Results 31,281-31,300 of 33,289 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I was not claiming to have delivered the projects myself. I want to make that clear. I just stated that they are examples of projects that the NDP has delivered over a number of years. Work remains to be done on the N56. I heard what the Deputy said about that. I will quickly list other projects that are under way across the county, such as different residential care facilities at...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I will certainty keep that in mind. Every TD always makes the case for investment in their county and constituency but I am particularly aware of the funding and infrastructure needs Donegal has and the challenges it faces in making sure the road infrastructure and public transport links are in place. I have heard the Deputy make the case over many years that they are not. We will continue...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for raising an important issue for me. Expenditure profiles for 2024 were completed by all Votes in February and submitted to my Department. Performance against these profiles is used in-year to monitor the expenditure position and details are published monthly in the Fiscal Monitor. At the end of the second quarter of 2024, gross voted expenditure stood at...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I monitor it. Every month when the figures come out, they are given the utmost attention by my Department and me and they form the centre of engagement I have with other Ministers and which my officials have with other Departments. The profiles only become of real use from March, April or May onwards because at that point we are able to see if Government spending is in line with the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: That is being done by the Department of Finance at the moment. It reassesses twice a year its tax forecast for the years ahead. A big part of that will be the corporate tax forecasts, which have a big impact on overall tax figures. The final update for this year will be on budget day.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 67 together. I thank the Deputy. The main way we have of addressing the challenges to which he referred is through the pay agreements that are in place up to 2026, aiming to bring forward wage increases of more than 10% over a two-and-a-half year period. That will be accompanied by the continued investment the Government will put in place in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: Of course I accept and am aware that we have many cases across our public services of patients who are being let down and of constituents who are not receiving the attention and care we believe they should. However, the analysis the Deputy put forward, that this is due to our inability to recruit and keep staff, is completely at odds with the reality of what has happened in the growth of our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: It is growing, and we are able to recruit and keep people.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I never said it was hunky-dory. The Deputy should not put words in my mouth.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I never said that. I acknowledged, stood up and said the Deputy was raising real issues but he should not put words in my mouth or suggest for a moment that I am not taking seriously the issues he is raising. What I am simply saying is that creating the image that our public services overall cannot get and keep people is wrong. It is wrong to say that. The wages we are now offering in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The wage agreements we have brought in. The Deputy has always said they are not enough.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: He has always said they are not enough. We are now paying our public servants, across many parts of our public services, wages that are easily comparable with what is available in other parts of Europe, and in many cases ahead. I want to make that case regarding the scale of and funding for our public services.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 65 and 68 together. The employees of agencies funded under section 38 of the Health Act 2004 are classified as public servants. They are subject to the standard salary scales for the health sector as well as having access, in the main, to a public service pension scheme. The employees are included in public service employment numbers. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, I am taking Questions Nos. 47, 65 and 68 together.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I was involved in this issue when it was dealt with in the Workplace Relations Commission last October. I was involved in the agreement that was reached to provide three different instalments to get up to 8%, with the final one due on 1 March 2024. My understanding is that all the staff employed in relevant organisations should have received their pay increases. That is my understanding....

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chair very much. Last year’s summer economic statement and budget 2024 was framed in the context of a cost-of-living crisis. Having peaked at over 9.5% in mid-2022, thankfully, inflation rates are returning to their historical norm, with a projected rate of 2.1% for this year. Our economy continues to perform very well, with record levels of employment projected for...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The reason is we did the summer economic statement last night. The statements were prepared today; all of the statements the Deputies have are completely consistent with the public information made available yesterday. The figures and narrative are the same. I accept that Deputies could and should get it earlier but the document prepared last night and made public and the statements are...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: It is my understanding that the mica funding is included in the expenditure outlook for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I apologise to the Deputy if I had not given him the detail of it. I thought I had. This was an oversight on my behalf that will be corrected.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: If that information is available to the Department of housing, which I assume it is because it would have to lay out what it believes is the expenditure profile, I will share it with the committee. I thought I had done so. I apologise to the Deputy because I know it is an issue the Deputy raised with me previously. I remember when he did that but I do believe it is accounted for in the NDP...