This Week in PER

Minister Howlin addressed members of the Leinster Society Chartered Accountants and guests this afternoon.
The Management Board meeting took place today and Minister Howlin and Secretary General Watt will have their weekly briefing.

The Minister and the Secretary General also have a number of meetings scheduled relating to Departmental matters throughout the week.

This afternoon, Minister Howlin will meet a delegation from Japan’s Keidanren – Business Federation.

The Government Meeting will take place on Tuesday at 10.15 a.m.

Secretary General Watt will speak at the Annual Northern Ireland Economic Conference in Belfast on Tuesday.

The Department has a number of Written PQs tabled for reply. Issues include TLAC, Haddington Road Agreement, Budget 2016 and the Valuation Act.

On Tuesday evening, Minister Howlin will take Second Stage of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015 (FEMPI) in the Dáil.

On Wednesday, Minister Howlin will open the Wexford Opera Festival.

Also on Wednesday, InterTrade Ireland with its partner organisations will hold a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event at the CityWest Hotel in Saggart. The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) sourcing staff will be in attendance at this event. The event is free and full registration and programme details are available here.

On Friday, the Secretary General will launch an Open Policy Debate on Commissioning organised by the Reform and Delivery Office. This multi-stakeholder debate is concerned with transitioning the way the State funds services that are provided through the Community and Voluntary sector from the historical block-grant system to a new Commissioning model. A ‘Commissioning’ framework promises to provide a strategic planning process; linking resource allocation with assessed current and future needs, in order to achieve best outcomes for citizens and service users.