Results 30,801-30,820 of 33,289 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy recognised the very big change we made in the resourcing of An Bord Pleanála. I met its chairman and new chief executive, and members of his management team, last Thursday morning. We have increased from 40% to 50% the ability of An Bord Pleanála to hire people. Later in the year, that will lead to an even bigger increase in the number of staff working there, which...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I do not accept that. The Deputy is perpetuating the idea in his question and the way he put it to me of a perpetually inefficient public service. I fundamentally disagree. For example, the delivery by our public service of making a broadband plan happen, its ability to make projects happen in higher universities and in places of third-level learning throughout the country, and the speed...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: It is good to hear the Deputy say that.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I will make three points. There are many other ways of implementing accountability other than by sacking people.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I go back again to the point that the Deputy is feeding into a narrative that I find unusual for him, given that he makes the case for the public sector. He is feeding into that. There are many other ways of exercising accountability rather than just by dismissing people. In respect of the public sector, while there are many things that we, and I, want it to do better, I will still make...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: Not only am I not aware of any battle, I am not aware of the particular issue either. I will come back to the Deputy on the matter. I know the entitlements of those in receipt of pensions are an important issue. I will follow up on the matter and ensure the Deputy gets a response.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I have identified three risks in that regard. The first is the maintenance at current levels of cost price inflation for projects that are publicly tendered and the risk that cost price inflation could accelerate in the future. Second is the matter raised by Deputy Tóibín, that is, our ability to move important public projects, and in particular I highlight infrastructural...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: It is a really good question. A significant cause is the answer. I will just summarise it really quickly. First, if input costs are going up it puts huge pressure on output costs to go up. As the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, touched on earlier, there is the difference between the price of wood or concrete going up and what that means then to the cost of delivering a building. One,...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: My Minister of State may have more to add because he and his organisation are the experts in managing this so I will offer one general observation. On what I think the Deputy is saying, there was definitely a risk of this in the past but this current phase of modern inflation is different from other challenges that we have had. This is inflation that is caused by a supply shock rather than...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: Sure, but that is the reason why, Deputy. I take his point regarding the delays. The delay the Deputy has referred to in his constituency sounds extraordinarily long. That is the reason we have made the additional resources available to An Bord Pleanála. The number of staff it has is being increased considerably. It did so last year and it will do so again this year. It is also the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: Is that okay, Deputy Boyd Barrett? I will not short change him on answering questions.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Electricity Supply Board (30 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227, 228, 230, 233 and 237 together. Under rule 42.4 of the scheme rules of the ESB Pension Scheme, set out in Electricity Supply Board (Superannuation) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 18/2014), the consent of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform is required for pension increases...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (30 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the company in question is set out in the table below: Year Purpose of Engagement Overall Cost 2019 Organisational review and change programme for the Office of Government Procurement €159,129 2022 Assessment of the methodology used in quantifying...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes (30 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: In accordance with the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Arterial Drainage) Regulations 2019, the Office of Public Works has sought consent for the River Deel Flood Relief scheme under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995. My Department has appointed environmental consultants to carry out the necessary environmental assessments required. In July 2023, additional...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Government Procurement (30 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has responsibility for establishing central procurement arrangements for commonly available goods and services. In June 2023, the OGP established a central procurement solution for the Supply of Cleaning, Paper, Personal Hygiene & Period Equality Products. In establishing this arrangement the OGP adhered to the requirements of the Public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Staff (30 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: In my role as Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, I am assigned two Garda drivers, each of whom works a week-on week-off pattern. My Department employs two civilian drivers, both of whom are assigned to Minister of State Ossian Smyth. The Office of Public Works also employs two civilian drivers, both of whom are assigned to Minister of State...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: -----to actions being taken against public servants in the delivery of public services. It is also there to support and make the case for our public servants in court, which is a valuable function for which it is needed. The Deputy's questions should be put in detail to the Minister for Finance.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - the Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 -the Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: Can I ask that if there are any questions for the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, they be asked first? I just need to step outside for one minute and I will be right back.