Results 5,561-5,580 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Expenditure Reviews (14 Dec 2017)

Jonathan O'Brien: 15. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the rolling selective spending review process which will take place in his Department between 2017 and 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53247/17]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (14 Dec 2017)

Jonathan O'Brien: 16. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to address pay inequality within the public sector. [53243/17]

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Local Property Tax and Commercial Stamp Duty: Department of Finance (16 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: I am concerned because some of the questions I was going to ask, and which Deputy Lahart asked, are going to inform the workings of the new interdepartmental group. Will we be extending the base to houses that are currently exempt and how will we implement that? What will happen in the event of a revaluation or if the decision is taken to maintain the freeze? I presume the Minister will...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Local Property Tax and Commercial Stamp Duty: Department of Finance (16 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: I presume this work would also examine the impact of changes to the regime on deferral rates and ability to pay.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Local Property Tax and Commercial Stamp Duty: Department of Finance (16 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: The representative from the Revenue stated that to the best of his recollection, there was no consultation with the Department on this measure. Mr. Hogan is now saying that there were conversations on it and on other measures throughout the summer.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Local Property Tax and Commercial Stamp Duty: Department of Finance (16 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: Very well.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Local Property Tax and Commercial Stamp Duty: Department of Finance (16 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: Would the witness not concur with the view that putting this in the budget was a very last-minute decision?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Local Property Tax and Commercial Stamp Duty: Department of Finance (16 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: I had one other question. I do not know whether Mr. Hogan has the answer. It concerns the surcharge on properties valued at over €1 million.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Local Property Tax and Commercial Stamp Duty: Department of Finance (16 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: Finally, in regard to the upcoming review, did the witness mention a date at the end of August?

Section 39 Agency Staff Reimbursements: Motion [Private Members] (17 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: I would like to share time with Deputies Pearse Doherty, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, David Cullinane and Louise O'Reilly.

Section 39 Agency Staff Reimbursements: Motion [Private Members] (17 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: That is okay. We are very disciplined in this party. We will be supporting this motion. Unlike the Government, we will also support the amendment proposed by Solidarity-People Before Profit. While the Fianna Fáil motion does not address all the issues we would like to see addressed, it addresses the fundamental issue of equal treatment of all section 39 workers in relation to pay...

Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: I ought to have brought my glasses.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (18 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: 2. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if additional use of public private partnerships, PPPs, in capital spending beyond the 10% cap will be ruled out in view of the lack of a systematic cost-benefit analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2405/18]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (18 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: I ask the Minister to rule out the use of PPPs in capital spending beyond the 10% cap in light of the review and given the lack of cost-benefit analyses.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (18 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: We will await the outcome of that review and see what its recommendations will be, but I am sure the Minister is well aware that the IMF recently commented on the use of PPPs. It recommended:- Consider imposing restrictions on PPPs that are more likely to impose a future fiscal burden and consider "raising the bar" by requiring PPPs to achieve higher net cost savings compared to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (18 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: It is interesting the Minister mentioned Carillion because its collapse has raised concerns. In British politics a number of commentators have commented on the use of PPPs and the contribution they have made. One politician said:It enabled you [he was speaking to the Chancellor of the Exchequer], at least in the short term, to dress up considerable amounts of public expenditure and put them...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (18 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: 19. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to prioritise the flood defence needs of the State in the next capital plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2334/18]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (18 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: This is to ask the Minister of State about capital spending on flood defence projects and if he will make a statement on the priorities.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (18 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: That is fine. On the future capital plan, does the Minister of State have a list of projects and their costing which will feed into any deliberations about how much will be needed in future? I know that the projects which are being undertaken come under this capital programme.

Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (Resumed) (18 Jan 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: Like Deputy Lisa Chambers, I attempted to write a speech in preparation for this debate. To be honest, I found it difficult. I will probably ramble for the next 20 minutes as I try to get out everything that is in my head and it will probably come out in no particular order. I could not write a speech. Given everything we have heard in the past four months, it is impossible to explain in...