Results 30,901-30,920 of 33,289 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (8 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government’s approach to public expenditure policy is set out in the Medium Term Expenditure Strategy (MTES). The objectives of the MTES are twofold, to ensure that the level of core expenditure growth is sustainable in the long-term and that investment in expenditure protects and delivers improvements to public services. This framework must be responsive to the economic landscape...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (8 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government’s approach to public expenditure policy is set out in the Medium Term Expenditure Strategy (MTES). The objectives of the MTES are twofold, to ensure that the level of core expenditure growth is sustainable and that investment in expenditure protects and delivers improvements to public services. This framework must be responsive to the economic landscape and is reviewed...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (8 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy’s question highlights a commitment that we made in the 2020 Programme for Government to “reform and consolidate the Ethics in Public Office Legislation”. To action this commitment my Department undertook a review of the statutory framework in advance of bringing new proposals for reform to Government. This Review was completed in December 2022 and its Report...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Supports (13 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The European Union’s Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) is a unique regulation established specifically to provide support to counter the adverse economic, social, territorial, and environmental consequences of the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union. The regulation is clear that in order to be eligible for BAR funding, the expenditure must fall within the eligibility period for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Government Procurement (13 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) currently has 44 vacant posts. The table below shows the number of current vacant posts by grade and the estimated full year cost of filling each vacancy. Grade Number of vacant posts Estimated full year cost Estimated Total Annual Cost of filling vacant posts Assistant Principal 4 ...

Estimates for Public Services 2024 (14 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I move the following Revised Estimates: Vote 7 — Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised Estimate)That a sum not exceeding €42,434,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2024, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for Finance, including the Paymaster-General's Office,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: A contingency fund.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (14 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: A key part of the annual budgetary cycle is determining the amount of funding required for Departments to carry out their existing functions, before any new decisions are taken. This is referred to as the ‘Existing Level of Service’ or ELS. ELS funding provides for the maintenance of our existing services and schemes, with the overall affordability limits set out in the Medium...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Reviews (14 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I am informed by the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) that to ensure compliance with Data Protection they cannot comment publicly on an individual case. However, I am informed that the NSSO has reviewed the case and is contacting the individual in question as well as the related HR unit.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Referendum Campaigns (14 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department has received a guidance note from the Department of the Taoiseach in respect of the application of the principles of the various Court judgments relevant to the Government’s role in referendum campaigns. This guidance has been noted at the Department's Management Board and circulated to all staff in the Department. It has also been shared with the bodies under the aegis...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (15 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chair and committee for the invitation to speak to them today. I am accompanied by Mr. Ken Cleary and Mr. Patrick Moran from the climate division in the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. I look forward to engaging with the committee and discussing the role of my Department in achieving the sustainable transition of society and our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (15 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The question summarises the tensions that are there in the work we need to do. For example, we need to build more infrastructure. Even the supply and construction of infrastructure that has the potential to reduce carbon emissions has a carbon impact. We have the obvious trade-off between the need to support a growing population, and what that means for our economy and the delivery of more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (15 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I make the case that we already have a significantly bigger State in the aftermath of the pandemic. As I look to the time ahead, the number of people working in our public service alone will cross 400,000 at a point this year. Of course, it will cross 400,000 people in the context of a population that is also larger than it was a number of years ago. If the Chair was to ask me what all of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (15 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The most recent update we have prepared in regard to compliance and potential costs is the paper that was published in 2022 by my Department. We did so in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. It laid out a range of different compliance scenarios, including the most extreme cost which is the risk that the compliance cost by 2030 could rise to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (15 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: That is the great value of the climate action plan. The current draft climate action plan is out for consultation at the moment. That details where we are on a sectoral basis and where we are with the delivery, or indeed the non-delivery, of targets. The action plan, and all the work that goes into the preparation of its draft, is having a significant effect on the discussions under way in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (15 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy, or Senator.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (15 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I will address all the members of the committee as Deputies, as to be equal. To address the first question, if I was to pick any area that I believe is exceptionally important to the future of the NDP and how we can make it more sustainable, I would probably pick one process and two projects. The process would be the thorough implementation of the revised infrastructure guidelines that I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (15 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The Senator makes a fair point. I agree entirely with his point around how we couch and talk to ourselves and the country about our response to the great climate challenge. During the week, I came across a phrase in a book that mentioned the concept of a "transition trough"-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (15 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: A transition trough.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (15 Feb 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: It referred to the challenge in politics of a situation whereby costs are seismic and threatening and pose such a challenge to all of us but are in the future. While the build-up to those terrible moments is incremental, the decisions that are needed to minimise that difficulty are significant with big costs in the here and now. The climate issue is the leading example of that. Therefore,...