Results 7,321-7,340 of 32,610 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I cannot help but wonder whether this is the European Union that Sinn Féin during all of its existence has campaigned against.

Other Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Sinn Féin party campaigned for a "No" vote on the Lisbon and Nice treaties.

Other Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Deputy Doherty's colleague, a Sinn Féin MEP, recently said that the economic and fiscal policies of the European Union had had catastrophic affects on the lives of many of its citizens.

Other Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: This is the same European Union from which Deputy Doherty was lamenting, and was correct to lament, the exit of the United Kingdom. Deputy Doherty and his colleagues have campaigned against the European Union and the treaties of the EU for many decades. As I stated, the European Union has made a big contribution to the kind of projects that we all care about.

Other Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: What we are now hearing from Deputy Doherty is a change of view on the European Union. As already stated, I am meeting the Northern Ireland Minister for Finance tomorrow in recognition of the uncertainty that has been generated by the UK's decision to exit the European Union. I welcome hearing Deputy Pearse Doherty acknowledge the benefits of the EU after he and his party have spent decades...

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 36 to 38, inclusive, 49, 51 and 52 together. For the majority of public servants, the difference in incremental salary scales between those public servants who entered public service employment since 2011 and those who entered before that date was addressed with the relevant union interests under the provisions of the Haddington Road agreement. There are,...

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In respect of Deputy Durkan's question about how we can engage with unions outside the Lansdowne Road agreement, the Minister for Education and Skills and his Department have carried out significant work to gain the TUI's agreement to enter the Lansdowne Road agreement. The Minister has made very clear, as have I, that we will engage with unions who are outside the Lansdowne Road agreement...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pensions Reform (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Last January the previous Government approved the establishment of an Interdepartmental Working Group to consider policy designed to support fuller working lives. The Group is chaired by an Assistant Secretary from my Department and includes senior representatives from the Departments of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Social Protection, Justice, Health and Education. The Group has...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Issues (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The programme of the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union is based on four priorities: an economically strong Europe; a modern single market; sustainable migration and asylum policies; and a globally engaged Europe. A key issue for which my Department has responsibility is Cohesion policy. The Slovak Presidency intends to lead a discussion on European Commission proposals...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In June 2015, Government approved proposals for a significant amelioration of pension reductions which had been applied under the financial emergency (FEMPI) legislation to all public service pensions above specified thresholds. This amelioration of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR), which subsequently became law under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue referred to in the Deputy's question concerns Community and Employment Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors who are seeking through their union representatives the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme dating back to 2008. In this regard the position has been that it is not possible for the State to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government recognises that economic and social progress go hand in hand. Therefore, the Programme for a Partnership Government sets out a clear strategy for increasing spending in a sustainable way built on stable revenues. A key focus of the Government is on providing the best environment for job creation. Unemployment has fallen from a peak of over 15% to 7.8% in May this year. The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Summer Economic Statement (SES) recognises that economic and social progress go hand in hand. Only a strong economy supporting people at work can pay for the services needed to create a fair society. A key focus of the Government is on providing the best environment for job creation. Unemployment has fallen from a peak of over 15% to 7.8% in May this year. The Government's ambition is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: For the majority of public servants the issue of addressing the difference in incremental salary scales between those public servants who entered public service employment since 2011 and those who entered before that date was addressed with the relevant union interests under the provisions of the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA). Any further consideration of remuneration adjustment for any...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The performance budgeting initiative provides a single, coherent organising principle for public service information funded by the Exchequer. Over the last number of years, the initiative has been subject to ongoing review and improvement. One of the most significant developments in this area has been the reformatting of the Revised Estimates Volume to include performance information. This...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In June 2015, Government approved proposals for a significant amelioration of pension reductions which had been applied under the financial emergency (FEMPI) legislation to all public service pensions above specified thresholds. This amelioration of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR), which subsequently became law under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Data (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Department does not collect data pertaining to the ethnic and cultural background of staff. However, the Civil Service is strongly committed to equality of opportunity in all its employment practices. As an employer, the Civil Service must fulfil its obligations under equality legislation, particularly the Employment Equality Act 1998. While recognising that people are different, our...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) was established as one of the key elements of the Public Sector Reform programme. The primary aim is achieve value for money by harnessing the State's buying power to purchase goods and services for the public sector in a manner that enables the provision of quality public services to be maintained within limited resources. The State spends...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ombudsman's Remit (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the Ombudsman's view that, generally speaking, his Office should have remit over private sector providers of public services. As the Deputy will be aware, the Ombudsman (Amendment) Act 2012 greatly extended the remit of the Ombudsman with some 180 additional public bodies coming under his remit. The Ombudsman legislation provides that the Ombudsman may examine administrative...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cross-Border Co-operation (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Public service reform was a key element of the response to the challenges we faced in recent years and continues to be an essential part of building for the future. In this context, we have been cooperating on with our colleagues in Northern Ireland for a number of years, particularly since the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was established in 2011. We have developed a good...