Results 13,461-13,480 of 32,960 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: Public Private Partnerships (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: This week we have taken steps looking at how we can increase the information available relating to PPPs. My Department has published two separate sets of financial data. This can be accessed on the www.ppp.gov.iewebsite. The first set of data provides an update on the existing financial commitments table. This table contains detailed information on all PPP projects for which contracts...

Other Questions: Public Private Partnerships (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy mentioned the challenges of disaggregating the data and that is why we have now provided the information project by project and Department by Department. In the past too much information was not made available relating to PPPs under the auspices of the claim of commercial sensitivity. We can get a better balance and there is much information we can share that does not undermine...

Other Questions: Public Private Partnerships (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The majority of works which the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, is delivering are fully funded by the Exchequer because it is appropriate in those cases. Many of those projects are of a scale where a PPP model is not appropriate and they can only be funded by the Exchequer. On whether we are squeezing out other capital commitments because of the value of unitary payments to which we are...

Other Questions: Decentralisation Programme (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 34 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the decentralisation programme announced in December 2003 involved the potential relocation of more than 10,000 civil and public service jobs to 53 locations in 25 counties. It was a Government decision in 2011 that the programme be cancelled in light of the budgetary and staffing outlook at that time. Up...

Other Questions: Decentralisation Programme (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Last week, we saw IDA Ireland's success in delivering major job announcements in areas and cities outside Dublin. There was an announcement regarding Longford and regarding Cavan prior to that. IDA Ireland is very much committed to trying to increase employment and attract foreign direct investment to areas throughout the country, particularly in such areas as financial services and the...

Other Questions: Decentralisation Programme (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: We have made a lot of progress in allowing local authorities to take a lead in providing shared services to the entire country. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan has pointed to the progress which has been made in the local authorities in Limerick which play a role in the rental accommodation scheme, RAS. Shared services functions for the country are now run from particular local...

Other Questions: Statutory Retirement Age (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 19 together. As the Deputies are aware, on 5 December 2017, the Government agreed that the compulsory retirement age of most public servants recruited before 1 April 2004 should be increased to age 70. Primary legislation is required for this change to be implemented. The Office of the Attorney General has been requested to prioritise the...

Other Questions: Statutory Retirement Age (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: We will publish the legislation next month, but I cannot give a commitment as to when it will be passed. No Minister is in a position to give such a commitment as it is a matter for the House as to when legislation is passed. I will consider the Deputy's proposal that the requirement for pre-legislative scrutiny be waived. I accept his good intentions in trying to have this matter resolved...

Other Questions: Budget Targets (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Managing the delivery of public services within budgetary allocations is the responsibility of every Department and Minister. My Department is in regular contact with all Departments and offices to ensure expenditure is being managed within the overall budgetary parameters. The draw-down of funds from the Exchequer is reported every month in the Fiscal Monitor published by the Department of...

Other Questions: Budget Targets (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am confident that within the resources available to the different Departments the commitments we have made in the ratification of the UN convention can be met for this year. It is a key priority for the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Finian McGrath, and I will certainly work with him to make available what is needed for implementation of the convention next year. ...

Other Questions: Budget Targets (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Every single line Minister and Department will always want more resources. The Deputy asked me whether I was contacted about the allocation of additional resources. I am - all of the time. Every Minister wants to do his or her best for citizens to whom they have a responsibility. It is my job to try to meet those needs out of the resources available to us. I will work with the Minister...

Other Questions: National Development Plan (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The capital allocations made in budget 2018 and the national development plan were informed by the extensive evidence base collated and published on the Department's website in 2017 as part of the mid-year capital review. The evidence base included a macroeconomic analysis, an assessment of progress to date on the 2015 plan, departmental submissions, a public consultation process, an...

Other Questions: National Development Plan (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes I do, having published the evidence on it.

Other Questions: National Development Plan (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The work on the evaluation of projects and making choices within the national development plan will be more of a responsibility of the implementation board that has been set up for Ireland 2040. It has already met once and any decisions that are made - for example, on the allocation of funds from the four funds that have been set up to drive new work and new activity to make Ireland 2040...

Other Questions: Public Sector Reform Review (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: It is an essential element of what we are looking to do. Last December I published the public service plan of 2020 that laid out what we are looking to do in how we deliver services. Only last month I published a performance report that laid out what every Government Department is meant to do and the progress that has been made to date in delivering against those targets.

Other Questions: Public Sector Reform Review (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I expect that we will continue to see improved results. The Government and I are particularly focused on making progress with the challenges we have in the housing and health sectors at the moment.

Other Questions: Public Sector Reform Review (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: It continues to be vital in terms of making sure we get good value on how the country's money is spent. It is fair to say we have to construct the need for reform and the argument for it in a different way. 12 o’clock During the crisis, much of the reform was focused on how we could find savings, efficiencies and manage tough decisions that had to be made. The focus of it now is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 18 and 25 together. The Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 (PSSA), provided that an examination of remaining salary scale issues in respect of post January 2011 recruits at entry grades would be undertaken within 12 months of the commencement of the Agreement. Additionally, as the Deputy is aware, this Government accepted an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Government Procurement (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Public Procurement is governed by EU legislation and National rules and guidelines.  The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money. The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has responsibility for developing and setting out the overarching policy framework for public procurement in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget Targets (17 May 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Managing the delivery of public services within allocations is a key responsibility of each Minister and Department. There are important measures in place to ensure that our budgetary targets are being met and my Department is in regular contact with all other Departments and offices to ensure that expenditure is being managed within the overall fiscal parameters. Expenditure profiles...