Results 20,181-20,200 of 32,999 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Month after month I stood in this House and Deputies asked me where the national development was. When would it arrive? Now that it has arrived, it has been greeted with silence. Indeed, the only difference in behaviour was that Deputy Jonathan O'Brien welcomed it. Given the number of times I was asked when it would arrive, and what would be in it-----

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: -----I was hoping there would at least be some questions on it this morning. Perhaps this demonstrates that it is a good strategy.

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: To answer the question that Deputy Burton put to me a moment ago on the report of the Parliamentary Budget Office and its point about PPPs, I note that one can make that point about any large public capital investment. It takes many years to determine whether it has delivered its objectives and provides value for money. To reiterate the point I made a moment ago, I now see PPPs in a...

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As Deputy Burton knows, I do not determine what questions I get to answer. That is a decision for the Ceann Comhairle and the Questions Office.

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The same rules allowed multiple questions about the national development plan to be put to me in previous appearances in this House. To answer the questions Deputies Burton and Jonathan O'Brien have put to me, I am aware of concerns about PPPs that have developed in other jurisdictions. In Ireland, there is a track record of many PPPs delivering important projects and at good value. As I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: All I can do at this point is give the Deputy a commitment to consider it. I will have to read the report and consider it before I decide what I will raise with the Commission. Currently, my focus is on ensuring that the significant increases in capital expenditure we are implementing at present happen and that the projects we are committed to are delivered at affordable prices. However, I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The public private partnership, PPP, model is an internationally recognised model to design, build, finance, operate and maintain public infrastructure. In accordance with international best practice, PPP contracts already typically include detailed provisions that apply in the event of the liquidation of a consortium member of the PPP company, or an entity under the contract, to protect the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy's party displayed an unbridled enthusiasm for PPPs when it was in government. In fact, the largest quantity of PPPs was implemented under the party's current leader. Whatever views the Deputy has now are very different from what was displayed when Deputy Howlin was Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. With regard to the Deputy's question on how we complete projects,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I will reply to Deputy O'Brien's questions first. There is an indirect cost to the State if a project is being delivered through a PPP or another procurement strategy and the project does not happen and people are in alternative accommodation being paid for by the State. The Deputy is correct. That is the case whether it is a school or a house. Regarding my approach to PPPs, I agree...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Retirements (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: If I had not put interim measures in place, members of the public service who wanted to avail of this option would not have been in a position to do so under any circumstance. We have the interim measures in place because I felt it was necessary to have some lead-in time between announcing that we were going to do this and bringing forward a Bill to give people time to arrange their affairs...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The EU fiscal rules have been designed to promote budgetary discipline and underpin sustainable economic growth. While the economy is growing and debt is on a downward trajectory, the debt level is still high and we have to be careful owing to the potential of roll-over risk should interest rates increase. This is a small and very open economy in a world which now has more risk than is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I have not discussed the specific report to which the Deputy referred with the European Commission, but I have raised with it the need to make sure the fiscal rules facilitate appropriate levels of public capital investment in those things which will allow the economy to grow in a sustainable way. Within the fiscal rules as structured, the plan we launched, Ireland 2040, looks to provide for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: It is a matter for the Business Committee if the House wishes to debate this report. In recent weeks, another report produced by an Oireachtas committee was debated in this House. If the Business Committee wishes to provide for a debate on this report, it is open to it to do so. On the NHS and the 6.5% increase mentioned by Deputy Calleary, the agreement that we have is between 6% and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Lottery Licence Sale (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: One of the main objectives of the sale of the national lottery licence in 2014 for a 20 year period was to generate upfront proceeds for the State. Proceeds of €405 million from the sale were used to fund a range of expenditure projects and served to reduce the need for further tax increases at the time. Under the terms of the current licence for the national lottery, which...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Lottery Licence Sale (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: There is a regulator in place to oversee the operation of the licence and other matters. The Deputy is correct that the regulator of the national lottery did write to Deputy Pearse Doherty stating that under the terms of the agreement it is not in a position to release the information to the Deputy because it is commercially sensitive. That said, a considerable amount of money is being made...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Lottery Licence Sale (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am not aware of it. I will give the Deputy the full context of the letter. It says that this information is the licensee's confidential information and, therefore, under the clause of the licence it cannot be disclosed by the regulator.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Retirements (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, on 5 December the Government agreed that the compulsory retirement age of public servants recruited before 1 April 2004 would be increased to 70. This is the only group of public servants who currently have a compulsory retirement age of less than 70. Primary legislation is required for the change approved by Government to be implemented. The Government has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As part of the negotiations last year leading to the public service stability agreement all parties acknowledged "issues of concern relating to the increased length of salary scale for post 2011” new entrants and committed to examining these issues within 12 months of the commencement of the agreement. In general the issues of concern relate to the insertion of two lower salary...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: On overall public service pay, we are discussing an agreement, which, as of the start of this week, all unions and representative bodies are now party to or associated with. The Deputy has raised concerns with me regarding public service pay but I would suggest to the House that we now have an agreement in place that over the next three years looks to increase public service pay by...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Ireland has been allocated €1.2 billion (in current prices) in Structural Funds for the period 2014 - 2020,  which involves the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). This is comprised of: - €411 million for the two ERDF co-funded Regional Programmes, under the aegis of my Department, and delivered through...