Results 18,321-18,340 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I will be fully accountable to Dáil Éireann under the Constitution as soon as the legislation is enacted. Its Members can ask retrospectively about anything I have done from the moment I was appointed. They will not be time-barred from doing that. Therefore, I will be fully accountable. I am happy to be accountable already. It certainly took longer than I expected on the day I was...

Seanad: Whistleblower Legislation: Motion (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I am sorry to see Senator Norris leave the House as soon as I stand up.

Seanad: Whistleblower Legislation: Motion (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I am gratified to hear that and I would have been surprised if the Senator had left. I know if he had left it would have involved an urgent matter. After a long absence I am delighted to be back in the House twice in the same day. I will take the concluding Stages of the next legislation also. I will address Senator Norris's suggestion first. My officials have indicated that there has...

Seanad: Whistleblower Legislation: Motion (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: When the legal bill approached €500,000, I was rather vulnerable until the matter was resolved. That kind of pressure should not be on any individual with regard to the rightful disclosure of wrongdoing, even if it is an allegation. The notion that a person must be absolutely right rather than just cause an investigation will put off people. We must allow for the proper authorities to...

Seanad: Whistleblower Legislation: Motion (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: As this House may be aware, in my comments at the opening of the Speak Up help line at the Transparency Resource Advice Centre on 26 May I highlighted the Government's intention to move swiftly to introduce legislation in the Oireachtas that will protect whistleblowers who speak out against wrongdoing or cover-ups, whether in public or the private sector. The Government recently decided to...

Seanad: Whistleblower Legislation: Motion (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: They should not have themselves on the hazard for so doing. It is proposed that we will seek to redress the decision in question by holding a referendum in tandem with the referendum on the Abbeylara judgment. I wish to speak about the processes for the development and preparation of the overarching legislation. Full regard will be had for all relevant human resources, organisational and...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: There is to be an independent fiscal council as the Senator is aware.

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: We were on various councils.

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I stated that one could be guardedly optimistic, not very positive.

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Not to do with cutbacks.

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: It is great to be back and see an old friend in the Chair. I apologise to the House. I regret we did not have more time. Those who know me know that I would love to debate every line of this. I will have opportunities in coming debate. However, this is largely a technical Bill to, if you like, legalise me and the work that I need to do. We will deal with the policy side of it in detail,...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I will not even respond to that. On the pensions issue, I will have regard to all of the points made by Senator O'Brien. Senator Sheahan spoke of the Croke Park agreement and the pace of it. To underscore the requirements for a faster pace, I intend meeting the implementation body this afternoon with the Taoiseach. That is why I cannot be with the Seanad for the full Committee Stage debate....

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: -----like in the VECs about which we made a decision this week. Senator Barrett spoke of the Department of Finance. There is commentary on the Department of Finance. There are fine staff who have worked hard. They have been at the eye of a storm for a long time. However, we need to restructure it in the way we are setting out. We need external persons in it and that is why there is the...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I am willing to take the means and argue for it, and I want people to understand that. The Acting Chairman wishes me to wind up and there will be other opportunities.

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: My final commentary is this. One cannot achieve the Herculean task we have to do, which is nothing less than to regain economic sovereignty for the State, and we cannot be beholden to the kindness of strangers for €18 billion this year to pay for teachers, doctors, etc., unless we get our own house in order. This Department is determined to play its full role in achieving that. The...

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: First, I fully share the views expressed by Deputy Fleming regarding transparency. Even if such expenditure is for a particular purpose, it must be in compliance with the National Lottery Act. I must examine this issue and am anxious that there will be full transparency with regard to all public moneys. I would be interested in studying the replies to the parliamentary questions and if the...

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 75: In page 14, before section 25, to insert the following new section: 26.—The Transport (Re-Organisation of Córas Iompair Éireann) Act 1986 is amended— (a) in section 10, by the substitution of "Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform" for "Minister for Finance and, where appropriate, the Minister for the Public Service", (b) in subsection (1) of section 11, by...

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 76: In page 14, before section 25, to insert the following new section: 27.—The Act of 1988 is amended— (a) in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 26, by the substitution of "may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and after consultation with the Minister," for ", after consultation with the Minister, may", (b) in subsection (2)...

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 77: In page 14, before section 25, to insert the following new section: 28.—Section 69 of the Finance Act 1988 is amended by the insertion of "after consultation with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform," after "Minister for Finance may,". Amendment agreed to.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 78: In page 14, before section 25, to insert the following new section: 29.—Section 6 of the Public Hospitals (Amendment) Act 1990 is amended by the insertion of ", on the request of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform," after "shall".