Results 9,781-9,800 of 32,864 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The matter will be dealt with promptly this year. It depends on what one means by a number of weeks. I understand that the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, want to deal with this issue as soon as possible and I will facilitate that.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I was aware of that-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: No, I was aware that the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, wanted to deal with this matter in the context of this year. As I said in the summer economic statement this was a decision that would be made later on in the year, and that is what is happening.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Is that in terms of where that funding is available from or in terms of the fact that we are going to spend it?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I have been updating Cabinet continually on where we are in expenditure profiles, so Cabinet has always been aware of this. I flagged to Cabinet in the context of the summer economic statement that there is an underspend equal to that amount and clearly that would offer options for how we deal with the issue in relation to water charges.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I indicated that because of the quantum of underspend that is there it does offer the ability to deal with the water charging issue.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: My expectation for the Department of Health is that its expenditure at this point in the year will come in on profile. The information I have available at the moment regarding how health will perform indicates that for this year it will deliver its profiled expenditure. In terms of whether any other Department has flagged an overspend risk to me, I have already referenced – it has...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I want to conclude that point because I was answering a question.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: We cannot do both.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: It is the right of the committee to put these issues forward and it is my right, as a member of Government, to outline my view on these matters, which is what I am doing. Is the budgetary process robust? The answer to that question is "yes". I am struck by the things which are not coming up in the questions put to me as I make the point that we will deliver our deficit targets for the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The full report on ISIF will be with me in the next couple of weeks as it is nearly done. I would expect to be in a position to review it and make decisions by early September. On capital expenditure, I have outlined my decision on the allocation of funding from the rainy day fund but I have also flagged, to the committee and the Oireachtas, that we will not increase capital expenditure to...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I do not believe the changes in the national debt will impact on our fiscal resources for next year as these are a different matter. However, I do have concerns about the level of debt we have at the moment. The publication of the GNI* information was very helpful because previous measurements of national income flatter the magnitude of debt we have. The figure will stabilise next year at...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: When we engage with other institutions such as the European Commission and the IMF, they still use conventional measurements such as gross domestic product and gross national product for our discussions. The reason I feel GNI* is very helpful is that it strips out the volatility and flows that make our economy unique. From a domestic perspective, when we are making decisions here at home,...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Because if I got myself to the point whereby I met representative bodies from one Department, within a minute, representative bodies from every other Department and policy area would want to meet me.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Every policy area or Department has issues that are unique to them. The simple fact is that if I was to begin meeting a representative body from one Government area, I would be expected to meet them all. I have been called on to meet representatives from teachers unions, for instance, or other areas, the answer has also been no. I know they have engaged with the Department of Health on the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Okay, if I come in and announce additional expenditure, it will be welcomed.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Of course if I am announcing additional expenditure, it will be on areas that are needed. I will not arrive into the Oireachtas to announce additional expenditure on areas that are not of concern to the public or are not part of the programme for Government. If we find ourselves in the position where additional resources are available, it is likely that the Dáil will welcome the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: It is not for this year but we are not ruling it out in future years. With tax collection to date, we expect it to come in on profile, cumulatively, for the year and we expect we will deliver the targets that we outlined last year. The Deputy is correct that there was underperformance, coming across May and June in most tax heads, and it has begun to improve. We are steadily reducing the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I will deal with the first part of the Deputy's question on my description of political debate in Ireland. In contributions I made, I was referring to the far left rather than to the left. I am not a member of the left, which will not come as a surprise to the Deputy.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I do not accept the authenticity of my commitment to dealing with inequality or social difficulty in our country is any different from the Deputy's. I have never accepted that; I just have a different view of how it can be achieved. On the question of the language I used earlier in the week to describe it, I will give the Deputy an example of why I said what I said. I have said it lots of...