Results 23,881-23,900 of 32,864 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The public service Pension-Related Deduction (PRD) is provided for under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. PRD applies to the pay, including any non-pensionable pay elements, of pensionable public servants. Specifically, section 2(1)(b) of the 2009 Act provides that any public servant who is a member of a public service pension scheme or...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: 2015 marked the turning point where expenditure reductions were no longer required to meet our fiscal targets. In the three year period 2015 to 2017 there is annual average growth in gross voted expenditure of 3 per cent. This represents prudent growth in expenditure following the period when significant fiscal consolidation was required to put the public finances on a sound footing. The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme Review (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 39 together. The Mid-Term Review of the Capital Plan is still currently ongoing. This process will result in capital allocations being made by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to other Government Departments, rather than allocations being made by my Department to specific projects or geographic areas....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 33, 127 and 128 together. I can assure the Deputy that I share his appreciation for the contribution that EU-funded cross-border programmes make to the border region and the importance of ensuring continued funding for the programmes.  I was glad to have the opportunity to discuss this matter with him and other colleagues when I appeared before...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Whilst the reform of public procurement has been a key element in the ongoing Government reform programme, care has been taken to ensure it is carried out in a manner that encourages SME participation. The EU Procurement Directives, transposed into Irish law in May 2016, contain provisions to make it easier for SMEs to tender for public procurement contracts.  These include the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The initial Report of the Public Service Pay Commission was published on Tuesday, 9 May 2017. For its initial report the Commission was asked to provide input on how the unwinding of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest legislation should proceed having regard to: - The evolution of pay trends in the public and private sectors, based on published data; - A comparison of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Legislation (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 obliges FOI bodies to prepare and publish a publication scheme, setting out information that they will publish as a matter of course.  My Department has prepared a Model Publication Scheme pursuant to this section, which includes among the information to be published on an ongoing basis, a disclosure log...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I should begin by pointing out it is the Department of Finance - rather than my Department  - that is the lead Government Department in relation to European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) or European Investment Bank (EIB) matters.  My Department does not coordinate applications for funding from EFSI or EIB, neither is it responsible for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The matters raised by the Deputy are the subject of deliberation between the management side in the context of pay talks which are currently under way with the relevant union side interests.  The Report of the Public Service Pay Commission is  to inform the pay talks process and it would accordingly be inappropriate to comment further on these matters.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The matters raised by the Deputy are appropriate for deliberation by the management and staff side associations involved in the pay talks which are currently underway under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission. The Report of the Public Sector Pay Commission is to inform the pay talks process and it would accordingly be inappropriate to comment further on these matters.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The core strategy for addressing areas at potentially significant risk from flooding is the Office of Public Work’s (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. Three hundred locations nationwide, designated as Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs), are being assessed under the Programme, which is being undertaken by engineering consultants on behalf of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Community Sector High Level Forum (or Working Group) (previously the Informal Forum) was convened in 2015 and 2016 to examine certain issues pertaining to the Community Employment sector having regard to the implications for costs and precedent.   The Forum continues to meet, most recently on 7 April last, to give consideration to the issues to which the Deputy refers. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Levy (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, the particular measure affecting public service pensions under the financial emergency legislation is the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR), which was introduced on 1 January 2011 under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2010. PSPR reduces the value of those public service pensions which have pre-PSPR values above...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme Review (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As part of the Mid Term Review of the Capital Plan, which is currently ongoing, my Department wrote to all Government Departments in January inviting submissions. These submissions were to include, inter alia, proposals for reprioritisation within existing allocations to reflect developments or changes in priorities since the Plan was published in 2015 and any...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Bodies Data (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, there are a number of general policies governing the recording of activity within public bodies.  Specifically related to the creation and maintenance of official records the National Archives Act 1986 requires that the scheduled bodies listed in the Act retain and preserve records made or received, and held in the course of its business.  Such...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: All Government Departments and public bodies in receipt of public funding must comply, as appropriate, with the relevant requirements of the Public Spending Code. The Public Spending Code sets out the value for money rules and guidance for spending in all public bodies at all stages in the expenditure life cycle – before, during and after spending. The Public Spending Code applies to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Submissions from Departments on the utilisation of the additional capital funding available under the Capital Review have been received and are being scrutinised by my Department. Departments were asked to factor into their submissions relevant developments since the publication of the Capital Plan in 2015, including the new Programme for a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legal Costs (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Chief State Solicitor’s Office (CSSO) acts on behalf of central Government in the conduct of the defence of litigation, excluding the defence of those claims handled by the State Claims Agency (CSA). The CSSO is a constituent part of the Office of the Attorney General and comes under the remit of the Department of the Taoiseach. The CSSO has its own Vote and is subject...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government is committed to using alternative models of service delivery, including outsourcing, as part of our ongoing drive to provide the most efficient and effective services to the public. External Service Delivery formed a key component of previous Public Service Reform Plans published in 2011 and 2014 respectively.  To meet the obligations set out in these plans,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (1 Jun 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Community Sector High Level Forum (or Working Group) (previously the Informal Forum) was convened in 2015 and 2016 to examine certain issues pertaining to the Community Employment sector having regard to the implications for costs and precedent.   The Forum continues to meet, most recently on 7 April last, to give consideration to the issues to which the Deputy refers. ...