Results 16,281-16,300 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Significant work has been undertaken by my Department to examine and assess the key next steps and priorities relating to the implementation of the commitments on Freedom of Information (FOI) in the Programme for Government. My Department is currently considering the responses it has received from other government departments in respect of proposals relating to the substantive restrictions...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Appointments under the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 are interpreted as "the appointment of a person to a position within the Civil Service " or wider public service. This includes the appointment of a new entrant to the civil or public service or an appointment on promotion. The filling of overseas posts is generally carried out through a lateral...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The position regarding opportunities for employment in the Public Service generally is limited by the recruitment and promotion moratorium which was announced on the 27th March 2009. The moratorium applies, with limited exceptions, to the civil service, local authorities, non-commercial state bodies, the Garda Síochána, the Permanent Defence Forces and to certain bodies established by...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I announced the review of allowances and premia payments, to be carried out by my Department, in my address on the 2012 Expenditure Estimates on 5 December 2012. This announcement was made on foot of a Government decision which requires the public service to take additional measures to deliver further efficiencies in 2012 so as to ensure that pay bill targets are met and with a view to...

Written Answers — Public Sector Reform: Public Sector Reform (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As part of the Croke Park Agreement management and staff representatives have agreed to work together to deliver increased productivity and maximise efficiencies in the delivery of public services. It is estimated that the cost of sick leave across the public service is over €500m. The State is no longer in a financial position to be able to sustain the cost of the existing sick leave...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government decided in March this year to set up the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES). The work of the Service will support Departments in evaluating policy and expenditure options; value for money exercises; cost-benefit and regulatory impact analyses; and regulatory and competition issues. Postgraduate staff with economic qualifications were targeted through an...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The current Guidelines on Special Advisors provide, except in the Offices of the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste where separate arrangements apply, that they are to be placed on the minimum point of the Principal Officer (standard) scale, which currently runs from €80,051 at the minimum to €92,672 at the maximum. Remuneration in excess of the minimum point of the Principal Officer...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I have appointed Anne Byrne and Ronan O'Brien as special advisors. The salary for both special advisors has been 83,337 and 114,000 respectively per annum since their appointment. No salary increases have been requested in respect of either appointment.

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is working on gathering the material and information requested by the Deputy and will furnish the information to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Public Sector Reform: Public Sector Reform (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 290 and 291 together. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for our EU/IMF Programme of financial assistance was signed in December 2010, and following each of the subsequent quarterly reviews by the Troika, an update of the MoU is agreed. Each update to the MoU can include the continuation of, or revisions to, existing commitments along with new commitments....

Written Answers — Public Investment Projects: Public Investment Projects (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Since coming into office, the current Government has been working on a range of measures to boost employment and help stimulate economic growth beginning with the Jobs Initiative which was launched in May 2011. Further work to stimulate economic growth and create employment is ongoing across Departments. My Department undertook a review of the public capital programme last year, the results...

Written Answers — Public Procurement Contracts: Public Procurement Contracts (12 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I am very aware that public procurement can be an important source of business for local enterprises. Current guidelines (Circular 10/10) issued by my Department require public bodies to promote participation of small and medium-sized enterprises in the award of public contracts. These guidelines set out positive measures that contracting authorities are to take to promote SME involvement in...

Written Answers — Public Sector Remuneration: Public Sector Remuneration (6 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my replies to Question Nos. 40820/12, 1075/12, 1076/12 of 11 January 2012.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (6 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 and 244 together. The inter-departmental Steering Groups established in respect of each of the State companies listed in the asset disposals programme are taking account of, inter alia, the possible impact of pension deficits on the outcomes of the programme. However, the State is not liable for pension fund deficits arising in commercial state companies....

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (6 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 265 together. The restoration and extension of Freedom of Information (FOI) aims, in line with the Programme for Government commitment, to reverse the substantive restrictions to FOI introduced in 2003 and to extend FOI to all public bodies, including the administrative functions of the Garda Síochána (subject to security exceptions) as well as to...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (6 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I have appointed Anne Byrne and Ronan O'Brien as special advisors. The salary for both special advisors has been 83,337 and 114,000 respectively per annum since their appointment. No salary increases have been requested in respect of either appointment.

Written Answers — Property Valuations: Property Valuations (6 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As I informed the Deputy in a previous reply, the Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Valuation Act, 2001 and the making of valuations for rating is his sole prerogative. The statute does not accord me as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform any function in this regard. In accordance with the Act, a revaluation programme which began in...

Written Answers — Public Sector Remuneration: Public Sector Remuneration (6 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Question No. 1329/12 of 11 January 2012.

Written Answers — Croke Park Agreement: Croke Park Agreement (6 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together. The Implementation Body for the Public Service Agreement was established in July 2010 to oversee progress on implementation of the agreed reform and flexibility measures across all sectors of the public service and to ensure that robust and verifiable reforms are secured, which lead to sustainable savings in the cost of public service...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (6 Jun 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Both myself and my colleague the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, met with officials of the European Investment Bank in Brussels recently to discuss a range of issues. Those talks were very successful and we made good progress on many grounds. The EIB were very positive towards Ireland and made a firm commitment to continue to support Irish infrastructure projects. Following these...