Results 6,921-6,940 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: 192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to implement measures (details supplied) for special schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52767/18]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (18 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: 215. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a post-project review has been carried out on the schools bundle of PPP projects; and if so, if it will be published. [53043/18]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (18 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: 216. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the requirements under the public spending code for post-project reviews of PPPs to be carried out and completed. [53044/18]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Private Partnerships Data (18 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: 562. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the moneys paid to the private partner of the M3 Clonee-Kells PPP in traffic-related guarantee payments in 2017 and to date in 2018. [53045/18]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Private Partnerships Data (18 Dec 2018)

Jonathan O'Brien: 563. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the moneys paid to the private partner of the Limerick tunnel in traffic-related guarantee payments in 2017 and to date in 2018. [53046/18]

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I want to focus on the health budget. The Minister spoke briefly about it when answering questions from other Deputies. How is he proposing to get a grip on the health budget in the future? Can he recap on some of the measures being taken?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: The Supplementary Estimate last year was for €200 million. While the Estimate for the year before that was not classed as a Supplementary Estimate, there was a Revised Estimate of €500 million in 2016. Therefore, the combined figure for the last two years is €700 million. While one can class the figure for last year as significantly lower, in 2016 some €500...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: The HSE publishes performance profiles quarterly.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: It also produces a separate monthly report. The information we were given by Mr. Colm Desmond was that in the performance accountability framework between the HSE and the Department of Health there was a monthly data report which was discussed between it and the Department.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: That indicates that there were monthly reports between the Department of Health and the HSE which were not being passed on to the Minister's Department which showed significant overruns on a month by month basis. Perhaps the Minister might clarify whether that was the case.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Does the Minister accept that this applies to the figures included in the health budget announced for last year? At this committee in December Mr. Michael Tutty from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council said: Some €700 million does not just suddenly arrive as the year goes on, there has to have been a shortfall right from the start in the figures. We need to find a mechanism where...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I have a final question in this area. The month by month reports between the Department of Health and the HSE are now to be shared with the Minister's Department. What is the timelag in the provision of data? Mr. Colm Desmond has said there is a timelag which makes it more difficult to estimate the size of overruns. Will the Minister give us an indication as to whether the timelag is one,...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: On the rainy day fund and its potential use, can we, first, have clarification that it cannot be used to offset any impact Brexit, including a no-deal Brexit, could have?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Is it not true that under EU fiscal rules, the rainy day fund cannot be used to mitigate the effects of Brexit?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Therefore, it is unknown at this stage whether the fund could be used in the context of Brexit. We do know that it could be used to recapitalise banks.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: But it could be used to bail out banks.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I believe people should know that we are putting money away that could end up being used to bail out banks. That is a fair analysis.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: The Minister has not ruled it out either, on the advice of his Department.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I am just pointing out that the fund can be used to bail out banks and that we do not even know whether it can be used to offset the impact of Brexit. Am I not making an accurate statement?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: In my last 30 seconds I wish to ask the Minister about nurses' pay. It is a budgetary issue and, as members of the Committee on Budgetary Oversight, we should be allowed to address it. Strike action has been notified. How will the Minister deal with the issue? Is he willing to engage directly with the nurses' union on it? How does he propose to resolve it?