Results 17,401-17,420 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin
- Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: -----of the troika coming in.
- Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: The last time I heard somebody argue year zero was Pol Pot when we are supposed to forget all that went before.
- Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: We are determined to restore our public finances-----
- Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: -----to ensure we can afford to undertake such projects in the not too distant future. Notwithstanding this, the transport allocation will include the commencement of the linkage of the two Luas lines, incorporating a line extending to Broombridge in north west Dublin, the railway safety programme that has been set out, replacement buses, and the upgrade of existing quality bus corridors will...
- Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: There was a time when a Government thought they had money for everything. Unfortunately it was not their money.
- Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: It now falls on this responsible Government to cure that terrible malaise. We are continuing to fund a wide range of capital programmes and projects - â¬17 billion is still a very significant amount of money. The areas with an increased share of the overall capital allocation, compared with the last capital review in 2010, are education, health and enterprise, reflecting both my priorities...
- Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: Would the Deputy prefer to cut social welfare?
- Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: That is a great record for 14 years in government.
- Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: The Central Mental Hospital, the national oncology centre-----
- Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The Government is fully alert to the sacrifices people must make and the need to lessen the impact of decisions on the vulnerable as much as possible. The unfortunate reality is that Ireland is facing a budgetary crisis, which we must correct if we are to regain the ability to restore public services in the future. Until we achieve this...
- Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: There is little in what Deputy Fleming said with which I do not fully agree. It is the objective, as far as is practicable, to defend front line services. We need to downsize our public services. While I believe the numbers outlined can be achieved without impacting on the delivery of services, I will not pretend that this will not be a challenge. It will mean we will have to have...
- Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: The plan for education that the Deputy approves of is exactly that. People will be able to retire but stay in place until the exams. There may be a need for such flexibility in other sectors. I am open to that where it is needed. The objective will to ensure that we protect services as far as possible. The Deputy fears that there might be a mass exodus from the health service. We have...
- Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: The council is looking for â¬4.4 billion in cuts.
- Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: I do not want to pretend for a minute that the adjustments the Government is required to take are anything we would want to do or anything that can be done in a painless way. There is already an extraordinary degree of pain being endured by the people of Ireland, top to bottom. We want to make the adjustments we have to make to get to the fiscal target of a 3% deficit by 2015 in the orderly...
- Public Sector Reform (17 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will appreciate that some of the issues raised in her question relate to budgetary matters which will be addressed in December's budget. I do not propose to pre-empt any decisions of the Government on the budget in my reply, nor have I done so in any discussions with public service sectoral interests, and I have met a cross-section of them. However, the programme for Government...
- Public Sector Reform (17 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: The Deputy makes a valid point, and I would be delighted to read her proposals in this regard. One of the things I said today is that we do not have a monopoly of ideas on this side of the House. This is a process, and we are open to ideas. When I come to the Committee of Public Accounts and the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, I will make a full presentation on...
- Public Sector Reform (17 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: I am too long-winded.
- Public Sector Remuneration (17 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: The Government supports a strong policy of pay restraint within the public sector. This is evidenced by the fact that immediately on assumption of office - on the night of their appointment - the Taoiseach, other members of the Government and a number of other office-holders voluntarily reduced their salary rates. In addition, I immediately began the process of considering whether it would...
- Public Sector Remuneration (17 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: I do not think the Deputy and I have any difference of opinion on this. It is a question of how we do it rather than what we do. Of the 18 individuals I mentioned, one is a Member of the Oireachtas. That confused me when I saw it; it is, of course, the President, who is a House of the Oireachtas in and of himself. I should tell the House that the President has indicated to my Department...
- Public Sector Remuneration (17 Nov 2011)
Brendan Howlin: I will answer that separately. I do not want to get into a discussion on the President, but the Deputy can be assured that the highest probity will attach itself to all his actions. Of the other members of the group of 18 I mentioned, seven are CEOs of commercial semi-State bodies, all of whom have taken a reduction, although their salaries are still over â¬250,000. The Deputy will recall...