Results 7,561-7,580 of 32,643 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (27 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I refer the Deputy to my reply to PQ 43 of 31st May 2016.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (27 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The 10% reductions in starting pay for certain new entrants were introduced in January 2011 as part of the National Recovery Plan in order to reduce the Public Service Pay Bill by the then Government. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (27 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2015 provides for a significant phased amelioration of the cuts to public service pensions imposed by the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR). This pension restoration under FEMPI 2015 is now underway, with pension adjustments scheduled in three phases, on 1 January 2016, 1 January 2017 and 1...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (27 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, the following table outlines the cost of ensuring that all staff in my Department and the bodies under its aegis are paid €11.50 per hour or above. Such information in respect of other Government Departments and bodies under their aegis would have to be the subject of separate questions to the relevant Ministers. Organisation Annual Cost...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery Funding Data (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Under the National Lottery Act 2013, any price increase in National Lottery tickets is a matter for decision by the operator of the National Lottery, while any change to the scheme of a National Lottery game must be approved by the National Lottery Regulator, who acts independently in the discharge of his functions. Under the legislation, the operator decides on the prizes to be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I can confirm that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, on foot of terms set out in Circular 18/2010, had been applying the 10 % reduction in pay rates and fixed term allowances to persons recruited at entry grades to the department from 1 January 2011 onwards. I can confirm that this was not applied to staff recruited at entry grades after 1 January 2011 with previous reckonable...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Nursing Staff Remuneration (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Incremental credit for the 36 week clinical placement undertaken by 4th Year Student Nurses was abolished by the then Government in December 2010 as part of a range of measures aimed at reducing the public service pay bill. In the context of the Lansdowne Road Agreement it was agreed between management and unions that the issue of the 36 week incremental credit would be examined in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Oireachtas Members' Remuneration (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I would refer the Deputy to my Department's website at where the information sought has been published.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 to 179, inclusive, together. The appointment of the Chief Executive is a matter for the Board of Horse Racing Ireland under the relevant legislation. The Board of Horse Racing Ireland formally reappointed the Chief Executive Officer on the 21st of July on terms and conditions approved by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I refer the Deputy to my answer to PQ Ref 25170/16 on the 15.09.2016. Generally, the Chief Executive Officer of commercial state bodies is appointed by the Board and holds office on terms and conditions determined by the Board with the consent of the relevant Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Guidelines on Contracts, Remuneration and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cross-Border Projects (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The projects referred to by the Deputy all relate to the INTERREG Programme, which has a total value of €283 million over the period 2014-2020 and which is 85% funded by the European Union. While all of the projects have been the subject of an assessment process led by the Special EU Programmes Body, uncertainty surrounds the availability of EU funding as a consequence of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Interpretation Services framework was established in February 2016. There are 3 framework suppliers.  The Translation Services framework was established in March 2016. There are 6 framework suppliers.  Both frameworks are for the provision of services in respect of some 90 languages and are both are still in place. Draw down from both the Interpretation Services framework...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chairman. When I appeared before the committee earlier in the year, I agreed to return for a discussion following the publication of the mid-year expenditure report. Members will recall that my Department’s group of Votes comprises a significant number of Votes, as follows:(i) The Vote for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Vote for the Office of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: No. What we have always been conscious of, and the Government and I have articulated this on a number of occasions, is that we need greater recognition of the difference between current and capital expenditure when they are being accounted for within national accounts. Where progress has been made is in how capital expenditure is treated differently within the fiscal space measurement...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: No, we are dealing with the Commission on how capital expenditure is recognised. With an economy and a country like our own that has such growing capital needs in the future and, clearly, a high level of social need now, we believe that capital expenditure needs to be evaluated in a different manner. That is why we are dealing with the matter of how capital expenditure is dealt with on our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The other dimension of the fiscal rules is management of the fiscal space in the way the Government is committed to. One should see a decline in the debt and the deficit begin to reduce, to converge on becoming a surplus as the Government is committed to balancing its books. The flexibility that one gains in the health of one's key metrics, like debt and deficit levels, is what then gives...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: No. We are allowed to spend it, clearly, but it must be treated in a particular way. To directly answer the Deputy's question on how can these rules and guidelines help during a period of economic contraction, where they are meant to help is when one is in a period of either growth or stability. One uses that period to get the deficit down and get debt under control so that when one is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: No. The measure of the expenditure rules, and where they put their focus on, is on the structural deficit. Recognition is taken of that in the expenditure benchmarks. As the Deputy well knows, the purpose of the structural deficit is try to strip out the volatility that happens in the revenues of a Government at any point in time. The expenditure benchmark is also calculated so that it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: It is €600 million in current expenditure, €250 million in capital expenditure and the Minister for Finance has said it is around €300 million for tax measures.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Of course, I cannot.