Results 31,321-31,340 of 33,214 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Confidence in the Government: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (12 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Due to the solidarity and support of the people, the Government has succeeded in creating an environment in which growth can return. There are some signs of stability, lower borrowing and jobs being created after years of job losses.

Confidence in the Government: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (12 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: As Sinn Féin is consumed by getting its numbers up in the opinion polls, we are driven by getting the numbers down on the live register and down on our monthly borrowing needs.

Confidence in the Government: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (12 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: The Sinn Féin finance spokesperson said: "[I]t is my firm belief that in the second half of 2013 Ireland will be unable to return to the markets and will need additional financial intervention by the EU and IMF." We are back in the markets now. This is typical of the gospel of despair and the Sinn Féin agenda of anger. It is an indictment of all it stands for that when our...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (11 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been taken by his Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to sell 1,100 acres of forestry land in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55277/12]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (11 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been taken by his Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to sell 1,100 acres of forestry land in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55277/12]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (11 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been taken by his Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to sell 1,100 acres of forestry land in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55277/12]

Report of the Expert Group on the Judgment in the A, B and C v. Ireland Case: Statements (Resumed) (7 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: As a man, speaking in a male-dominated Parliament and a room in which not a single woman is present, I find commenting on and adjudicating the most sensitive and difficult decision that any woman could make to be a difficult experience. Any difficulty I may experience would be meagre in comparison with the emotions any woman who has attempted to reconcile her desire for life and that of her...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Does the Department play a role in that phase?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: I appreciate that the Department cannot micro-manage what is going on in every agency, but does it know if that is happening? Does it check if the work is being done?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: And they come in on time as well.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: I will follow that up with the people at next week's committee hearing because it is an important area.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: I will leave it at that. I was not aware of the point Mr. McCarthy just made. The core point I have been trying to tease out is that I have no doubt the value-for-money work takes place at the capital part of a project. I am sure that is the case and that it is rigorous and well done. When the project has been up and running for a number of years at what point does a similar process kick...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: I understand that. I am, however, asking a different question. Where there is a contract with a third-party operator and when the project with which that operator is involved is up and running, how often does the relevant local authority check that the criteria and objectives relating to a that project have been met? I am not so concerned with regard to whether the contract is still being...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Ms Tallon is not labouring the point. I am trying to tease out a point of distinction. I have looked at the audit reports produced in the UK. I accept that many more such reports have been compiled in the UK, which is a bigger country and has a far greater need than Ireland for built infrastructure. We carry appraisals at the capital stage. When projects are up and running, however, how...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Perhaps the real question relates to whether we are still achieving the 23%. I am concerned with regard to what happens when PPPs are put in place in other jurisdictions. For example, the previous Labour Government in the United Kingdom put in place a large number of private finance initiatives. The benefit of this for many countries is that they can build a great many things but the cost...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Does the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform have a view in respect of the point I am making? Ms Tallon indicated that her Department focuses on what happens when the project is built and provides a template in that regard. Thereafter, it is the responsibility of the contracting body to ensure the project is working in the way that was originally envisaged. The latter represents a...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Thank you, Chairman, but do you know what, I'm still going to ask it. After what you said, I have the feeling its relevance is growing by the minute. I will ask exactly the same question next week. Is Ms Tallon aware of the report?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: It is from the National Audit Office, which is the UK equivalent of the Comptroller and Auditor General's office.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Ms Tallon quoted paragraph 6.13 of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report which states that a capital cost of less than €40 million to €50 million would not be suitable currently for private finance. That is the point she was making. Accepting that with regard to water services, some of the observations of the Comptroller and Auditor General could apply to transport and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Do value for money appraisals happen for all PPPs?