Results 13,241-13,260 of 32,960 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Leaders' Questions (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, he did.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Data (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As I previously stated in Parliamentary Question No. 82 on 1 May 2018 the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman is independent in the performance of his statutory functions.  I have no role in the day to day workings of the office. The Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) was established on 01 January 2018 under the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Act...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Consultancy Contracts Data (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I can advise the Deputy that there were no contracts awarded by my Department to the firm 'Capita' since March 2011. In relation to the seventeen Bodies under the aegis of my Department, I am informed that since March 2011, thirteen have not awarded contracts to a company named 'Capita' since March 2011.  It was not possible for four of the bodies to provide the requested information...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Approved Housing Bodies (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Since the decision by the Central Statistics Office to reclassify 15 Approved Housing Bodies as part of the local government sector, i.e. within general government, my officials have engaged with these bodies in order to obtain the required inputs to compile the fiscal forecasts for the period 2018 - 2021.  These figures are reflected in the Stability Programme Update 2018. Following...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Interest Relief Application (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: At present, there are no plans to provide specific additional income tax relief for mortgage payments, as the Government’s priority is on reducing the income tax burden for low to middle income earners, while limiting the benefit for high earners and keeping the tax base broad. As indicated in the last two Budgets, Mortgage Interest Relief is being phased out.  The residual...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Capital Expenditure Programme (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 to 95, inclusive, together. My Department’s Capital Allocation provides for the routine acquisition of IT equipment and systems and certain premises expenses relating to the buildings it occupies. Aside from these types of expenditure my Department does not have any long or medium term Capital Projects. For 2018 the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As I informed the Deputy in my previous answer on 27 February 2018, my Department issued a circular in January of this year authorising and giving guidance in relation to the application to qualifying pensions of pay increases under the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017. Responsibility for implementing these increases lies with the various public service pension/payroll providers. I...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I would refer the Deputy to my response to PQ 54985/17 of 16 January 2018 and PQ 13684/18 of 27 March 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Procurement is a key element of the Government's Reform agenda. The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) was established to drive the reform agenda, adopt a strategic approach to public procurement, leverage the State's spending power and deliver savings for the State. Framework agreements are one of a number of ways in which the OGP engages with the market to achieve value for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Caiteachas Ranna (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: One of the objectives relating to the sale of the National Lottery licence for a 20 year period was to generate significant up-front proceeds for the State. Proceeds of €405m from the sale were used to fund a range of expenditure projects and served to reduce the need for any further tax increases at that time. The allocation of funding from subheads which are part-funded from the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Roads Maintenance Funding (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As recently outlined by the Minister for Transport, Tourism (PQ 17344/18) the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of local authorities, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the Council's own resources supplemented by State road grants.  The initial selection and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (9 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 to 104, inclusive, together. The purpose of capital investment undertaken by my Department and the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) is to deliver greater effectiveness and efficiency across the Civil and Public Service.  The nature of many of the reform initiatives set out in ambitious reform plans, such as Our Public Service 2020 and the Public...

Leaders' Questions (10 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I heard the interview this morning to which the Deputy refers. It was a bright morning and I heard Emma speak about her family, her community and how she feels about all of the normal things in life one sometimes takes for granted until they are taken away. The tragedy, anguish, anger and fear of which she spoke regarding her life, the consultation she has to have tomorrow and what that...

Leaders' Questions (10 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am pointing to actions that have been taken and that are under way in recognition of the grief, tragedy and great uncertainty that too many women and citizens face at present. They were let down and we need to understand how this happened and what support can be given. I have outlined the actions the Government has taken. I pointed to an independent inquiry which is already under way and...

Leaders' Questions (10 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: When I heard the interview this morning, my world began to slow down and then stop at the scale of the anguish and tragedy that Emma and her young family are dealing with today and have been dealing with for the past number of days. The feelings Deputies O'Reilly and Calleary have articulated are the same feelings I had this morning. They are the same feelings my colleagues in the...

Leaders' Questions (10 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I believe Mr. O'Brien should continue in his post. The reason, to address the question the Deputy posed, is the concept of confidence. The greatest duty we have at present is to restore confidence in programmes that have saved lives and helped the health of women. As a result, I am of the view that Mr. O'Brien should continue his work over the next number of weeks. He has appeared before...

Leaders' Questions (10 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy made the point that he found it difficult, or even impossible, to imagine what it would be like to walk the journey Emma is walking this morning and how we would deal with and what we would say to those whom we love and to our own families. We often come across tragic situations, but our ability to understand them or to walk in the shoes of those affected is so constrained because...

Leaders' Questions (10 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I will respond to one of the points the Deputy put to me, which, of course, is prompted by the tragedy that we are all aware of this morning, about what our obligations are to mind our citizens. In the midst of all of us responding in the way we are attempting to, we need to be aware that while we are looking at great private tragedy and anguish today, the programmes that have been in place...

Leaders' Questions (10 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: It is correct that I met the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, some weeks ago while I was in Bulgaria at a meeting of European finance ministers. The Tánaiste is in the UK today and will also meet the Chancellor and the Minister for the Cabinet Office, David Lidington, to review where negotiations stand and once again articulate the Irish national interest in the...

Leaders' Questions (10 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Many of the issues at the epicentre - to use the Deputy's phrase - of how the United Kingdom will leave the European Union are crystalised in the very issues with which the Government and Dáil are dealing. Many of the issues that are at the heart of Britain's future relationship with the European Union in respect of customs policy, access to the Single Market and the role of the European...