Results 7,001-7,020 of 32,610 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Priority Questions: Legislative Reviews (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: One of many gifts. If Deputy David Cullinane wants proof as to the reason the agreement is the only game in town, the most recent can be in the vote last night. The reason I have made the claim about the Lansdowne Road agreement and the broad FEMPI legislation measures is that they offer the only framework in which we can manage the need for better public services and at the same time meet...

Priority Questions: Legislative Reviews (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In order to continue and maintain the recovery that is underway, we need to ensure that our national finances are sustainable. A crucial element of that is ensuring that we have responsible wages in place for those who work in our public services so that we can meet the wage needs that they have now and in the future. The unfunded wage increase of today is the wage cut of tomorrow. I...

Priority Questions: Programme for Government (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The programme for a partnership Government lays the foundation for the new Government's ambition to build a strong economy and deliver a fair society. It is complemented by the policy principles set out in the agreement made with Fianna Fáil to facilitate the effective operation of the partnership Government. The programme contains a commitment to spend at least €6.75 billion...

Priority Questions: Programme for Government (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am reviewing the status of the 2016 Estimates with the Government. We will introduce them later this year than would have been the norm during the Deputy's tenure in this role. I aim to secure Government approval for the Estimates soon. When that is done, the information will have to be made available to the Dáil because the Dáil must vote on them.

Priority Questions: Programme for Government (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I agree with the Deputy that in the context of the new budgetary process, we must know where we stand this year before we look to next year. He made a fair point. Alas, my answer to him is the same.

Priority Questions: Programme for Government (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am reviewing the issue with my colleagues. As soon as I have reviewed the Estimates that were designed to be passed at the start of this year and determined whether they remain the appropriate ceilings, we will make the figures available to the Dáil, as is required and given the fact they need to be passed. Regarding the Deputy's question on the cost of the programme for...

Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I share the premise underlying the Deputy's question that following the right investment strategy is critical to securing economic progress and social development. The process leading up to the publication of the current plan sought to ensure that resources were focused where needed in order to drive economic recovery and meet social needs. This principle was also central to the strategy...

Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Let us acknowledge that the overall plan involves a total quantum of over €40 billion. Approximately €27 billion is to be made available via Exchequer investment, while the rest is to be made available through various investment plans involving the commercial semi-State bodies. The Deputy is correct that the Government is examining how this figure can be increased, but it is...

Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am all in favour of making sensible decisions. I take on board the Deputy’s point. He has said we should not get carried away with the investment, but, at the same time, we should acknowledge its scale. The investment programme, to be implemented, will over its lifetime bring investment in national infrastructure up to and in excess of €5 billion per year, which represents...

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: It has been the consistent policy approach that funds released from State asset disposals should be used, as far as possible and when the fiscal rules allow, to support the economy and job creation, while also using some of the proceeds to reduce debt. Since the State assets disposal programme was agreed to by the Government, a number of significant announcements have been made of...

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am informed that the total amount involved is as I confirmed to the Deputy. It is €400 million from the sale of assets. With regard to a particular mechanism and how the fund will be made available for housing, I am not in a position to give the Deputy an answer now. However, I will identify one and respond to him by tomorrow.

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I will.

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: To respond to the first question on whether I have further plans to dispose of State assets, the answer is currently "No".

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes. I will inform the Deputy if the position changes but I am not aware of any such plans. As to whether all the funding has been drawn down, I understand it has been drawn down in the sense that it was handed over after the financial transaction took place. Was the Deputy referring to the release of the funding to achieve the objective for which it was intended?

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The answer to that will vary according to which element is involved. Funding has been available for the objectives of programmes that operated between 2012 and 2014. I will revert to the Deputy on how moneys connected with the sale of Bord Gáis Energy and Aer Lingus will be released. I understand the principles governing the establishment of the connectivity fund were agreed by the...

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The European Commission also acknowledged that Ireland's public finances have improved immeasurably. We have entered the preventative phase of deficit management. This is extraordinary progress when measured against the position we were in a number of years ago. I had hoped the Deputy would have acknowledged this progress when commenting on the need for capital investment. I have...

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: If we move to a position in which we seek to increase expenditure without identifying what projects are to be delivered, prices will rise and best practice in respect of cost-benefit analysis and the need to spend taxpayers' money wisely will not be adhered to.

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: What has been agreed to date with the representatives of fire-fighters in local authorities within the context of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-18 is an accord in principle on the delivery of a comprehensive range of productivity measures related to reforms in respect of the strategically important Keeping Communities Safe programme, the implementation of which is a matter for...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: It is not the case that a template has been created for dealing with fire-fighters. What has occurred is that the terms and processes of the Lansdowne Road agreement have been used to deal with this matter. As I stated, we will use the processes provided for in the agreement to engage with different sectoral trade unions to do what we can in response to the issues they are raising....

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I would not use such language.