Results 22,021-22,040 of 33,049 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: We have Report Stage yet to come which will involve a lot more work, but I take the opportunity to acknowledge the huge efforts made by Deputies on Committee Stage.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Retirements (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: An Interdepartmental Working Group, chaired by my Department was established in 2016 to examine the issues arising from prevailing retirement ages for workers in both the public and private sectors. This examination was in the context of the current age of entitlement to the State Pension and the scheduled increases to the State Pension age in 2021 and 2028.  The Group, whose...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2018 (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The approach that is being taken to develop a process of budget and policy proofing, as a means of advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening economic and social rights in line with the Programme for Partnership Government commitment, has been set out in a policy paper published by my Department on Budget day. This paper, entitled “Equality Budgeting – Proposed Next...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Negotiations (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: At the outset I would like to be clear about the Government’s appreciation of the important contribution that EU funding has made to the development of the border region and to cross-border cooperation over the last quarter of a century. As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I have responsibility for two cross-border programmes with Northern Ireland, namely INTERREG and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Since the first public service reform plan was published in 2011, a comprehensive programme of reform has been implemented and this continues to be a key priority. This is important as the performance of the public service has major implications for the management of the State’s finances, and for economic development and employment creation. The 2014-16 public service reform plan...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware my colleague the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection is responsible for setting the National Minimum Wage on recommendation from the Low Pay Commission.  The current minimum wage is set at €9.25 and the third report of the Low Pay Commission recommended that this be increased by 30 cent per hour. The Government welcomed that...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Expenditure Reviews (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The spending review conducted this year was the first in a series of rolling, selective reviews, which it is intended will cover the totality of Government spending over a three year period from 2017 to 2019. This approach allows for systematic examination of existing spending programmes to assess their effectiveness in meeting policy objectives and also to identify scope for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme Implementation (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 24 and 78 together. As I announced at Budget 2018, Government has allocated a significant and well-planned, increase in public capital investment amounting to €4.3 billion over the period 2018-2021. This is in addition to the additional €2.2 billion for housing already allocated to the implementation of the Action Plan for Housing and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: This Government is strongly committed to increasing public funding for capital investment in appropriate regional infrastructure across Ireland over the next four years and beyond in order to meet key requirements in areas such as, for example, housing, transport, broadband, education, health and flood defences. As I announced at Budget 2018, Government has allocated a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Public Service Pay and Pension Bill 2017 which the Government agreed on Tuesday, is designed to deliver an orderly exit from the financial emergency legislation and a return to normal industrial and business relationships. As part of this, the Government has agreed to put the setting and varying of fees for contractors currently subject to the Financial Emergency Measures in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Legislation (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As specified in section 43(3) of the Freedom of Information Act 2014, the Information Commissioner is fully independent in the performance of his functions, including those under section 44 of the Act.  I have no plans to amend the Act to allow for a Minister to instruct the Commissioner in this regard. To do so would adversely affect the important independent role of the Commissioner. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts Data (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to advise the Deputy that under a public contract the contractual relationship is between the public body and the main contractor.  A public body has no contractual ties with a subcontractor engaged by a main contractor and, in many cases, will not be aware of the identity of those subcontractors.  Any contractual relationship is exclusively a matter between the main...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Legislation (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Section 27 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2014 Act relates to fees and charges. Among the key reforms of the FOI Act was the removal of the requirement to pay up-front fees for making FOI requests to public bodies and the significant reduction in the cost of applying for internal reviews and appeals to the Information Commissioner. In addition, in relation to non-personal...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Economic Growth (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Projections published by my Department in Budget 2018anticipate growth in the overall pay bill (both private and public combined) of 5.6 per cent in 2018. This comprises growth in average pay of 3.1 per cent and employment growth of 2.3 per cent. Pay bill growth is projected to average 5.2 per cent per annum thereafter, with average pay expected to grow at around 3.3 per cent per annum. ...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Stamp Duty (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that stamp duty is chargeable on the transfer of a farm from a landowner to a company, whether or not the company is controlled by the landowner. The company acquiring the farm is treated as a separate legal entity to the individual. The amount chargeable to stamp duty is the market value of the assets being transferred. The rate of stamp duty applying to the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Help-To-Buy Scheme Eligibility (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that in accordance with the legislation governing the operation of the Help to Buy (HTB) scheme, one of the criteria to be met to qualify for the scheme is that the loan-to-value ratio in respect of a claim shall not be less than 70 per cent. As the loan to value ratio for the person concerned is less than 70 per cent, the application does not meet the conditions...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tracker Mortgage Examination (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, the Central Bank is independent in the performance of its duties in the supervision of regulated financial service providers and it is working to ensure that the Tracker Mortgage Examination is completed as soon as possible. Details of the Framework for Conducting the Tracker Mortgage Examination are available at the following link: It should be noted that...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Debtor Agreements (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As set out in my reply to Question No. 111 of 3 October 2017, NAMA may provide funding to its debtors and receivers to protect and enhance their assets so as to optimise their income-producing potential and disposal value. This is in accordance with section 10 of the NAMA Act which states that NAMA is required to protect or enhance the value of its acquired assets and to obtain the best...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Company Liquidations (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 to 50, inclusive, together. I am informed by the Central Bank that it has been actively engaged with Custom House Capital Limited (Custom House Capital) since 2009, which led to a series of restrictions being imposed on the firm. In July 2011, on instruction from the Central Bank, Custom House Capital was prevented from carrying out any transactions or...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Resolution Processes (9 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am informed by the Central Bank that their Residential Mortgage Arrears and Repossessions Statistics show that at end-June 2017, 120,398 PDH mortgage accounts were restructured. The breakdown by entity type is as follows: Banks 111,156 accounts, Retail Credit Firms 6,695 accounts and unregulated loan owners 2,547 accounts. Similarly, 23,623 BTL accounts were restructured at end-June....