Results 25,501-25,520 of 33,175 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Budget Statement 2017 (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Public pay constraint has been the cornerstone of our strategy to repair our public finances. Without such restraint, we would not now be in a position to provide additional funding to health, education and child care as we are now doing. Of course, I am aware of the demands that exist in the area of public pay. Public pay restoration, however, must be managed in a way that is affordable...

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Budget Statement 2017 (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: These values underpin the reality of the substantial investment in public services which this Government has delivered in this budget. The improvements in our public services that this investment will make possible have the simple, basic and most important goal of endeavouring to make life better for all, but especially for our most vulnerable. Some on the Opposition benches claim that...

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Budget Statement 2017 (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: For this reason, among others, there is an increased allocation to the new Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. In terms of capital funding in particular, the Department will see an increase of almost €50 million, or 41%. This will contribute towards our carbon reduction, energy efficiency and renewable energy targets through measures such as the renewable...

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Budget Statement 2017 (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am happy to announce there will be a new round of the sports capital programme in 2017 and the Ministers at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport will announce the details of the programme in due course. Defence I turn to defence. There are 498 Defence Forces personnel participating in 11 missions around the world and doing the country proud, including in vital search and rescue...

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Budget Statement 2017 (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In framing the budget, my Government colleagues and I were conscious of this and of the need to ensure that the benefits of this recovery were felt by all. For this reason, as part of an overall package worth an additional €301 million, all weekly social welfare payments, including the carer's allowance, disability allowance and jobseeker's benefit and allowance, will rise by...

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Budget Statement 2017 (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: These payments will rise in March, subject to the passage of the social welfare Bill.

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Budget Statement 2017 (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In addition, I am pleased to announce the payment of an 85% Christmas bonus for social welfare recipients in 2016. Many of those in receipt of these payments were our most vulnerable citizens. We cannot have a just society if we leave them behind. There will also be improvements in other schemes, including farm assist, as well as 500 new places on the rural social scheme.

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Budget Statement 2017 (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Further details will be announced by my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, today. Justice In the justice area, the safety and security of our citizens is fundamental. We have committed to increasing the number of gardaí in the force to 15,000. Today’s Estimates support this through an allocation of an additional €28 million for An Garda Síochána, as...

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Budget Statement 2017 (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: We are here because my colleagues have rooted our approach within the framework of our agreed Government programme. We, of course, cannot implement all the measures in our supply and confidence agreement or the programme for Government in a single year or a single budget, but today represents a substantial beginning. Key spending areas for 2017 We are aware of the continued difficulty facing...

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Budget Statement 2017 (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In making my first Estimates Statement to the Dáil, I am aware that my responsibility differs from that of my predecessor in his first year in office. In 2011, the then Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, was faced with announcing a very significant reduction in spending for 2012. Making decisions during this time of crisis was tough but toughest of all...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Labour Court Recommendations (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue of pension entitlements for Community Employment Scheme Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors was the subject of a Labour Court recommendation in 2008. The position is that although the employing bodies concerned are mainly funded by public expenditure programmes, the State does not have any role as an employer in this sector and the employees of such bodies are not...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Retirements (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: An Inter-Departmental Working Group on Fuller Working Lives was established earlier this year under the chairmanship of my Department which considered policy around retirement age in both the public and private sectors, examining implications arising from retirement ages now and in the future.  That Group reported recently and in accordance with one of its recommendations, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Public Procurement is governed by EU and National rules. The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money.  It would be a breach of the EU rules for a public body to favour or discriminate against particular candidates on grounds such as nationality, organisational size, etc. and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the centralised recruiter for the Civil and Public Service. It is an independent, statutory body which provides professional recruitment and selection services. Through its selection competitions PAS establishes panels of suitably qualified individuals from which vacancies may be filled. The number of positions available...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Data (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, the Payroll Shared Service Centre processes payroll payments for over 98,000 payees, including retired civil servants.  The primary source for the provision of payslip information is through the Payroll Shared Service Centre online payslip facility.  Payees can access current and historical payslip data through this online facility, which can be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue raised in this question relates to a provision of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 which extended the application of pension abatement to cases in which the public service pensioner secures an appointment in sectors other than the sector in which the pensioner had been previously employed. Abatement of pension in the public service is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Labour Court Recommendations (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue of pension entitlements for Community Employment Scheme Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors was the subject of a Labour Court recommendation in 2008. The position is that although the employing bodies concerned are mainly funded by public expenditure programmes, the State does not have any role as an employer in this sector and the employees of such bodies are not...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Health and Safety Regulations (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, there are no commercial or non-commercial state agencies under the remit of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Agencies Staff Data (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, there are no commercial or non-commercial state agencies under the remit of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Community Employment Schemes Review (11 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the activities of the Community Sector High Level Forum (or Working Group) (previously the Informal Forum) which was convened to examine certain issues pertaining to the Community Employment sector.  The forum met on 27 November 2015 and on 11 April 2016.  Future meetings will be planned once a new Chair has been appointed.