Results 16,021-16,040 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: My Department undertook a review of the public capital programme last year, the results of which were published in the "Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2012-2016: Medium Term Exchequer Framework". The Framework sets out €17 billion worth of Exchequer investment intended to address critical infrastructure investment gaps in order to aid economic recovery, social cohesion and...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Department of Justice and Equality has advised that an adjudication in bankruptcy is a judicial decision of the High Court. Once a person is adjudicated bankrupt, the law provides that their property is vested in a Court appointed assignee; no Minister has a role in this process. Consequently, questions relating to possible collation and publication of statistics on the lines referred...

Written Answers — Croke Park Agreement: Croke Park Agreement (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Public Service Agreement between the Government and the Public Service Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and other associations representing public service staff is a four-year agreement covering the period 2010 to 2014. The sustainable savings and progress being achieved under the framework of the Agreement are assessed annually by the Implementation Body, whose role...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Under my proposals approved by Government in June 2011 for the imposition of an annual salary cap in the public service of €200,000, the existing annual salary rates (PPC) for Secretary General were reduced to €200,000 (Level I & Level II) and €189,474 for Secretary General Level III. These are single pay points for Secretary General and no additional remuneration is payable. All...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Question No. 23619/12 of 10 May 2012.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 37 together. The Government is making good progress on achieving all of our targets and priorities, as articulated in the Government Programme. 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...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I have completed my review of these proposals and the Department of the Environment,Community and Local Government submitted draft legislation on the 12th June which is being finalised by my officials in conjunction with their counterparts in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. It is intended that this statutory instrument will be signed by me and my colleague...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The number of civil service pensioners in the requested pension bands is as follows: Table Distribution of main scheme civil service pensions Bands Total less than €10,000 5,155 €10,000-€20,000 2,550 €20,001-€30,000 4,017 €30,001-€40,000 1,443 €40,001-€50,000 1,232 €50,001-€60,000 769 €60,001-€70,000 57 €70,001-€80,000 171 €80,001-€90,000 23...

Written Answers — Public Procurement Contracts: Public Procurement Contracts (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I would like to state at the outset that there is not a general requirement for projects of a value of €50,000 or above to be procured on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT). Contracting Authorities may choose to award a contract either on a MEAT basis to the highest scoring tender measured against MEAT criteria or lowest price only where lowest price is the only...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In the context of the overall pay ceilings introduced by this Government in June 2011, I have approved no pay increases for serving public servants, advisors and CEOs of Commercial State Companies, other than in the publically notified case of the CEO of the ESB, that have breached such limits. The table sets out the position where advisers are being paid above the Principal Officer scale. ...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The following table shows the estimated full time equivalent staffing numbers by salary band in the civil service only. Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals Full Time Equivalent Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals 1,181 Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals 5,385 Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals 8,481 Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals 6,564 Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question I am satisfied that the new arrangements introduced by the Government have significantly improved transparency in the making of appointments to State Boards compared with the making of appointments in previous years.

Written Answers — Public Sector Pensions: Public Sector Pensions (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It is estimated that the imposition of a cap of €60,000 on pensions in the civil service, based on May 2012 data, would have resulted in an estimated annual saving of €8m. This takes no account of the tax and other statutory deductions foregone. Comparable data are not available for the public service as a whole.

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government adopted my proposal in June 2011 for the introduction of:- · a general pay ceiling of €200,000 for future appointments to higher positions across the public service; and · a general pay ceiling of €250,000 for future appointments to CEO posts within Commercial State Companies. Following the outcome to the referendum on remuneration for the Judiciary the Financial...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Negotiations are ongoing at the moment with regard to revising sick leave arrangements across the public sector and it is expected that these discussions will be finalised in the coming weeks. Management of sick leave in all agencies, offices and other bodies reporting to my Department is a matter for the individual agencies, offices and bodies concerned. I am assured however that all the...

Written Answers — Prompt Payments System: Prompt Payments System (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question the average time lapse between receipt of invoices for goods and services and actual payment in my Department is 11 days. This information is taken from data compiled for Prompt Payments Returns to the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, dealing with payments that issue to the private sector, as opposed to transfers to other parts of the...

Written Answers — National Aquatic Centre: National Aquatic Centre (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The established process for responding to the recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee is via a Minute of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The PAC's recent report, VAT Costs on the National Aquatic Centre, is being carefully examined and the response is being developed. When finalised in the coming weeks, the formal Minute of the Minister for Public Expenditure and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Implementation Body for the Public Service Agreement published its Second Annual Progress Report in respect of Year 2 of the Agreement (12 months ending March 2012) on 13th June last which found, inter alia , that: - Pay bill savings of €650m were achieved during the year under review (Apr 2011 to Mar 2012) driven largely by the reduction in staff numbers, or €521m net of an estimate...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take questions 110 and 111 together. I refer to my reply to Question Nos. 40820/11, 1075/12 and 1076/12 of 11 January 2012.End of Take

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Jul 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119 and 120 together. The Government is making good progress in realising all of our targets and priorities, as articulated in the Government Programme. We are also achieving all of our objectives by delivering on all the conditions and targets set out in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with our external partners in...