Results 11,621-11,640 of 32,892 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: Voluntary Sector Remuneration (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Department of Health and in particular the HSE will receive additional funding next year of over €580 million. Deputy Burton referred to the Supplementary Estimate of €180 million that went through the House some days ago in respect of health, a portion of which was to continue to fund an access plan later this year but most of it was to continue to contribute to the...

Other Questions: Voluntary Sector Remuneration (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I have not attempted in any way to under appreciate the contribution these workers make or the value of these organisations. I am making the point that the funding available to these organisations has gone up substantially over recent years. I have every reason to expect that upon publication of the HSE service action plan funding for those organisations will go up again next year, as it...

Other Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme Review (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 157 together. As I announced in budget 2018, the Government has allocated significant increases in public capital investment amounting to €4.3 billion over the period 2018-21. This was in addition to the additional €2.2 billion for housing already allocated prior to that for the implementation of the Action Plan for Housing and...

Other Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme Review (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: It is a priority and we want to advance a number of projects we believe will benefit many of our citizens. I would point to what we want to achieve in the housing area, where signs of progress are beginning to become tangible. We need to see more of that happening next year. I look at parts of Dublin with which I am familiar and see, for example, the opening of Broome Lodge in Cabra....

Other Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme Review (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: We will see them move ahead soon.

Other Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme Review (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: We could be on tricker ground there.

Other Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme Review (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: From my extensive experience of this issue in recent years, it is one that will increase next year and beyond. Understandably, every Government agency only considers expenditure needs in its own area of responsibility. When all of that is added together, though, it represents a figure the Exchequer is not capable of meeting. If we could meet it, there would be a separate issue regarding...

Other Questions: Civil Service Reform (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Excellent.

Other Questions: Civil Service Reform (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am delighted that the Deputy has read the document. It was great to launch it earlier this week with the Secretary General of my Department.

Other Questions: Civil Service Reform (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Now that I know the Deputy has such an interest in it, we will make sure to invite him to the sequel and other events that happen in the run up to it.

Other Questions: Civil Service Reform (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy knows, this is the third iteration of what we have been doing in terms of Civil Service reform. In direct answer to his question on how we will make these things happen, two developments will allow for much of that. I will then conclude with an observation on the interesting point that the Deputy made about diversity and inclusion. First, we will soon set up a public...

Other Questions: Civil Service Reform (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy asked a number of questions. We will also have a strategic advisory board, whose job it will be to oversee the implementation of the strategy. Regarding salary levels and the retention of specialists, there could be an issue with a number of specialist roles across the public service. I have asked the Public Service Pay Commission to investigate the matter, beginning with the...

Other Questions: Civil Service Reform (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy is right, in that the strategy points to customer engagement as something that we need to do even better in future. It is something we have begun to do a lot of work on over the past 18 months. The two examples I offer to the Deputy are, first, the survey the Minister for Health launched during this week regarding the patient experience for people looking to enter hospital and,...

Other Questions: Public Sector Reform Implementation (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Since the first public service reform plan was published in 2011, a comprehensive programme of reform has been implemented and this continues to be a key priority. This is important as the performance of the public service has major implications for the management of our finances and for economic development and employment creation. The public service reform plan for the period 2014 to 2016...

Other Questions: Public Sector Reform Implementation (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, I do, although it is not something we can ever take for granted. It is the case that many of the reforms initiated in recent years in our State were instigated at a time of deep crisis. What we need to do now is to anchor the reform efforts of the Government and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform more to the desire that all of our civil and public servants have, which is...

Appropriation Bill 2017: Second and Subsequent Stages (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I apologise for missing the contributions of Deputies Calleary and Jonathan O'Brien and some of that of Deputy Burton but I have been updated on what was said. Deputies Calleary and Jonathan O'Brien queried whether this is the correct way to handle such legislation. This is how such legislation is always handled and it is done at this time of the year. That is because it is only at this...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Private Partnerships (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I should first explain that Public Private Partnerships are already subject to a strong public investment management methodology, which includes appraisal. The Deputy may be referring to a recommendation made as part of the recent IMF PIMA report, to the effect that appraisals should be published on a more systematic basis. The National Development Finance Agency was established in 2003...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Each Minister is ultimately responsible for appointments to boards under their aegis and must have regard to the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards. Relevant issues relating to the effective operation of each board, including those such as diversity, gender balance and mix of expertise and skill sets are for each Minister to consider. As set out in the Guidelines, compliance with...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Expenditure Reviews (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As part of my Estimates speech on Budget day last year I announced that a spending review would take place on a three-year rolling basis. The first cycle of the Spending Review in 2017, which culminated in the publication of over 20 analytical papers on Spending Review topics, was successfully completed in October following the publication of Budget 2018. This was the first cycle of a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (14 Dec 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: 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). From 1 November 2013 pre and post-2011 pay scales were merged into a single consolidated scale...