Results 17,001-17,020 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Regional Development: Regional Development (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The competence of the European Union in the field of economic, social and territorial cohesion is set out in Article 174 of the Treaty. The purpose of the Union's regional and cohesion policy is to reduce the significant economic, social and territorial disparities that still exist between Europe's regions. Ireland has been allocated a total of €901m in Structural Funding for the...

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 Budget process has recently outlined the Exchequer expenditure programme for 2012...

Written Answers — Parliamentary Party Allowances: Parliamentary Party Allowances (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 150 on 15 December last and also to Parliamentary Question No. 3118 last Thursday, I intend to bring proposals to Government shortly in relation to the Party Leader's Allowance. The Party Leader's Allowance is provided for in the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) Act, 1938, as amended by the Oireachtas (Ministerial and...

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

Brendan Howlin: The rules on awarding public contracts have provisions which allow the specification of social criteria, such as the requirement for employment of long term unemployed, as a condition in the performance of the contract. Any such provision must be compatible with EU law, i.e. they must be made known to all interested parties and must not restrict participation by contractors from other Member...

Written Answers — Capital Investment Programme: Capital Investment Programme (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The amount of employment generated by capital expenditure depends on how that expenditure is invested. For example, the purchase of new rail rolling stock would generate little direct employment in Ireland as such stock is generally produced abroad. Furthermore, different types of public construction project have different levels of labour intensity. For example, smaller scale projects such...

Written Answers — National Lottery: National Lottery (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: As Minister with responsibility for the National Lottery, I announced on 10 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...

Written Answers — Local Authority Rates: Local Authority Rates (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. The person liable for payment of rates is the person...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: In April of last year the Government decided that the membership of TLAC would be changed to include a majority of outside members. The new TLAC comprises a majority of outside members and one of these members is the Chairperson. The new committee is charted with identifying and selecting candidates for the most senior positions throughout the Civil Service. The Membership of the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Work is ongoing in my Department in this area. I remain committed to bringing forward the reform required in the context of commitments on accountability arrangements, as set out in the Programme for Government. Legislative change to clarify accountability arrangements is a key initiative of the Government's Public Service Reform Plan that was published in November 2011.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce a statutory register of lobbyists, and rules concerning the practice of lobbying. In addition the Public Service Reform Plan contains a commitment to prepare legislation to meet this commitment. The Government Reform Unit of my Department is currently reviewing the approaches in place in the EU and internationally to the...

Written Answers — EU Structural Funds: EU Structural Funds (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: The Commission published its proposals for the 2014-2020 round of funding on 6 October 2011. Under the proposals, the total Cohesion package would be valued at €376 billion, making it the biggest single element of the EU Budget. Discussions have been taking place at EU Council at official level since that date and I have attended an Informal Ministerial Meeting in Poznan and the General...

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

Brendan Howlin: The revaluation programme began in November 2005 in the South Dublin County Council area where it was completed in 2007. It has since been completed in the Fingal County Council area in 2009 and in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown in 2010. The revaluation of the Dublin City Council area was commenced in May 2011, which entails the valuation of approximately 25,000 properties and the new list will be...

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

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Questions Nos. 274, 288 and 289 of 11 January 2012.

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

Brendan Howlin: I refer to my reply to Questions Nos. 274, 288 and 289 of 11 January 2012.

Written Answers — EU-IMF Programme: EU-IMF Programme (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 to 273, inclusive and 275 to 277, inclusive, together. 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 ...

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

Brendan Howlin: In the first instance, responsibility for operational planning in the context of reducing resources rests with the relevant Public Service body and its parent Department. Public Service organisations must fully use all mechanisms set out in Public Service Reform Plan for discharging work including reorganisation and redeployment of staff. Only after this will the issue of recruitment for...

Written Answers — Exchequer Savings: Exchequer Savings (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Under the general rule of State indemnity the State carries its own insurance , i.e. a commitment is made to protect against losses, should any loss or damage arise where the State was negligent. For the following areas of risk: · Personal injury to employees of the State; · Personal injury to third parties (the public) · Third party property damage - including claims arising from road...

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

Brendan Howlin: My Department has not approved any contracts for posts in the public service providing for a salary in excess of €200,000 since my announcement in June 2011 of the introduction of this general pay ceiling. With regard to CEO posts in Commercial State Companies, no contracts have been approved with a salary in excess of €250,000 other than the post of CEO, ESB. The new salary level of...

Departmental Expenditure (24 Jan 2012)

Brendan Howlin: Given the overarching requirement to put the public finances on a sustainable footing, it is inevitable that savings must be identified across every area of public spending. This involves difficult decisions on how to allocate and prioritise the more limited resources that are now available. However, in making these decisions, the Government has endeavoured in so far as possible to...