Results 25,781-25,800 of 33,392 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: Of course it is a challenge but what is most important to me is that we have a rate of wage restoration that is affordable. The Deputy knows well that what would happen were we to reach a particular agreement on wages for the gardaí is that every other public servant would also expect it to happen.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: I have actually lost my phone, so it is definitely not me.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: It is back.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: I will begin with transport and the Chairman is right that some of the funding available, principally to the CIE group, via subvention might not be the study of Comptroller and Auditor and General but it is subject to Oireachtas scrutiny through the transport committee. When I was Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I appeared before the committee regularly to discuss subvention and...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: The Department certainly does all it can to identify where tax money is allocated, what it is spent on and how it is spent. It works with all Departments on this matter. With regard to changes, I remember serving with the Chairman on the Committee on Public Accounts and the questions I could not get answered. Perhaps I now have a deeper understanding of some of these matters and the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: I have.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: No, the policy is clear. It provides that if a business case is made for an increase in remuneration or length of service on the board of an individual, the Minister can make a decision on it. It is not the case that policy has been breached in the case mentioned by the Chairman.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Michael Creed, has made clear his view which I share, that in terms of sequencing, the appointment should have been handled differently by the board of Horse Racing Ireland, but there has not been a breach of policy. I do not want to create the impression that I support the view that Government policy has been breached.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: There is a provision in place which provides for the making of a business case and it was availed of in this instance. I do, however, accept the Chairman's view that the appointment, in terms of sequencing and choices, should have been handled differently. On accounting for expenditure, I have provided the committee with a booklet which explains how money in my Department is spent. I...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: What did the Chairman say?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: Okay.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: Would the chairman or the chief executive of Bus Éireann be in a position to answer questions on school transport, given that it provides the service in question?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: What does the Chairman mean by "outsiders"?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: Officials in my Department are competent in the area. It is my objective that the commission will comprise a broad mix of individuals.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: Ultimately, I will make the appointments. It is my objective to have a mix of individuals in the commission.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: I do not know if the mix will be that broad. I also do not know whether Mr. O'Leary, if asked to serve on the commission, would agree to do so. Deputy Paul Murphy might have a view on that if we were to do it.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: I will have to come back to you with an answer. Off the top of my head, I am aware of a number of Secretaries General with experience in the private sector who have been appointed recently.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: I will come back to you with that figure.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: It is definitely worthwhile. There is a need for further engagement between the Government and An Garda Síochána on this matter. What has occurred is a very serious development. We have great respect for the work of An Garda Síochána and we must have the Lansdowne Road agreement honoured and implemented. The precedent is that the Minister who has responsibility for...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)
Paschal Donohoe: The industrial activity they have indicated they might commence has not begun yet and is a number of weeks away. The Garda Commissioner and her senior staff have made it clear that they believe it is very important that there be a period of discussion about what has happened. As I said to the Chairman, we have great respect for the work of the Garda and are aware of the particular nature of...