Results 13,761-13,780 of 35,829 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers Development (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: 143. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to invest in Greencastle Harbour, County Donegal in line with the commitments referenced in Project Ireland 2040. [8780/19]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers Development (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: 144. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the breakwater works at Greencastle Harbour, County Donegal will be completed (details supplied). [8779/19]

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I will put it simply. It is regrettable that it has come to this. The committee unanimously agreed three weeks ago that the Secretary General of the Department for which we are the select committee would come before us so that we would gain a deeper understanding of the role of the Department and its oversight of major capital projects. After initial correspondence, it was indicated that...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I am in favour of the latter option because we have been at this for three weeks now and the committee has not got a satisfactory acceptance from the Secretary General. There was a bit of movement in the letter the committee received yesterday, although only a bit. This can be resolved with a little will. There is no reason these Estimates need to be deferred for longer than a short a...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I completely refute what Deputy Deasy has said. Let us examine a couple of facts. This is the committee to which the Secretary General is accountable. He should have responded to a unanimous request, issued three weeks ago, to come before the committee. We reached out and tried to facilitate a number of dates and he should have responded positively to that. The request which came from...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Let me clarify-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: That is the point I was making, Deputy Deasy. Chairman, allow me to clarify. Mr. Watt has refused to come in on any of the dates that we have facilitated him to come in on.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I do not wish to be personal in relation to the Secretary General for whom I have the utmost respect, but this is an issue of a process of a Secretary General appearing before a committee. The letter that issued yesterday, I acknowledge, was a breakthrough, but it is conditional. First of all, it places the onus on the Chairman to determine if this is relevant committee, that it is not...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: He has still not accepted any of the dates we suggested.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Two things need to happen. This issue is born out of frustration. We have been dealing with it for nearly three weeks and we still do not have an acceptance of any of the dates. Some of the dates suggested by the committee to Mr. Watt have passed. I think we should go into private session to agree a number of dates on which we could facilitate Mr. Watt coming before the committee and then...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I have made the point-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Let me clarify, since Deputy Deasy has raised this. I have made the point and corrected my position on this. The Secretary General has refused to come before this committee on any of the five, I believe, or possibly six dates on which we said we could accommodate him. I made it clear that there was a breakthrough with the letter last night. I believe it was in response to the letter I...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I welcome the Minister and all his officials. We were running out of chairs for a minute. I appreciate that we have taken both Estimates together. That is why we have both Departments.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate the Minister and the officials' facilitation in taking both together. I will be brief with my questions. I want to pick up on some of the issues that have been raised by Deputy Michael McGrath and by the Chairperson. We raised the issue of food supplements on Report Stage and Committee Stage of the Finance Bill. Is it still the Government's intention to look at policy in this...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: In the Minister's view would it be helpful, while recognising the independence of the Revenue Commissioners, to defer the date of implementation of the new rate until that review is completed?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate that.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I recognise the independence of the Revenue Commissioners. As I have said before, I really respect the Revenue Commissioners. They have done an excellent job. They are one of the few institutions that came through the crash in whose actions, particularly in recent years, we are able to have pride. The Minister is 100% right. They interpret policy. It is our job to set policy. Has work...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I will make one point and then jump to a similar issue. In the Minister's view, would it be appropriate to cut the issue of food supplements out of the tax strategy group review and have it as a standalone paper? That would allow the issue to be accelerated and could assist the Revenue Commissioners in their determination of when the decision with regard to the 23% VAT rate will be...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I recognise that issues around VAT are deeply complex, but it would be helpful, and something I would support, if that analysis could be brought forward. It might result in the Revenue Commissioners looking at the timeframe if they thought, for example, there was a piece of paper from the Department relating to future policy on this issue. The Minister hears very clearly from across the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate the Minister's response and that he has to make the connection. There is a history of independent bookmakers closing down. I understand that certain books and audited accounts have been made available to the Minister, or at least to his officials, with which he can verify the connection between firms that were already struggling and which could not survive even under the old...