Results 16,841-16,860 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Finance Bill 2012: Allocation of Time: Motion (23 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: (1) The proceedings in the Select sub-Committee on Finance on the Finance Bill 2012 shall be brought to a conclusion in accordance with the following timetable:- (1) The proceedings in the Select sub-Committee on Finance on the Finance Bill 2012 shall be brought to a conclusion in accordance with the following timetable:- Date:...

Presentation of Revised Estimates 2012: Motion (23 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I move: That, notwithstanding Standing Order 159(1) or (2) of the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann relative to Public Business, Revised Estimates for the Public Services for the year ending 31 December, 2012, be presented to the Dáil and circulated to members on 23 February, 2012, being a date later than that prescribed for the presentation of Estimates and that the Revised Estimates be...

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: When you were blowing them up, we were supporting them.

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It is not.

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Rubbish.

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: This is your life.

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Rubbish.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: A number of Secretaries General appointed since this Government took office are on annual salaries of €200,000 or less, in line with the Government's policy in relation to the public service annual wage ceiling. Their superannuation and other entitlements, if any, will be determined on the basis of their salary on retirement. I refer to my reply to Question No. 3795/12 regarding the...

Written Answers — Regulatory Impact Analysis: Regulatory Impact Analysis (21 Feb 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...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (21 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Following the informal European Council meeting on 30 January 2012, Commission President Barroso launched an initiative to boost growth and tackle the problem of youth unemployment. He indicated his intention to work with Member States, particularly those where the situation of young people is most difficult, using structural funds among other instruments, to strengthen national efforts to...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (21 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy may know, the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009 introduced a pay cut with effect from 1 January 2010 for serving public servants. Section 3 of that Act provided that the pay cut did not affect pensions until a future date to be set by the Minister for Finance. That date was set as 29 February 2012 after which public service pensions coming...

Written Answers — Public Service Staff: Public Service Staff (21 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As part of its Reform Agenda, the Government is committed to reducing public service numbers to 282,500 by the end of 2015 with the aim of producing a more customer focused, leaner, more efficient, better integrated public service which delivers maximum value for money. Details of Public Service staff numbers and Government Offices are not held centrally on a county by county basis. The...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (21 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 272 and 273 together. In relation to my own Department the only state body under my aegis that is subject to the Revised Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies is An Post National Lottery Company. An Post National Lottery Company will submit its annual report on corporate governance as part of its overall annual report for 2011 to me as Minister...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to "amend the rules to ensure that no senior public servant (including political appointees) or Minister can work in the private sector in any area involving a potential conflict of interest with their former area of public employment, until at least two years have elapsed after they have left public office". This commitment is being...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 and 276 together. As part of the reform of the public service, the Government is committed to the introduction of new skills and talent across all Departments. In the Programme for Government we have said that appointments at Principal Officer level and above will be open to external competition. Since the introduction of the moratorium on recruitment...

Written Answers — Members' Allowances: Members' Allowances (21 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 277 and 282 together. The Party Leader's Allowance is provided for in the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) Act, 1938, as amended by the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 2001. The allowance is paid to the parliamentary leader of a qualifying party in relation to expenses arising from the parliamentary...

Written Answers — Members' Allowances: Members' Allowances (21 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 278 and 281 together. Section 50 (c) (ii) (I) (a) of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001, provides for an annual sum of €4.948 million to be shared among qualified political parties. Payments are calculated on the basis of the share of first preference votes obtained by an individual qualified party at the previous general election. Section 50(c) (i) (a) of...

Written Answers — Members' Allowances: Members' Allowances (21 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: It is understood that the Deputy is referring to funding for Members of the Oireachtas who are not representatives of the main political parties. This matter would be a subject for discussion between the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission and my Department in the context of the preparation of a Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill which requires to be enacted before the end...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (21 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In the period in question there were no occasions for which photographers were booked. In relation to my Department there is no official policy set out around the booking of photographers. However as with all procurement, value for money would be a key factor in procuring photographic services should the need arise.

Written Answers — Ministerial Transport: Ministerial Transport (21 Feb 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy may be aware that since 1 May 2011 all Cabinet Minister with the exception of Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Justice & Law Reform now use their own cars on official business. All Ministers are now paid for official mileage up to 96,540 kilometres [or 60,000 miles] per annum. Ministers of State have used their own cars on official business since 1984. The travel rates...