Results 221-240 of 33,055 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fiscal Data (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: When it comes to inflation, it is important to emphasise the reason so many people are still struggling with it, and I accept it is a challenge for many, is not because of the actions of the Government. Inflation within our economy and the way it has gone up has not been caused by the Government of Ireland. It has been caused by factors that are outside of our control, in many cases. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fiscal Data (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: It is not the case to say that some inflation is caused by forces outside our control. Looking at the inflation we have gone through in recent years most of it has been caused by issues outside of our control. What has happened with the cost of food and energy has been cause by the awful war on the people of Ukraine and the huge changes that have happened in supply chains and the way goods...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fiscal Data (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Referring to being short-changed, if the Deputy looks at the measures the Government has brought in recent years, the various one off measures brought in on budget day did make a difference to people at a time during which the cost of living was so high and inflation was going up. In regard to the carbon tax the Deputy referred to, it is also the case that carbon tax funded the allocation of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fiscal Data (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: He has not explained how we will pay for this.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fiscal Data (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: He is against the carbon tax.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fiscal Data (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: What the Deputy is proposing here is that we use receipts that we fear might not be available to us in the future to fund permanent measures. Incidentally-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fiscal Data (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: -----if we had been implementing the measures proposed by the Deputy in the past-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fiscal Data (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: -----we would not have this surplus available to us at all.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for raising this. The help to buy scheme is a plan to assist first time purchasers with the deposit if they need to buy or build a new house of apartment. It also has as an aim to encourage additional supply of new homes by supporting demand. The Deputy knows what the help to buy scheme is so I will not go into the detail of it. The scheme has supported almost 55,000...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Industry (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for raising that issue and acknowledging the scale of the reforms the Government has brought in, and his own role in that regard, which I acknowledge. I also acknowledge the Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019, which was the subject of a motion the Deputy brought forward. Part of that Act has not yet been commenced, but most of it has. There are various measures the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Industry (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: With regard to motor insurance, it is the case that the figures in the year to date are up 9.7%. If you look at where it was for the month of April, they were up 0.2%. The figures are now 34.4% lower than they were at their peak in 2016. If you look at motor insurance, prices are now down by 2.2% since the implementation of the personal injuries guidelines and down 5.1% since the Cabinet...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Financial Services (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for this question, particularly as maintaining a variety of payment options in the State is important for the economy and for ensuring the financial inclusion of consumers who are older, on fixed or lower incomes or at risk of digital exclusion. The availability of non-digital payment options ensures that certain vulnerable groups are not excluded from participating in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Financial Services (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I will raise that matter with the Minister for housing. The information I have does cover off where we are with our State agencies but does not deal with the local authorities at the level the Deputy has just referred to, and, in particular, the specific case to which he referred. I accept that for our more elderly citizens who need to use local authorities and other services, not being...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Financial Services (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I am glad Deputy Doherty has restated his view because it is important to be precise about the role of the Central Bank. The Deputy's exact words on this issue, which he has just restated, were that the bonds are being sold through the Irish Central Bank. They were his words in this debate on Tuesday night. The leader of Sinn Féin went on to say that we are allowing the Irish Central...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Financial Services (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy did not respond to my point.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Financial Services (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I laid out very clearly his words. Very interestingly, when Deputy Martin Kenny stood up, he said "we are not suggesting that they are being sold by the Irish Central Bank".

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Financial Services (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: He said "we are not suggesting any of that.".

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Financial Services (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: In the Deputy's contribution on Tuesday night, both Deputy Doherty and the leader of Sinn Féin referred to the bonds being sold through the Central Bank of Ireland, which is not the case, and he referred to the Central Bank of Ireland trading in bonds, which is not the case. It is so important, as I attempt to continue to-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Financial Services (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: -----recognise the suffering of the people of Gaza and the many practical steps the Government of Ireland is taking to aid them, to give them support-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Financial Services (29 May 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: -----that we also deal in the truth. In relation to the final allegation that was made by Deputy Doherty, let me again state to the House that no such call was received by me. I have made that very clear. I find it very interesting that the Deputy is more willing to accept the word of the department of finance of Israel than me.