Results 25,621-25,640 of 32,924 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Lansdowne Road Agreement (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 21 together. First, to be clear and to correct the Deputy from the outset, there has not been talk from me or my Department about penalising anybody. Second, as I made clear publicly over the weekend and in the early part of this week, I am putting equal focus in my Department on the 23 unions that are inside the Lansdowne Road agreement while...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Planning for the potential implications of the result of the referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union is particularly challenging. Until Article 50 is invoked by the UK, the precise timescale for the UK's withdrawal from the EU is not known. The economic impact of the UK's exit from the EU will also very much depend on the nature of the new arrangements to be agreed between...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy's first question was on how the change in the UK's status will affect our economic projections. The Deputy is correct. Two weeks have elapsed since the vote took place, but we have not seen a new Prime Minister elected in the United Kingdom, and it is only when a new Prime Minister is elected and his or her Government determines a negotiation strategy with the European Union that...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pensions Reform (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Last January the previous Government approved the establishment of an Interdepartmental Working Group to consider policy designed to support fuller working lives. The Group is chaired by an Assistant Secretary from my Department and includes senior representatives from the Departments of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Social Protection, Justice, Health and Education. The Group has...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Issues (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The programme of the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union is based on four priorities: an economically strong Europe; a modern single market; sustainable migration and asylum policies; and a globally engaged Europe. A key issue for which my Department has responsibility is Cohesion policy. The Slovak Presidency intends to lead a discussion on European Commission proposals...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In June 2015, Government approved proposals for a significant amelioration of pension reductions which had been applied under the financial emergency (FEMPI) legislation to all public service pensions above specified thresholds. This amelioration of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR), which subsequently became law under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue referred to in the Deputy's question concerns Community and Employment Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors who are seeking through their union representatives the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme dating back to 2008. In this regard the position has been that it is not possible for the State to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government recognises that economic and social progress go hand in hand. Therefore, the Programme for a Partnership Government sets out a clear strategy for increasing spending in a sustainable way built on stable revenues. A key focus of the Government is on providing the best environment for job creation. Unemployment has fallen from a peak of over 15% to 7.8% in May this year. The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Summer Economic Statement (SES) recognises that economic and social progress go hand in hand. Only a strong economy supporting people at work can pay for the services needed to create a fair society. A key focus of the Government is on providing the best environment for job creation. Unemployment has fallen from a peak of over 15% to 7.8% in May this year. The Government's ambition is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: For the majority of public servants 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 before that date was addressed with the relevant union interests under the provisions of the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA). Any further consideration of remuneration adjustment for any...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The performance budgeting initiative provides a single, coherent organising principle for public service information funded by the Exchequer. Over the last number of years, the initiative has been subject to ongoing review and improvement. One of the most significant developments in this area has been the reformatting of the Revised Estimates Volume to include performance information. This...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In June 2015, Government approved proposals for a significant amelioration of pension reductions which had been applied under the financial emergency (FEMPI) legislation to all public service pensions above specified thresholds. This amelioration of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR), which subsequently became law under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Data (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Department does not collect data pertaining to the ethnic and cultural background of staff. However, the Civil Service is strongly committed to equality of opportunity in all its employment practices. As an employer, the Civil Service must fulfil its obligations under equality legislation, particularly the Employment Equality Act 1998. While recognising that people are different, our...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) was established as one of the key elements of the Public Sector Reform programme. The primary aim is achieve value for money by harnessing the State's buying power to purchase goods and services for the public sector in a manner that enables the provision of quality public services to be maintained within limited resources. The State spends...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ombudsman's Remit (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the Ombudsman's view that, generally speaking, his Office should have remit over private sector providers of public services. As the Deputy will be aware, the Ombudsman (Amendment) Act 2012 greatly extended the remit of the Ombudsman with some 180 additional public bodies coming under his remit. The Ombudsman legislation provides that the Ombudsman may examine administrative...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cross-Border Co-operation (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Public service reform was a key element of the response to the challenges we faced in recent years and continues to be an essential part of building for the future. In this context, we have been cooperating on with our colleagues in Northern Ireland for a number of years, particularly since the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was established in 2011. We have developed a good...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2009 to 2013 provide for a range of pay and pension reduction measures in respect of serving and retired public servants. The some €2.2bn in savings referred to is made up of €1.21bn in pay reductions, €0.9bn by the Pension Related Deduction (PRD) and €0.135bn by the Public Service Pension Reduction...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Foireann Roinne (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Le 12 mhí anuas fostaíodh 245 státseirbhísigh don Roinn. Bhí formhór na fostaíthe seo don Oifig Náisiúnta Seirbhísí Comhroinnte agus an Oifig um Sholáthar Rialtais. Oibríonn an Roinn liosta de baill foirne sa Roinn atá ábalta cabhrú le aistriúcháin Gaeilge agus sna 12 mhí anuas bhí 3 ball...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Expenditure (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: A provision of €430 million funding for flood risk management was announced in the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Plan 2016-2021 published in September 2015. 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2020 Flood Risk Management 45 45 70 80 90 100 This funding is provided to the Office of Public Works (OPW) through the annual Estimates process and allows for a graduated increase in the annual...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commencement of Legislation (6 Jul 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: Currently, part 4 of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015, which relates to enforcement provisions, has not been commenced. This was a deliberate decision made to allay any concerns that stakeholders may have had about inadvertent non-compliance with the provisions of the Act and to allow those lobbying a period of time to become familiar with their legal obligations and the registration...