Results 18,021-18,040 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Order of Business (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be aware that this is a productive Government producing a raft of new legislation. Much of it is prioritised because of commitments that are binding within the EU-IMF deal. In truth, some of the urgent legislation - some of which falls within my area of operation - is dislodging other legislation because the physical capacity of the Parliamentary Counsel to do all that must...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (21 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The matter of pension arrangements for retiring Secretaries General is at present the subject of a review by my Department, following which I will bring forward proposals in relation to the Top-level Appointments Committee (TLAC) retirement terms. This review is dealing with the terms of future Secretaries General. The Government will be ensuring that the new terms reflect our changed...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (21 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy will be aware of the significant commitments given in the programme for Government to restore the Freedom of Information Act, to extend its remit to other public bodies including the administrative side of the Garda Síochána, subject to security exceptions and to extend the Act to ensure that all statutory bodies and all bodies significantly funded from the public purse, are...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (21 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is currently preparing the General Scheme of the Bill to give effect to the commitments in the Programme for Government to introduce whistleblowers legislation. It is planned to submit the Draft Heads to the Government in the autumn of 2011 with a view to securing approval for the drafting of a Bill by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. The objective of the legislation is...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (21 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: My Department is currently considering proposals to amend the Valuation Act 2001 to modernise and streamline the valuation process in the interests of both the ratepayers and the local authorities. Preliminary Heads of Bill have been drafted and a significant amount of technical work has already been undertaken in conjunction with the Valuation Office and the Attorney General. My objective is...

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Remarkable.

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy should realise that this is not a laughing matter.

Order of Business. (21 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Fishing for legislation.

Order of Business. (21 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I would say Deputy Kelleher is there now anyway.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: According to data supplied by the Paymaster General's Office, there are three retirees from the Department of the Taoiseach who are in receipt of pensions in excess of €100,000 per annum. I am advised that the total amount paid in respect of pensions above €100,000 per annum, dating from 2006 when the first pension exceeded €100,000 for these retirees, is €1,393,900. The three...

Written Answers — Public Service Remuneration: Public Service Remuneration (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to the reply by my colleague, the Minister for Finance, to Question Nos. 18587/11, 18588/11, and 18586/11 on 5 July 2011.

Written Answers — Public Service Remuneration: Public Service Remuneration (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Remuneration rates for the Civil Service grades up to Secretary General Level III are detailed in Civil Service Circular No. 28 of 2009 which is accessible through the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform website at http://per.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/circ282009.pdf Additionally, the equivalent pay rates for Secretary General Level II are €226,937 (Personal Pension Contribution...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The 2009 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) includes an audit of property management under the decentralisation programme. This report identified capital expenditure on the Programme of 289.4 million Euro on property and recurring costs (leases) of 7 million Euro (as at April 2010). Dublin property disposals were 356m Euro and leases with an annual value of 10m Euro over...

Written Answers — Local Authority Valuations: Local Authority Valuations (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Valuation Act 2001 provides for the valuation of all commercial and industrial property and the Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Act and the making of valuations for rating is his sole prerogative. Under section 28 (4) of the Act, a Revision Officer of the Commissioner may carry out a revision of valuation in relation to a particular...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Under the current legislative arrangements, the President of Ireland is entitled to a full pension of half pay on leaving office. I will before the end of this month introduce the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011 which will propose a career averaged rather than final salary pension for a President who is a member of the new Single Scheme. The pension that...

Written Answers — Civil Service Staff: Civil Service Staff (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The information sought by the Deputy is not collected centrally. Generally, information on the age of a candidate is not part of the candidate information that is collected when promotion competitions take place in the Civil Service. Selection for appointment to posts in the Civil Service (both internal and external) is governed by the Codes of Practice set down by the Commission for Public...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 201 together. 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 addition, you may be aware that the Construction Contracts Bill 2010 was introduced by Senator Feargal Quinn and passed Committee and remaining stages in the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 and 198 together. Prior to the appointment of the former Secretary General to the post of Secretary General to the Government in January 2000, the Government decided that the terms applicable to Secretaries General appointed under the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) process would apply in his case. At the end of his term in December 2010, the then...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The following are the State Boards whose membership is determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Public Appointment Service The following have been nominated and have agreed to serve on the Board of PAS. Mr. Eddie Sullivan, Chairman Mr. Des Dowling, Assistant Secretary - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government Ms Deirdre O'Keeffe, Assistant Secretary...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: There have been four Secretaries-General appointed to Government Departments since 9 March 2011 as follows, Mr. Robert Watt (Department of Public Expenditure & Reform), Mr. Martin Fraser (Department of the Taoiseach), Mr. Brian Purcell (Department of Justice & Equality) and Mr. Jim Breslin (Department of Children & Youth Affairs). The severance arrangements to which the Deputy refers only...