Results 24,421-24,440 of 32,924 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Policing Authority and the Department of Justice and Equality should have been aware of the conclusions of the final audit that yielded the discrepancy that is now the cause of such public disquiet. It is important to acknowledge that these matters are now in the public arena. It is right that this is the case. What is even more important now is that we have the right set of actions to...

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am not going to comment on an individual set of circumstances that the Deputy has raised. It would not be appropriate for me to do so, particularly as I am becoming aware of them for the first time. Of course, that is the very reason we have organisations like the Policing Authority and Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, in place, namely, so they can handle and...

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy in his initial question raised a set of circumstances to me that I responded to as not being aware of them. What I am very clear on, and the Government is clear on, is that our overwhelming prerogative is the integrity and reputation of An Garda Síochána. It is part of the glue that holds any society together - the respect for and independence of a police force. That...

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I hope that, at some point in Deputy Martin's analysis, he will point to the fact that I was the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport who began the process of increasing investment in the CIE group after many years of that not being possible.

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I was the Minister who played a role in the bus fleet being renewed for Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus.

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The reason all of that happened is precisely because of the recognition that I and the then Government had in respect of the role of Bus Éireann and the CIE group.

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: That was the case then and it is the case now. In all of the other issues to which Deputy Martin referred in respect of industrial relations difficulties, I, as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and my predecessor were determined to make sure we could have as efficient a public transport service as possible and a CIE group that is sustainable. That was the action the Government took...

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As I have said, the very industrial relations mechanisms that played a role in resolving those issues must be allowed to do their work now.

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy. It is important to reflect on what a profoundly significant moment today is. In this Chamber in 1972, when the Dáil and the Government made the decision to hold a referendum to enter what was then the EEC, the then Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, said the following: "I am confident that the decision we take will reflect our people's faith in their capacity to help fashion...

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: It is welcome to hear Deputy Adams now talk positively about a construct and a political union which he has spent so long criticising.

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: It is precisely because of the engagement of the Taoiseach, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and other Cabinet Ministers, that the unique needs in respect of Northern Ireland and the Border are being recognised by the European Union. We have been at the fore of emphasising this point to leaders within the European Union and, obviously, to the British Government. That has been...

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Deputy Martin is absolutely correct that previous cases of transport disputes such as those at Dublin Bus and Irish Rail have been resolved. They were resolved in the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, and in the Labour Court. It was Government policy to support part of our State that had a proven track record of dealing with industrial relations issues. That approach was used in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Private Partnerships Data (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I should first explain that financial responsibility for individual PPP projects rests with the relevant Sponsoring Agency. My Department's role in relation to PPPs is to facilitate the PPP process centrally by developing the general policy framework (including, where necessary, the legal framework) within which PPPs operate and by providing central guidance to Departments and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts Data (29 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, my Department has not hired any private investigation firms over the past five years.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (28 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In general, a person being appointed to a post in the public service by way of open competition will start at the minimum of the scale in accordance with the rules of the recruitment competition. While this policy had applied for many years, increased levels of recruitment to the Civil Service following the lifting of the moratorium gave rise to queries in respect of the appropriate pay...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (28 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to the pension arrangements, in particular the occupational pension scheme membership, of persons working in the public service. As provided for in the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012, the Single Public Service Pension Scheme applies to all first-time new entrants to the public service. It also applies to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures Data (28 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department's procedures for making a protected disclosure have been developed in line with the Protected Disclosures Act, 2014.  The Department's Protected Disclosures policy has been agreed by the Department's Management Board and has been circulated to all staff.  My Department also held two briefing sessions on the policy for staff recently.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Lansdowne Road Agreement Implementation (28 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Officials from my Department and the Department of Defence met with representatives of  RACO on the 17th of January 2017 to consult with them on the measures that the Government had agreed to that morning in relation to the application of Clause 6.1 of the Lansdowne Road Agreement concerning anomalies arising under that Agreement.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Insurance Costs (28 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, my Department and the bodies under its aegis operate under State Indemnity, a self-insurance model whereby the State bears the financial risk associated with the cost of claims. This approach is set out in the Public Financial Procedures at C8 Section 11 whereby the general rule is that no insurance should be effected against the risk of any loss which...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (28 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 295 and 296 together. After full implementation of the Lansdowne Road Agreement, the full year year cost of unwinding the remaining FEMPI measures is €1.4 billion plus PRSI. The breakdown requested for those public servants earning less than, and greater than, €65,000 is included in the following table. These costs exclude PRSI.  ...