Results 25,021-25,040 of 33,392 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Acting Chairman, surely I should have an opportunity to respond?

Other Questions: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I did not use up my time. Issues have been put to me by Deputy Wallace and I should have a chance to respond.

Other Questions: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: If the Chair allows Deputy Wallace to go over time in putting his questions, do I not have the right to respond?

Other Questions: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I should be allowed to reply.

Other Questions: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Acting Chairman. I am glad to hear Deputy Wallace agree with me on a point. Who says the new politics have achieved nothing? The Deputy has acknowledged I am correct in saying that if we had reduced current expenditure even more, he would have criticised us for it. To clarify, however, I did not say I was against PPPs. That seems clear given that we are availing of a large...

Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I was not aware I had texted the Deputy.

Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Hardly, Acting Chairman. We are having an exchange across the House. I am sure there will be as much predictability in what I am about to say as there was in what the Deputy just said. The public service pension reduction, PSPR, which was introduced on 1 January 2011, is the only measure that has decreased the value of public service pensions in payment since 2008. PSPR...

Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy has attributed much to me that I did not say. What I did say is that future policy in regard to the linkages between public service pensions and pay will be dealt with by the Government in the context of negotiations we will have later this year. It is in recognition of the circumstances faced by the majority of pensioners that we implemented a faster reduction of the levy on...

Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am engaged in neither kite-flying nor seeking to have a bargaining chip in advance of future negotiations. I have outlined the process for dealing with this issue. In recent years, the link between pensions and pay was broken. That was done to ensure that pensioners could be treated differently in recognition of their no longer working. The levy on pensions is on track to being reduced...

Other Questions: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the report which supports the broad consensus on the need for increased public investment. The current capital plan sets a baseline from which this Government intends to increase investment in critical infrastructure into the future. As outlined in the 2017 Estimates, gross voted capital expenditure will increase to €4.5 billion in 2017. This...

Other Questions: State Banking Sector (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Minister for Finance is taking the lead role in respect of the State's shareholding in the banking system. I am aware of the report to which the Deputy refers, which I have read and considered. Notwithstanding the proposal contained in the report, under EU fiscal rules, the proceeds of any such sale may not be used to fund increased expenditure, irrespective of whether such expenditure...

Other Questions: State Banking Sector (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Minister for Finance is making a case with regard to how we can maximise capital expenditure. Under the capital plan, which we discussed earlier, the Government plans to increase capital investment in the years ahead. Capital investment increased this year by more than €300 million or 14% compared to 2016. It is planned to increase it further every year until 2021-2022 when it...

Other Questions: State Banking Sector (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The building of Rome has started. The national capital framework is being reviewed and public consultation on the framework will commence next week. I aim to conclude the review by the end of the year and we will use it to clarify the position regarding any projects whose planning status is uncertain.

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: It is important to be clear about one of the reasons for the difference in costs and wages. Under the agreement that we now have, the norm for many of the more recent entrants is that, until they get to a much later part of their career, they will be two salary points behind those who joined pre-2011. This means that the entire cost of equalising pay scales will be significant. At the...

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The timeframe that has been set and agreed by Mr. Duffy and the Public Pay Commission is that their work will report across the second quarter, which refers to April, May and June. I hope that they meet that timeline. When they publish their report, the Government and representatives of public service employees will then need a period of time to digest the report and comment on it because I...

Other Questions: Departmental Budgets (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I indicated my answer to this question in reply to an earlier question. To address some of the additional points raised, the expenditure figures for each Department are tracked constantly by my Department. We have now allocated how we expect the expenditure ceilings to be realised per quarter for 2017. We have laid out what the Revised Estimates Volume profile for each Department will be...

Other Questions: Departmental Budgets (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: All my colleagues are well aware of the need to stay within the figures I have outlined to the Deputy. It is fair to say that certain Departments are under more policy pressure than others. I spend a considerable amount of time working the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, who has to manage an array of different matters relating to his Department. All of my colleagues are aware of...

Other Questions: Departmental Budgets (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: We always do our best to be fair to all the different interests that are raised with us. If we consider the question Deputy Calleary put to me a moment ago, the amount of funding for wages that was removed during the period of crisis from our civil and public servants, at €1.4 billion, is exceptionally large. At €1.4 billion, the income removed from civil and public servants...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget Consultation Process (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am sure buried somewhere in Deputy Ryan's statement is an acknowledgement of the fact that I have agreed to this post being at the level that was requested. It was appropriate that the matter went through scrutiny and debate. The reason for that was that when the organisation is established, I will then be asked by the House why it is costing a certain amount and has a particular grade of...

Other Questions: Budget Measures (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: We are well aware of the importance of a well-functioning public service and how crucial it is to the smooth operation of the economy. Public service reform was a central element of the response to the challenges of recent years and remains an essential part of building for the future. Since the first public service reform plan was published in 2011, a comprehensive programme of reform has...