Results 25,021-25,040 of 34,778 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget Targets (1 Oct 2015)

Seán Fleming: The Minister might tell the House when the ten-year rule was changed to become a three-year rule. This change has fundamental implications for the forthcoming budget because a ten-year horizon would cover many years in which negative growth figures were recorded.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget Targets (1 Oct 2015)

Seán Fleming: We have had significant and strong growth from a relatively low base in the past couple of years. This percentage increase based on a three-year horizon is phenomenal. One would hope that the Government does not intend to use that short-term figure excessively to increase expenditure at an enormous rate and thereby add fuel to an economy that is growing. The Minister might tell us when...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget Targets (1 Oct 2015)

Seán Fleming: 1. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way in which European Union and national expenditure rules will impact on budget 2016, and the public finances generally; if he expects any amendment to how these rules will be applied in practice; if he will confirm that Ireland will stay within budgetary provisions in 2015 and in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget Targets (1 Oct 2015)

Seán Fleming: I wish to ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way in which European Union and national expenditure rules will impact on budget 2016 and the public finances generally, if he expects any amendment to how these rules will be applied in practice and if he will confirm that Ireland will stay within budgetary provisions in 2015 and 2016.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget Targets (1 Oct 2015)

Seán Fleming: I thank the Minister for his reply. I just want to ask one or two specific questions. We understand what the Minister is saying about the move from the corrective arm to the preventive arm. With regard to the target, we are expected to be at 2.3% this year. The Minister did not tell us what level of reduction will be required for 2016. I think we have to make a reduction of the order of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2016 (1 Oct 2015)

Seán Fleming: 12. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the manner in which European Union and national expenditure rules will impact on Budget 2016 and the public finances generally; if he expects any amendment to the way in which these rules will be applied in practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33414/15]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commemorative Events (1 Oct 2015)

Seán Fleming: 14. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update in relation to the 1916 commemoration projects with which the Office of Public Works is involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33415/15]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Data (1 Oct 2015)

Seán Fleming: 22. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of full-time equivalent public servants at the end of 2014; the estimated number at the end of 2015 and for 2016, his views on public sector recruitment generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33418/15]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: The chairman of the OPW and her colleagues are very welcome. This is an unusual meeting for us, in that it is not the normal type of discussion we have. It is focused on a much more principled-based approach to issues we do not normally engage with here. I wish to again confirm with Ms McGrath the point the Chairman asked her. She said in her opening statement that she is open to applying...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: I am pleased to hear that. Ms McGrath is essentially saying that with the nature of some projects being such that the work involves takes a few years, progress on such projects cannot be completed for a few years until she has the final outcome.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: Ms McGrath is doing so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: Moving away from the script because it is a little theoretical, in layman's or laywomen's English, if Ms McGrath was to set out in her own words, rather than reading from a script, how would she describe the difference she would see in such a process? Normally our Estimates are based on the level of activity and inputs, whereas now we want to know if we are getting a bang for our buck; we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: Would it be more difficult in aspects of your work to judge the output? For example, we can all see it in the flood risk, in some of the building, the schools, with the square footage per student or whatever the case may be. With issues like maintenance, which the OPW does a lot of, it is not very visible at the end of a year, or two or three years, what was and was not done. Where would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: What would the international comparisons be?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: I will be brief. Listening to this - and this is no criticism, as it is a big job - I can conclude that there is a decade in that. First the data has to be recorded, then the evidence will have to be produced from the data, and when all that is done, standards will have to be drawn up. Each of those, in the Irish way of doing business, will take a few years. If that was to go ahead, it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: Moving on to a more difficult area, flood risk management, all of what Ms McGrath mentioned is in some way under somebody's control, but with flood risk management and flood defence work the OPW can spend X amount of money, build X number of walls, redirect rivers and so on. It can see what can be done, which is the output, but the difference between outputs and outcome might take a long...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: I am pleased to hear that.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments (23 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: 138. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when the Housing Assistance Payment will be implemented in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32349/15]

Confidence in Taoiseach, the Attorney General and the Government: Motion (22 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: Take it off their time.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (22 Sep 2015)

Seán Fleming: 181. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount of funding approved to be paid to a school (details supplied) in County Laois under the school meals programme for 2015-2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30974/15]