Results 30,501-30,520 of 33,289 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Government Reform (24 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: The Local Government Reform Act 2014 provided for the replacement of regional authorities by regional assemblies with the general purpose of coordinating, promoting or supporting strategic planning and sustainable development, and promoting effectiveness in local government and public services. The composition of regions and other detailed provisions relating to regional assemblies are to be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (24 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: An additional €2¼ billion, from windfall corporation tax receipts, will be made available over the period 2024-2026 to boost delivery of critical capital infrastructure projects and make a contribution to the existing Climate Action Fund (CAF). As mentioned in the Expenditure Report, my Department will be reviewing the sectoral capital allocations to be provided as part of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Services Provision (24 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to thank the Deputy for this question. As he may be aware, earlier this year I launched Ireland’s digital inclusion roadmap, Digital for Good, which aims to make Ireland one of the most digitally inclusive States in the EU. The roadmap restates the principle set out in Connecting Government 2030 which identifies “digital by default” as a core design principle for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: That is a new one.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: It is a first.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Consultations (25 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of my Department and the bodies under its aegis is set out in the table below. Public body Briefings from the TENI or Belong To organisations from 2021 to date Topic Covered Cost Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform Belong To on 24 June,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (25 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: In March 2023, I presented to Government a package of significant actions aimed at enhancing project delivery for the NDP. Among these actions, I committed to an independent mid-term evaluation of investment priorities and capacity of the NDP, focusing on the capacity to deliver current Government priorities, to utilise sectoral capital allocations and to estimate the impact of the NDP on key...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for her question. The summer economic statement and the mid-year expenditure report published in July outlined an estimated amount of €2.3 billion in respect of the additional costs arising in 2024 to deliver ELS. This amount equated to approximately 3% of the core current expenditure base. This provision took into account the additional amount required for ELS in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I certainly acknowledge that there is a risk of a deficit for 2024. It would not be credible if we were to fail to acknowledge such a risk in light of the recent history of Supplementary Estimates being needed for the Department of Health over many years and those Supplementary Estimates being in the context of either deficits or new policy measures being taken by the Department with, of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: What the Deputy is referring to is the funding that was made available for ELS in the summer economic statement. That is a standard feature of the Estimates process. I would have indicated this when the summer economic statement was published - if not at the recent committee meeting - and certainly on many other occasions. A standard feature of the Estimates process is that the amount...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: As a division of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, the Office of Government Procurement, OGP, is responsible for national procurement policy, the national eTenders platform and for sourcing common goods and services. The OGP engages with stakeholders on an ongoing basis and has engaged with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: Regarding the powers that are available to the CCPC, in 2022, the Competition Act 2002 was amended in 2022. The Competition (Amendment) Act 2022 transposed Directive (EU) 2019/1 of the European Union to create a specific new criminal offence of bid-rigging. That Act identified several practices that would be deemed to be criminal behaviour, some of which the Deputy just described. The...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: At this point, and the Deputy has acknowledged this by the information she is both sharing and not sharing here today, it is important to afford due process. If the Deputy has concerns she believes are worthy of investigation, it is important that the relevant bodies are contacted and the information is shared with them. I will simply assure the House that my view is that our procurement...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: The operation of the health service budget for 2024 is, as is the case with every departmental budget, a matter for the Minister for Health and his Department. It is the responsibility of that Department to decide how it allocates funding of €22.5 billion to respond to the many legitimate demands and needs our health service faces at the moment. It is important to note that since...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: The question the Deputy put in written format is a little different from the questions she is putting to me now. I want to answer them all in the interests of transparency for the Dáil. I will first deal with the questions the Deputy has just put to me. Do I accept that it is very difficult for our hospitals and the HSE to influence the level of demand for health services in the short...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: Absolutely.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: We will continue to find ways to make progress on Sláintecare.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: It is important to acknowledge that progress on Sláintecare falls under four different pillars, namely. affordability, accessibility, better outcomes for patients and reforming our health service. With regard to affordability, I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the progress that has been made in respect of inpatient hospital charges, the expansion of free GP care, what we have done in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: Excuse me. We are now also making progress on assisted human reproduction. These are measures that are going to continue across this year. We will ensure the commitments we have made in these areas are delivered upon. We will find ways to continue the momentum on Sláintecare, for example, through the opening up of new hospital beds and the delivery of medical care professionals where...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (26 Oct 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: The NDP sets out an ambitious programme for public investment in Ireland of €165 billion. This expenditure will be pivotal in delivering the vital infrastructure we need to support our future climate, social and economic requirements. In 2023 and 2024, over €12 billion and €13 billion, respectively, will be made available from the Exchequer for investment in public...