Results 18,141-18,160 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Leaders' Questions (20 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy is willing us to fail.

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is currently undertaking a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure under which all areas of public expenditure are being subject to scrutiny. The Government expect that this will go beyond simply abolishing agencies and also consider issues such as how existing agencies might be reformed, how functions might be reallocated among them, and how different bodies within and beyond...

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to the reply by my colleague, the Minister for Finance, to Questions Nos. 39, 43 and 45 on 5 July 2011.

Written Answers — Public Sector Remuneration: Public Sector Remuneration (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Committee for Performance Awards was established in November 2001 to oversee the operation of schemes for performance awards for certain grades within the civil service, the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. The first awards under the scheme of performance-related awards were made in 2003 in respect of 2002. Subsequent awards were made annually thereafter up to 2008 in respect of...

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I refer to the reply by my colleague, the Minister for Finance, to Questions Nos. 39, 43 and 45 of 5 July 2011. The estimate of the net savings accruing to the Exchequer of less than €100m p.a. arising from the imposition of a cap of €100,000 on public service salaries includes those employed in non-commercial state bodies, although it is not possible to provide a breakdown specifically...

Written Answers — Public Service Remuneration: Public Service Remuneration (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The estimated full year saving accruing to the Exchequer from applying a cap on salaries to all members of the Government of €100,000, to TDs of €75,000 and to Senators of €60,000 is estimated at nearly €4.3m.

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The moratorium on recruitment and promotion was introduced at the end of March 2009. The moratorium allows for certain general exemptions in the Education and Health Sectors for the filling of certain key posts as well as for the Local Authorities in relation to certain key posts. Information in relation to the posts covered by these general exemptions may be sought from the relevant...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: In the context of the re-alignment of Government Departments earlier this year, the functions of the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs were transferred to a number of other Departments. The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government received the Community functions which were based in Tubbercurry. I understand that the total number of staff serving in...

Written Answers — Expenditure Reviews: Expenditure Reviews (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure, all Departments and Offices are required to take a root-and-branch review of every line of public spending, to assess whether previous spending programmes are still required to meet public service objectives; whether those objectives are still valid and relevant; and whether new, more efficient, and more modern ways of delivering public services...

Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Estimate for my Department, which was this week presented by me to the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, has been restructured on a Strategic Programme basis, consistent with the presentation of the Annual Output Statements. This new format will align resources with the High Level Goals in the Statement of Strategy and the Programmes set out in the Annual Output...

Written Answers — Expenditure Reviews: Expenditure Reviews (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Under the Government's Comprehensive Review of Expenditure each Minister and Department is committed to a root and branch assessment of all Departmental spending. Over the course of the next few months Government will examine the findings and this will contribute to decisions being made in Budget 2012. All aspects of government expenditure are covered by this review, and I fully expect that...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17, 22 and 24 together. The post of Secretary General, Department of Public Expenditure & Reform forms part of a small number of appointments at Secretary General level which do not come within the remit of the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) and where arrangements for the filling of post are a matter for the Government. The position is that officers...

Written Answers — Public Service Reform: Public Service Reform (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 32 and 42 together. As outlined in the Programme for Government, this Government is committed to the most ambitious programme of Public Service Reform since the foundation of the State. This will take place in tandem with an equally significant programme of constitutional, political and institutional reform to ensure that there is a fundamental change in...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 38, 50 and 51 together. I have recently written to my Ministerial colleagues with Commercial State Companies under their aegis requesting that they arrange to issue letters to the Companies concerned asking that the attention of any staff with salaries in excess of €250,000 be drawn to the Government's request for voluntary waivers of 15% of salary (or...

Written Answers — Public Expenditure: Public Expenditure (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 46, 131 and 132 together. Revised Estimates for all Votes for 2011, updated for the restructuring of Departmental responsibilities, the Jobs Initiative and certain other minor technical adjustments, have been presented to the Dáil, and it is expected that the approval process for all of the Votes will be completed prior to the Dáil summer recess. In...

Written Answers — Public Service Provision: Public Service Provision (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is committed to reducing overall public service numbers over the period to 2015, as part of the overall drive to consolidate the public finances, and having regard to the need to protect front-line public services insofar as possible. Departments are expected to examine all aspects of public sector expenditure under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure with a view to...

Written Answers — Ministerial Functions: Ministerial Functions (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Under section 9(4) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011, the functions of the Minister for Finance in relation to the Commissioners of Public Works transferred to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. In addition, specific functions of the Minister for Finance in other legislation coming within the remit of the OPW will transfer to the Minister for Public...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Senior officials from my Department are on the Tax Strategy Group and will contribute to the deliberations of the Group.

Written Answers — Civil Service Recruitment: Civil Service Recruitment (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: The Government is committed to the reduction of between 18,000 and 21,000 in overall public service numbers by 2014, relative to the end-2010 position, with a further 4,000 reduction in 2015, subject to there being no compulsory redundancies and to the protection of front line services. The measures necessary to give effect to these reductions will depend in part on the rate of natural...

Written Answers — Ministerial Functions: Ministerial Functions (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Howlin: As Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform I have overall responsibility for Ireland's EU Structural Funds Programmes under the National Strategic Reference Programme (NSRF), including the co-ordination of all EU Funds and the promotion of Ireland's interests in the debate on future EU Cohesion policy. In this capacity I will be representing Ireland at meetings of Ministers with...