionable pay (i.e. reduced for social...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (10 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The following shows the number of staff who took sick leave of more than five, ten, fifteen, twenty days and twenty-one days or over in 2011 in all agencies, offices or other bodies reporting to my Department except the Office of Public Works where the information requested is not readily available but, in relation to the Established staff, will be extracted and forwarded directly to the...