Results 16,381-16,400 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Leaders' Questions (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It is a bit like in Greece.

Leaders' Questions (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It is reckless.

Leaders' Questions (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Democracy always existed.

Leaders' Questions (9 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will get splinters from sitting on the fence.

Written Answers — Office of the Ombudsman: Office of the Ombudsman (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Ombudsman Act 1980 established the Office of the Ombudsman and provides that the Ombudsman can delegate authority to her officials to carry out functions on her behalf, that she may act entirely independently in the performance of her statutory functions, and that she may only be removed from Office by the President following resolutions passed by Dáil Éireann and by Seanad Éireann...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In the period since February 2011, the following amounts were paid to external consultants in respect of reports commissioned by my Department: €615 - paid to Davy Corporate Finance in respect of a study carried out for the Department in late February / early March 2012 on options for the next National Lottery licence. €1,210 – paid to Mercer in respect of data used for input to the...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: No such payments were made by my Department in the period from February 2011 to date. With regard to Ministerial or Leader's allowances, the Deputy will be aware that these are block payments which can, within certain guidelines laid down by the Standards in Public Office Commission, be used at the discretion of the Minister/Party Leader and my Department has no involvement in the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: No money has been spent on hair and make-up by my Department.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In the timeframe allowed, it is not possible to provide the information required by the Deputy. No civil servants who have retired from my Department are back on the payroll in my Department. I will write to the Deputy with the relevant information as soon as possible

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: When public service pay rates were cut in 2010, a transitional "retirement grace period" was introduced, so that any persons retiring within the grace period had their pension payments calculated on the basis of the pay rates prevailing prior to the pay cuts. The transitional grace period expired on 29 February 2012. This was not an "early retirement" scheme. As the Deputy will be aware, at...

Written Answers — Public Sector Remuneration: Public Sector Remuneration (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The figures sought by the Deputy are set out below. Gross Exchequer Pay€bn Pension Related Deduction (PRD) Gross Exchequer Pensions€bn Total Exchequer Pay net of PRD & Pensions€bn 2011 15.6 1.0 2.8 17.5 2012 15.4 0.9 3.0 17.4 2013 15.0 0.9 3.0 17.1 2014 14.7 0.9 3.1 16.9 2015 14.6 0.9 3.1 16.8 2011 figure is the provisional outturn 2012 – 2015 figures are estimates The pay bill...

Written Answers — State Banking Sector: State Banking Sector (8 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: My Department has not entered into any contracts with the company in question. The issue of safeguards is a matter for the Minister for Finance.

Written Answers — Retirement Age: Retirement Age (3 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Staff who joined the Civil Service prior to 1 April 2004 are required under current legislation to retire at the maximum retirement age which is 65 years of age. Staff who joined the Civil Service after 1 April 2004 and are classed as new entrants, as defined in section 2 of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004, are not required to retire at 65 as the maximum...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (3 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: My Department does not have any offices in Waterford city or county. Questions in relation to such offices should be put to the relevant Department.

Written Answers — An Coimisinéir Teanga: An Coimisinéir Teanga (3 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Tá mo Roinn ag déanamh breithniú ar mholtaí an Choimisinéara Teanga maidir leis an Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí agus déanfaidh mo Roinn cinneadh i leith an chur chuige cuí sna míonna atá amach romhainn. My Department is considering the recommendations made by the Language Commissioner to the Department of Social Protection and will be deciding on the most appropriate approach in the...

Leaders' Questions (2 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Why not ask how many are employed?

Written Answers — Public Sector Remuneration: Public Sector Remuneration (1 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The 'pension levy' or pension-related deduction (PRD) was introduced with effect from 1 March 2009 via the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. Under the Act the deduction is calculated by reference to 'remuneration'. Remuneration for this purpose is defined at section 1 of the Act as "emoluments to which Chapter 4 of Part 42 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997...

Written Answers — Election Costs: Election Costs (1 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Returning Officers are required to submit accounts to the Department of Finance within six months of holding an election. The final accounts for the recent by-election were submitted this week and will be examined in detail. I am advised that a single bank account was used for the by-election, the Presidential Election and the Referendums, which were held simultaneously. General costs, such...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (1 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy may be aware the Programme for Government contains a commitment to extend the Ombudsman Act to ensure that all statutory bodies are covered. My Department is currently examining the steps necessary to implement this commitment which would have the effect of including Inland Fisheries under the remit of the Ombudsman.

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (1 May 2012)

Brendan Howlin: There are two EU cross-border Programmes specifically focused on the border counties of Ireland and Northern Ireland. These are the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE) and the INTERREG Programme. The current PEACE III Programme (2007-2013) has a total allocation of 333m euro and INTERREG IVA (2007-2013) has an allocation of 256m euro. Both Programmes are co-funded by the EU...