Results 7,961-7,980 of 32,726 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: Flood Prevention Measures (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: With a hint of neo-liberalism about it.

Other Questions: Flood Prevention Measures (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy will have to look at it again.

Other Questions: Lansdowne Road Agreement (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy heard me say in previous replies, I believe the Lansdowne Road agreement will be a central element to how we manage public pay in 2017 and 2018. With all of the understandable focus on the current challenges in public service pay, we should not lose sight of the fact that more than 20 unions have signed up to the Lansdowne Road agreement. More than 200,000 public and civil...

Other Questions: Lansdowne Road Agreement (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: It is a significant challenge. We have the challenge of meeting the expectations of citizens with the money availabile from the State to actually meet them, whether it be increased wages, quality public services or infrastructure. The only way we can do this is by looking to make steady and incremental progress in all of these areas concurrently because what we cannot do is make a big leap...

Other Questions: Lansdowne Road Agreement (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: That will be a key consideration for the Government in how it plans for public pay rates in the future. As the Deputy knows well, wage rates in one part of the economy have consequences for competitiveness elsewhere. This is included in the terms of reference of the Public Service Pay Commission. The future competitiveness of the country is an issue on which the Minister for Enterprise,...

Other Questions: Government Expenditure (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The mid-year expenditure report indicated that my Department would examine proposals for the options available for reinforcing the role of three-year expenditure ceilings in further restoring stability to Ireland's public finances and sustaining this stability in the medium-term period. This is particularly relevant in the light of the increased uncertainty and risks faced by the economy in...

Other Questions: Government Expenditure (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The transmission mechanism for changes in the State will be what happens to our rate of economic growth. It has already been revised by the Minister for Finance and, as part of budget 2017, will be under continual review. The Minister will confirm the latest figures in his summer economic statement next year. He will give an indication of future rates of growth in the economy and the...

Other Questions: Government Expenditure (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Minister for Finance will examine any determination or view from the Commission on future deficit or debt targets within the fiscal rules. He and I are committed to maintaining a sensible approach to the public finances and we have set our plans for next year. We are going to deliver on the deficit and on the employment targets to which we are committed. We will take account of any...

Other Questions: Flood Prevention Measures (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that the Ballymakeera-Ballyvourney, Baile Mhic Ire-Baile Bhuirne, scheme is at outline design stage where the preferred options for the scheme are being finalised. A total of €55,000 has been expended to date on the scheme. A total project budget will be finalised before public exhibition, but the initial indications are that the cost...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: This Government  strongly supports the Lansdowne Road Agreement as the centrepiece of public service pay policy which provides a negotiated pathway for the phased unwinding of FEMPI pay measures as they apply to existing public servants. The recent Labour Court's recommendations on Garda pay were explicitly made within the framework provided by the Lansdowne...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 34 and 36 together. In the context of the Labour Court Recommendations on Garda pay, and the potential wider implications for the Lansdowne Road Agreement, I met with representatives from ICTU on the 7th of November to listen to their views and inform considerations on these matters by Government. Senior officials within my...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (24 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In relation to the unwinding of Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) measures for low earners, the Deputy will be aware that the application of the FEMPI pay reductions were extremely progressive, with pay reductions ranging from 5% at lower pay levels to 29% at higher pay levels.  Again the measures applied under the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Capital Plan published last year set out a six year framework for infrastructural investment in Ireland. The scale and profile of the Exchequer component of the Plan was developed with reference to the Government's medium term economic growth forecasts and assessment of Ireland's fiscal targets at the time.   Since then, the current Government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Public Procurement is governed by the EU Treaty, EU Directives, Regulations and national guidelines. These set down rules whereby contracting authorities must award contracts under procedures designed to achieve value for public money in an open, transparent and non discriminatory competitive process.  In addition to achieving value for money, the Government is also keen to explore...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Equality Proofing of Budgets (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Programme for Government commits to developing a process of budget and policy proofing as a means of advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening economic and social rights, ensuring that institutional arrangements are in place to support equality and gender proofing.  Cabinet procedures require a range of impacts to be considered in every...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 30 and 31 together. The Government remains committed to the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA) as the Collective Agreement in place with the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and other associations representing public servants. The Agreement provides for sustainable pay increases through adjustment of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware I am obliged under the legislation to undertake an Annual Review of the operation and effectiveness of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts (FEMPI) which is laid before the Oireachtas by the end of June each year. In my last review of the necessity for the continuing application of the measures provided for under the Acts,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Teachers' Remuneration (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: It is the position that parties represented on the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC) including officials of my Department are currently in discussion with the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland on a range of matters of mutual concern.  A number of meetings have already taken place under the TCC and further meetings are planned. The proceedings of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Open Government Partnership (24 Nov 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: There are a number of internationally recognised standards that may be relevant to particular organisations in particular sectors.  The role of my Department in encouraging good Governance does not extend to prescribing standards which may be of a technical nature or require a level of expertise in application that is particular to specific sectors. My Department encourages the adoption...