Results 2,381-2,400 of 32,432 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Climate Action Plan (10 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67, 68, 69 and 70 together. As part of the Climate Action Plan, DPENDR committed to developing and applying definitions to identify and track government spending that may be having a negative impact on climate and environmental outcomes. A staff paper entitled ‘Review of Fossil Fuel Subsidies and other Potentially Climate Harmful Supports’...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Information and Communications Technology (9 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: Officials from my Department do not currently use the application to conduct official business. If/when the application’s use is being considered it will be discussed and a risk assessment conducted as appropriate. The Department has employed AI powered security tools as part of its overall security posture. The use of AI, as with all enabling technologies, will be considered on a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (9 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: Details of the environmental impact assessments carried out by the OPW in relation to the River Deel Flood Relief Scheme can be found on the floodinfo.ie website. The scheme has been submitted to my Department seeking consent for these works under the provisions of the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 to 1995 as amended. An initial round of public consultation was held beginning on the 1st...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Reviews (9 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of reviews of Acts which have been carried out by my Department in line with the provisions of that Act since the Department was established in 2011 is set out in the table below. Reviews of Acts carried out in line with the provisions of the Act since 2011 Summary of any substantive amendments of the Act that occurred...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Measures (9 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy may be aware, on 11 April 2018 the Government agreed the General Scheme and Heads of Bill to amend the Civil Service Regulation Acts 1956-2005 and the Public Service Management Act, 1997. Pre-legislative scrutiny was held on 28 June 2018. The policy intention of this Bill remains as was approved in 2018. The main purpose is to amend the Civil Service Regulation Acts...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (9 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I refer to the Deputy’s question regarding pension increases in relation to retired civil servants outstanding under the Building Momentum Agreement. I am advised by the NSSO that it is currently working to deliver the pension increases for our pensioners. This task is complex due to the period of retrospection applying and the broad range of categories where arrears are due....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (9 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by the NSSO that it is currently awaiting OPW pay scales reflecting 1 March 2023 increases under Building Momentum directly from OPW. On receipt of these, the scales will be uploaded and increases will be applied to relevant pensions in accordance with the scales. In regard to pensions on off-points of scale, a project is currently being undertaken to review these for increases...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Services Provision (9 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I would like to thank the Deputy for this timely question. Officials in my Department are currently finalising a roadmap for digital inclusion which Government plans to publish this summer. Government is conscious that, in an increasingly digital society, those who are unable to avail of digital opportunities for whatever reason, risk being excluded from society.Accordingly, the roadmap...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (9 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: Careful management of our economy and public finances over the past number of years has allowed Government to do the following:Firstly, provide increased resources for core public services, investing in quality of life in Ireland to support a strong, fair and equal society into the future, Secondly, deliver significant and essential infrastructural projects through our National Development...

Social Welfare Regulations 2023: Motion (3 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I move: That Dáil Éireannapproves the following Regulations in draft: Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No. 2) (Qualifying Conditions) Regulations 2023, a copy of which was laid in draft form before Dáil Éireannon 3rd April, 2023.

Estimates for Public Services 2023 (3 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I move the following Revised Estimates: Vote 38 — Health (Further Revised Estimate) That a sum not exceeding €20,920,049,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2023, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for Health and certain other services administered by that Office,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery (3 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department engages regularly with the Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery on all aspects of the National Lottery. Part of the Regulator’s remit relates to monitoring the operation of the National Lottery and enforcing compliance with the National Lottery Act 2013 and the Licence to operate the National Lottery, currently held by Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI). The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: Inflationary pressures are generally dealt with as part of the normal budgetary process. This places the onus on Departments to manage expenditure, achieve efficiency dividends and value for money on a year by year basis. However, there is a limit to this approach. The escalation in inflationary pressures in 2022, with inflation reaching 8.1 per cent, was significantly above the assumed...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (3 May 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 to 131, inclusive, together. As the three questions relate to pension abatement, I am addressing them together. As the Deputy is aware, abatement is provided for under Section 52(1)-(5) of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. Section 52(4) of the Act provides for Ministerial discretion to grant a waiver of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (27 Apr 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 218 together. Whilst travel for official duties is an integral part of the functions carried out by many civil and public servants, opportunities for online meetings should always be considered prior to any travel being undertaken. If travel is essential, public servants should always strive to use public transport in the first instance. The motor...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (27 Apr 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: Whilst travel for official duties is an integral part of the functions carried out by many civil and public servants, opportunities for online meetings should always be considered prior to any travel being undertaken. If travel is essential, public servants should always strive to use public transport in the first instance. Where an officer uses their own bicycle for official travel,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (27 Apr 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I take it that the Deputy is referring to the review and extension to the public service pay agreement Building Momentum that was brokered by the Workplace Relations Commission last August. The following pay adjustments were scheduled to apply during Building Momentum – A New Public Service Agreement 2021 – 2022:A general round increase in annualised basic salary for all public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (27 Apr 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: I and my Department are responsible for the civil service pension schemes, which cover members of established and unestablished civil service and State industrial schemes. The authorities responsible for the administration of the large number of pension schemes operating in the various sectors of the public service are, in general, the relevant employers and Ministers in those sectors. It...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (27 Apr 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: Cohesion policy is the European Union strategy to promote and support the overall harmonious development of Member States and regions by strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion, through measures aimed at reducing disparities in the level of development between regions. The European Regional Development Programmes (ERDF) form part of those measures. In the development of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (27 Apr 2023)

Paschal Donohoe: In 2021, my colleague, Simon Harris T.D., the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, published the Action Plan for Apprenticeships 2021-2025 with a suite of over 60 actions to drive the uptake of apprenticeships in the State. The Office of Government Procurement, an office in my Department, published the information note on Apprenticeships and Public...