Results 16,981-17,000 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As part of the Public Service Reform Plan, published on 17 November 2011, my Department committed to develop a Cloud Computing Strategy for the Public Service during the first quarter of this year. This Strategy is being developed in collaboration with the Public Service Chief Information Officer (CIO) Council, which was recently established to assist and advise my Department in developing...

Written Answers — Sale of State Assets: Sale of State Assets (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 264 together. The context of the questions is the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) governing the EU/IMF Funding Programme for Ireland, which commits the Government to considering options for an ambitious programme of asset disposals, based on the Programme for Government and the report of the Review Group on State Assets and Liabilities. The MOU...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 82 together. There are no incentivised schemes for early retirement in operation at present in the public or civil service. Many of the retirements at this stage are occurring in the normal course where an individual has reached retirement age. There are also cases where individuals are availing of "cost-neutral early retirement", which allows...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (24 Jan 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 — Commercial Semi-State Bodies: Commercial Semi-State Bodies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As the Deputy will be aware, the NewERA unit was established within the National Treasury Management Agency in 2011 to reform the manner in which Government manages the commercial semi-State companies. NewERA will initially undertake the corporate governance function, from a shareholder perspective and reporting to relevant ministers, of ESB, Bord Gáis Éireann, EirGrid, Bord na Móna and...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Pay and superannuation terms for Secretaries General and County Managers are in line with their contractual arrangements. The Deputy will be aware that a number of significant steps have been taken to reduce costs which will make a significant contribution to the national effort to restore the public finances to a sustainable path. Among the pay measures introduced and impacting on the...

Written Answers — Public Sector Reform: Public Sector Reform (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Senior public service managers are accountable to the Oireachtas through their appearances before Select Committees and the Public Accounts Committee. They are also subject to rigorous independent examination of regularity, propriety and value for money by the Comptroller and Auditor General who carries out individual VFM examinations on the economy and efficiency with which a public body...

Written Answers — National Pensions Reserve Fund: National Pensions Reserve Fund (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government's "Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2012 to 2016" report, which was published on 10 November 2011, sets out the €17 billion Exchequer capital investment framework for the coming five year period. In addition, as signalled in the plan, there will be capital investment through the Strategic Investment Fund (SIF), the establishment of which was announced by the Government...

Written Answers — Public Expenditure: Public Expenditure (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As is clear from the Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2012-2014 published on 5 December last, the Capital Infrastructure Plan published on 10 November 2011, the Implementation Body publication of the Public Service Agreement Progress Report on the 17 November 2011, and the Public Service Reform Plan also published on 17 November 2011, the Government is making good progress on achieving all...

Written Answers — National Revaluation Programme: National Revaluation Programme (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As I explained in response to previous Questions, the revaluation programme which began in November 2005 in the greater Dublin area is ongoing, the current emphasis being in the Dublin City Council area which commenced last May and which involves the valuation of approximately 25,000 properties. As part of the roll-out of the revaluation programme to other local authority areas, the...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is committed to reducing the Public Service number to 282,500 by 2015. Given the importance of meeting this challenging numbers target, any recruitment will be directed towards areas of most need. In order to mitigate the impact on frontline service provision as far as possible, with the co-operation and flexibility of individual public servants, we will fully use the...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In response to the Deputy's question my Department does not keep a central registry of all State agency board appointees. Each Department keeps the details in respect of State agency board appointees in respect of the State Agencies which come under their remit. In respect of my own Department An Post National Lottery is a commercial State agency which comes under the remit of my Department....

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Government has reaffirmed the key commitments under the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 on pay rates and job security for serving public servants. These commitments are contingent on delivery of the necessary flexibilities and reforms to public service delivery that are required under the Agreement. The Exchequer allocations for 2012 have been set out. Measures for 2013 will be...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Question Nos. 248 and 249 of 21 July 2011. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: A number of reforms have been introduced in relation to the pension entitlements of TDs and Ministers. The Deputy will be aware that the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 provided that pensions would not be payable to new Oireachtas members before 65 years of age, and under the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The purpose of EU Regional/Cohesion policy is to reduce the significant economic, social and territorial disparities that still exist between Europe's regions. The budget for the 2007-2013 round is €347bn. Most of this budget is allocated for those countries and regions whose gross domestic product per capita is less than 75% of EU average (81.5% for convergence objective). The...

Written Answers — Public Sector Increments: Public Sector Increments (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Based on more detailed information recently requested by my Department on the total cost of increments in a full year in the various sectors, the estimated full year cost of increments in the public service (excluding the Local Authority sector) is now estimated at no more than €180 million per annum and will be less than half that sum in 2012. Significantly reduced recruitment, the ongoing...

Written Answers — Public Service Transfers: Public Service Transfers (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Transfers for grades represented by the Civil and Public Services union (mostly Clerical and Staff Officers) are arranged in accordance with formal procedures agreed with the Staff Side at General Council under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for the Civil Service. Officers in these grades seeking a transfer to another Department or location may apply to the Personnel Officer of the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The issue raised by the Deputy relates to the provisions of the Public Sector Transfer Network (PSTN) which enables individuals to transfer service from one member organisation to another for superannuation purposes. Membership of the PSTN is voluntary and organisations which apply to join are designated by Statutory Instrument as 'approved organisations' under Section 4 of the...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Valuation Tribunal was established in 1989 under Section 2 of the Valuation Act, 1988 and is continued under Section 12 of the Valuation Act, 2001. Members of the Tribunal are appointed by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform under the provisions of Section 12 (4) of the Valuation Act 2001. Membership of the Valuation Tribunal currently stands at 21. The date on which each...