Results 25,041-25,060 of 33,392 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The answer to the Deputy's question is "Yes", in terms of the public sector pay commission and its terms of reference. The Deputy referred to new entrants, an issue which was also recognised in the supply and confidence agreement between the Government and Fianna Fáil. It is considering the matter and will issue its observations in the coming months. On the broader issue and the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Planning Framework (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In respect of the first of the Deputy's two questions, out of the €5 billion of additional resources, approximately €2.2 billion to €2.3 billion was allocated to the Minister, Deputy Coveney, for the public housing programme he announced before Christmas. Approximately €2.4 billion to €2.5 billion is currently unallocated and that will be dealt with in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Planning Framework (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Let us be clear about the scale of the investment of the EIB in Ireland. My understanding is that it has now made funding available to every university in our country and it has made funding available to develop projects like Luas cross-city and the Grangegorman campus of the Dublin Institute of Technology. It has put investment in place to support needed projects in our county.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Planning Framework (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: On the Deputy's question on the role of public private partnerships, I am very willing to engage in a discussion on the role of PPPs but let us be clear that a public private partnership builds up a liability that is then contingent on the State balance sheet. It is funding and a loan that at some point will need to be repaid. If the Deputy needs evidence of the challenge that can pose, he...

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

Paschal Donohoe: Of course it is not true to say that nothing has happened. That is actually wrong.

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

Paschal Donohoe: The Government is very supportive of the Oireachtas having an enhanced input into discussions on budgetary priorities. It is for this reason that the programme for Government contains a commitment to establish a parliamentary budget office following on from the recommendations of very report to which Deputy Ryan referred. The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission met with officials...

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

Paschal Donohoe: My Department generally has differences with every Government Department it deals with; that is what it is there for. It is there to make sure that there is consistency in respect of staffing and spending decisions. The view of my Department was that the appropriate level for this role was principal officer. The very reason for that was that the equivalent position within the Irish Fiscal...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Planning Framework (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: There is a very close alignment between the new national planning framework and the current review of the capital plan which will be strongly reflected in the Government's capital investment plans arising from the review and decision-making on spatial planning.  Indeed, the Taoiseach, in his recent address to the Institute of European Affairs...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In the past, the ocupational pensions received by public service pensioners were generally adjusted in line with changes in the wages or salary of the pensioner's grade at retirement.  Sometimes referred to as "pay parity", this non-statutory linkage lapsed in 2010 when pensions were left unchanged notwithstanding salary cuts at the beginning of that year affecting all public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 21 together. The 10% reductions in starting pay for certain new entrants were introduced in January 2011 as part of the National Recovery Plan in order to reduce the Public Service Pay Bill by the then Government and as a response to the serious fiscal position presenting at that time. The issue of addressing the difference...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Expenditure Reviews (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Work on the Spending Review announced in my speech accompanying the publication of the Estimates last October is now underway. This review will systematically examine existing spending programmes to assess their effectiveness in meeting policy objectives and also to identify scope for re-allocating funding to meet expenditure priorities. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Public Procurement guidelines require that a competitive process should be the norm when purchasing and awarding public contracts except in duly justifiable circumstances. Even in the case of procurement which might not be subject to the full scope of EU Directives, the EU Commission and European Court of Justice have ruled that EU Treaty principles must be observed.  The essential...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I should begin by pointing out that my Department is not the lead Department in relation to EFSI or EIB matters, nor has my Department responsibility for coordinating applications for funding from EFSI or EIB, or for reporting on lending by EFSI or EIB to Ireland.  However, I understand information on projects approved by EFSI, by country, is available...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The data referred to by the Deputy is reported on by the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) in a number of annual reports relating to the period in question.  Any such reports compiled by the C&AG are available in either published form or through their website. Under Circular 40/02 - Public Procurement Guidelines, all procurement contracts which a Department proposes...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Public Procurement is governed by EU and National rules and guidelines. The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money.   The main EU Directives governing public procurement are Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement in relation to goods, services and works and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Public Procurement is governed by EU and National rules. The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money. It is a matter for individual contracting authorities to ensure that their public procurement function is discharged in line with the standard accounting...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Government Expenditure (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, my Department is responsible for policy on allocating public funds across each area of Government spending and ensuring that expenditure is managed in line with these allocations by the Government Departments and State Bodies.  Within the overall allocations set by my Department, individual Ministers and their Departments allocate funds across various...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 to 152, inclusive, and 159 together. Managing the delivery of public services within budgetary allocations is a key responsibility of each Minister and their Department and important measures are in place to help ensure that these budgetary targets continue to be met.  My Department is in regular communication with all Departments and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA), provides a negotiated pathway for public service pay increases through a phased partial unwinding of the FEMPI measures over three years at a full year cost of  €844m in 2018 and represents a considerable investment in public service remuneration. Those unions/associations who hold representation rights for public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (2 Mar 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 155 together. The Capital Plan 'Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021' set out a €42 billion framework to address our priority infrastructure needs up to 2021. The Programme for a Partnership Government (PfPG) makes clear that the existing Capital Plan is the starting point for increased investment...