Results 1,721-1,740 of 35,563 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Okay. That is ELS and maybe we will circle back to that again, given that the Government significantly underfunded health in last year's budget. However, I will come back to that issue again. In terms of the core year-on-year increase, is the Minister able to identify the capital expenditure increase for each of the years from 2025 to 2027, inclusive, outside of the windfall capital? Does...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Of the core year-on-year expenditure, which is in line 3 of table 12, can the Minister give us the figures as to the amount of capital that is included in that, based on the capital ceilings he has just read out?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: On the basis of the core year-on-year increases - if we take 2026, for example, it is €4.797 billion - how much of that is capital?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Then there is windfall capital, which is a separate line. Windfall capital does not get covered in the Minister's core expenditure rule and therefore tries to save his blushes when he breaches the 5% spending rule again this year for the fourth time. Where does that sit? Does that just sit in addition to it?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Definitely.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: In fairness, the Minister is consistent as he has never met any-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: As I was saying, the Minister is consistent in that he has never reached his own rule. I would criticise the Minister if he tried to do that. Moreover, I would criticise him again because we have the housing crisis because the Government is not investing basic sufficient capital to build social affordable cost-rental homes. As for the numbers that underpin this stability programme update,...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Can the Minister tell us of the €750 million for next year? The Minister has no indication of how much of that is going to housing construction. The Minister has the amount going to the Department, rather than at that granular level. Is that correct?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: We do know how much is going to the Department of housing at the minute; we just do not know how much is going to construction because a large portion of the capital for the Department goes to Irish Water, for example. The Minister, Deputy McGrath, talked about the importance of both bricks and mortars and the services as well. Is it the case that we do not know the detail of how much goes...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: On housing, from a factual position, the target numbers for affordable housing and cost rental were not met. Social new-builds were under-provided for as well. The Department used some of those resources to make a large number of acquisitions. On whether the targets are met for next year, in the Minister's view, are the capital headings sufficient to meet the targets that are laid out in...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Under the Minister's party's plan for the 250,000 homes, is the party planning to ramp up social, affordable and cost-rental homes? While private supply will increase, which I accept and agree with, unless the Government is keeping the numbers relatively stable with small increases, it will not be doing that under these capital programmes. Of the 250,000 homes, for example, has the Minister...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: I am not sásta, but I will leave it at that. The Cathaoirleach Gníomhach is pushing it there. Go raibh maith agaibh.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: No, but the Minister has not given a commitment. Why may it not be provided? Is it because the Government does not know at this stage? What is the rationale?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: I thank our guests for coming before the committee today. I really appreciate the opening statements and we will get straight into it. Obviously, the committee is holding these hearings on our request to try to assist the homeowners in terms of the plight they are going through. Some of what they have heard in the opening statements will annoy them. I refer in particular to the points...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Mr. Rafferty is talking about speedy implementation and all the rest. Why does he think the BPFI brought the proposal to the Department in July? Does he think it dreamed it up one day sitting across the road? Is it not the case homeowners were telling them they had problems with upfront costs? They were also telling the Department. In July of last year, the BPFI had developed a proposal...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Did they dispute that at the April meeting?