Results 16,741-16,760 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

State Assets: Motion (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I am sure the Deputy will be out to welcome us.

Written Answers — Sale of State Assets: Sale of State Assets (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 86 together. I am satisfied that the agreement that the Government reached with the Troika was a remarkable advance on the position originally advanced by them and I do not propose to reopen the matter. I would remind the Deputies that the Troika was originally pressing for asset sales of €5bn to be used exclusively to off-set debt. In the course of...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Shared services is a key aspect of the Public Service Reform Plan. The benefits of shared services are well documented internationally, including in public service contexts. They include: · standardisation of processes allowing for greater transparency and accessibility; · reduced duplication; · the elimination of waste; and · significant cost reductions in the medium term. The...

Written Answers — Expenditure Reviews: Expenditure Reviews (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 74 together. In response to the Deputies' questions, the cost of contract cleaning in both the Department of Finance and the Office of Public Works has not been brought to my attention in the review of spending. I have noted the amounts quoted and will ask both the Department of Finance and the Office of Public Works to examine the costing and to come...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 71, 84 and 106 together. The latest information from across the public service indicates that over 7,000 people have applied to retire by the end of this month. A sectoral breakdown of applications to retire is set out below. Sector Number of applications received HealthEducationCivil ServiceLocal AuthorityDefenceGardaí 2,5672,0001,236931362310...

Written Answers — Sale of State Assets: Sale of State Assets (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69, 80 and 83 together. In comparison with the prospect that we faced when this Government came to power last year, I am confident that the asset disposal programme that I announced last week can have a significantly positive outcome by driving competition in the energy sector and facilitating much needed investment in our economic recovery. Instead of a...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is at an advanced stage in the preparation of the General Scheme of a Bill to give effect to the commitments in the Programme for Government in relation to Freedom of Information. Subject to Government approval of the draft Heads of the Bill and other priorities in the Government's legislative programme, I expect to be in a position to introduce the Bill to give effect to the...

Written Answers — Sale of State Assets: Sale of State Assets (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 92 together. In identifying which assets are to be regarded as non-strategic, Government has been guided, inter alia, by the detailed sectoral analysis contained in the report of the Review Group on State Assets and Liabilities, which was published in April of last year. The Government considers, in particular, the electricity and gas transmission...

Written Answers — Social Impact Bonds: Social Impact Bonds (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 108 together. The Government Programme for National Recovery 2011-2016 provides that the Government will establish a new model of financing social interventions called Social Impact Bonds that share audited Exchequer savings with charitable and voluntary organisations. My Department is considering how best to establish this new and innovative...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Circular letter LP 6/7/2011 provides that civil service staff should give a three-month notice period of their intention to retire in the period up to and including 29 February 2012. Other sectors of the public service have adopted a similar approach to a notice period. The three month notice period was introduced as a temporary measure to assist management across the public service in...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question no members of State boards under the aegis of my Department have volunteered to waive their fee or expenses. For completeness one member of the board of An Post National Lottery is not paid a fee as he is a member of the board of An Post. In addition, no fee was paid to a board member whose term expired in November 2011 as he was also a member of the...

Written Answers — Top Level Appointments Committee: Top Level Appointments Committee (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be aware of the extensive changes which I introduced last July in relation to the composition of the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC). There is now a majority of external members on the Committee, as well as an external Chairperson. These changes are in line with our commitment under the Programme for Government. The appointees have been selected not only for their...

Written Answers — Ministerial Transport: Ministerial Transport (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 283 together. In period June 2011 to December 2011 the following travel costs were incurred by my Department in relation to travel undertake by me in my role as Minister for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. On the 24th of November 2011, I travelled to Poznan via the Government Jet to attend a meeting held under the Polish Presidency....

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The superannuation terms for Secretaries General are in line with their contractual arrangements. Currently serving Secretaries General appointed under the TLAC process have exit arrangements which are part of their terms of employment following a Government decision at the time of appointment. These may include the offer of an alternative post in the Public Service, or a severance payment...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (28 Feb 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 Principal Officer (standard) scale, which currently runs from €80,051 at the minimum to €92,672 at the maximum. Remuneration in excess of the maximum point of the Principal Officer (standard) scale has been...

Written Answers — Sale of State Assets: Sale of State Assets (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In deciding on the programme of asset disposals that I announced last week, the Government has been careful to safeguard the position of strategic infrastructure such as the electricity and gas networks and Dublin port and the deputy will have noted that they are not part of the disposal programme that I announced. The Government recognizes that this key infrastructure is vital to the optimum...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce new legislation to protect small building subcontractors that have been denied payments from bigger companies. In this regard, my colleague Minister of State Mr Brian Hayes has been working with Senator Feargal Quinn to develop the Senator's private member's Construction Contracts Bill – which had passed all stages in the...

Written Answers — Public Service Reform: Public Service Reform (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: On 17th November last year, I launched the Government's Public Service Reform Plan. The Plan differs from previous initiatives in that it provides a new imperative for cost reductions and service improvements in a context of falling Public Service numbers, linked closely to governance structures and processes designed to ensure implementation. It contains a wide range of actions and...

Written Answers — National Lottery Licence: National Lottery Licence (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 94 together. I announced on 10th November 2011, in the context of unveiling the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Framework 2012 – 2016, that the Government has decided to review a number of options regarding the future of the National Lottery. My Department is currently examining the various options with respect to the next Lottery licence and...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (28 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Question Reference No. 2856/12 of 18 January 2012.