Results 25,201-25,220 of 32,924 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the issues being discussed in, and the activities of, the community sector higher level forum, or the working group, which was convened to examine certain issues pertaining to the community employment sector, having regard to the consequences for costs and precedent. This includes community and employment supervisors and assistant supervisors who have been seeking,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Regarding the Deputy's observation on the need for a representative panel on the pay commission, I do not want to put together a group of people whose job it is to represent any individual sector. Were I to do so, I would be undermining the fabric of the organisation. However, I am committed to putting together a panel to assist Mr. Duffy in his work that will be diverse and broadly based....

Other Questions: Teachers' Remuneration (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 23 together. Officials from my Department and the Department of Education and Skills met the ASTI regarding the union's concerns on 7 July, 18 August and 13 September. The issues of new entrant teachers' pay and supervision and substitution payments among other matters were discussed in respect of ASTI members, forming the focus of those meetings....

Other Questions: Teachers' Remuneration (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: My overriding message in light of where we stand with the ASTI and the representative bodies of An Garda Síochána is the need for continued engagement in the coming days and into next week between them and both Departments. It is vital that the Government's proposals and the framework offered by the Lansdowne Road agreement be used to determine whether an affordable agreement can...

Other Questions: Teachers' Remuneration (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am not aware of the ads to which the Deputy referred, but the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, has made it clear that he wants to do everything possible to minimise the disruption caused by the closure of secondary schools across the country, if we get to that point. The Minister is mindful of the difficulties and challenges that will be created within schools, but he is...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I will examine the facts. Under the agreement I negotiated, along with my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, with representatives from the INTO and TUI, significant progress was made in terms of in addressing an issue that mattered to the members of those unions. Let us examine the figures involved, none of which the Deputy acknowledged. The Deputy did not...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I would not expect the Deputy to acknowledge the argument I have made and he has not done so. The progress being made is being achieved by a change in our economic fortunes that the Deputy said would never happen. He claimed that the country would not get to the point where we would be able to make progress on these matters. We have made progress. The Deputy claimed we were recruiting...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The establishment of a public service pay commission to examine pay levels across the public service is a commitment in the confidence-and-supply agreement and programme for partnership Government. In July, the Government agreed, in principle, to the establishment of a public service pay commission. In line with this decision, my Department had to conduct a public...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I acknowledge that we are dealing with some serious challenges in our public services. We must acknowledge that more than 20 unions have signed up to the Lansdowne Road agreement. As a result of this, more than 200,000 civil and public servants are covered by the agreement. While I understand and respect the Deputy's role in raising the issue of those who are outside the Lansdowne Road...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: While the final details of the proposed approach are currently being examined, I am happy to set out for the Deputy the main current elements of the proposed review of the capital plan. As is normal in respect of a multi-annual capital programme, a commitment was made to conduct a mid-term review in 2017 in order to take stock of progress and provide the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy asked me whether I would consider alternative capital funding sources for capital projects and within that, the relationship we might have with the European Investment Bank. This is an issue I want to consider in terms of our capital review. It will need to look at not just the capital projects that may or may not be progressed but current sources of capital funding and potential...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The answer to the question of how we can better deal with delivering projects on time and in line with their original expectations is the fact that we have a strengthened public service spending code and an entire Department in the form of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that is focused on this area. The creation of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, which merged the Rail...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The 10% reductions in starting pay for certain new entrants were introduced by the then Government in January 2011 as part of the national recovery plan in order to reduce the public service pay bill. The issue of addressing the difference in incremental salary scales between those public servants who entered public service employment since 2011 and those who entered...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: There is always a difficulty in having any group decide their own pay and that is particularly the case for those involved in public life. I remind Deputies that the principle that parliamentarians should be paid is a fundamental part of how we support our democratic process. If we do not pay our parliamentarians a wage to reflect the responsibilities they have, we will confine our pool of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy will be aware, although he did not acknowledge it in the question he put to me, that yesterday the Cabinet made the decision that office holders would forfeit the wage restoration that is due under the lifetime of the Lansdowne Road agreement. That decision by this Government, reaffirming the decision of the last Government, was made precisely in recognition of the challenges our...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: That is not the question I asked.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am answering the question.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I clearly outlined the policy of office holders in this Government regarding pay restoration. I answered the Deputy's question by outlining the principles upon which Deputies should be paid. It is always subject to agreement in the House. It is vital that we adhere to the principle that politicians do not set other politicians' pay. The benefit of this anchor is that it allows the matter...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget Consultation Process (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of FLAC's response to Budget 2017, and note that it welcomed the greater supports the Budget provides for older persons, carers and families with young children.  I would not, however, share its assessment that there is  a lack of transparency and accountability around how Budget decisions are made.  The Government is strongly committed to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Services Provision (19 Oct 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: There is a substantial increase of €1.9bn in Gross Voted Expenditure in the Estimates for 2017.  This represents an increase of almost 3.5 per cent.  As well as including €0.9bn for various expenditure pre-commitments such as demographic related expenditure pressures and the Lansdowne Road Agreement, there was €1bn allocated for additional...