Results 25,961-25,980 of 32,961 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The total cost of professional fees incurred by my Department in 2015, and by the associated functions - the National Shared Services Office and the Office of Government Procurement- together with bodies under the aegis of my Department (excluding the Office of Public Works)*, amounted to some €8.1m. A 10% reduction in that level of spending would, therefore, give rise to an annual...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department does not normally collect information on overall figures for travel in the Civil and wider Public Service. However, if the Deputy wishes to consult the response given to PQ 26628/15, this sets out the most recent estimated figures on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Training (31 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The estimated full-year savings for 2017 by reducing spending on education and training by 5 per cent is €20,000.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (26 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 163 together. The issue of addressing the difference in incremental salary scales between those public servants, including Teachers, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (26 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 168 together. The Government in the Programme for a Partnership Government has committed to establish a Public Service Pay Commission. As I have previously indicated (PQ reply 10976/16), the precise structure of such a Commission and the technical aspects as to how it would operate have yet to be decided upon and would require broad consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Allowances (26 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Parliamentary Activities Allowance (formerly known as the Party Leader's Allowance) is provided for in the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act 1938 as amended, most recently by the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices)(Amendment) Act, 2014. The allowance is paid to the parliamentary leader of a qualifying party in relation to expenses arising from the parliamentary...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (26 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The information outlined below is exclusively in respect of pay scales and grades in the Civil Service. The relevant circulars containing this information are available on my Departments website at: and at . Accordingly the relevant Civil Service pay (and grades) circulars for the period 2008 to 2015 contained on the Department's website are: - Circular 18/2008 - Revision of Pay for Civil...

Domestic Water Charges: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (25 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: So this is the new politics.

Domestic Water Charges: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (25 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I will make three points in the time available. Amidst the focus and expectation the country has about the need for new politics and a new way of doing business, there must be evidence of a new attitude and new habits to make it work. If we end up in a Dáil where we have new politics and old habits and old ways of dealing with matters, we will end up with worse results for the people...

Domestic Water Charges: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (25 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: There is a clear arrangement in place. The attitude of Deputy Ellis says it all. They come in here looking for debate but all they want to do is shout people down. They come in here looking for a discussion regarding what the future will be but if somebody offers a view that differs from their view, they are not willing to engage with it.

Domestic Water Charges: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (25 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: There we go again. I will conclude where I began. It is the worst of old politics masquerading in here as something new.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (25 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the question as to the reason why the individual in question cannot drawn down her Civil Service pension, my office has confirmed that it is a matter of policy, in accordance with the rules of the Established Civil Service Scheme.  The reason why this individual cannot draw down the pension now is because it appears this person is not yet 60 years of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (25 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, in the case of grades represented by the Civil Public and Services Union, that is the Clerical Officer and Staff Officer grades, transfers for these grades can be arranged in accordance with formal procedures agreed with the Staff Side at General Council under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for the Civil Service. In the civil...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (24 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Capital Plan published by my Department in September 2015, set out the Government's €42 billion framework for infrastructure investment over the period 2016 to 2021. The Plan combines direct investment by the Exchequer of €27 billion, a third phase of PPP investments of about €500 million and State-owned sector investment of around €14½ billion. As...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (24 May 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 is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (24 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I understand that Unions representing CE Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors have sought the provision 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 provide funding for such a scheme to employees of private companies even if...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (24 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 362 to 364, inclusive, together. The Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA) begins the process of unwinding the financial emergency measures in a prudent and sustainable fashion thereby reducing the risk to the sustainability of the public finances. Under the terms of the Agreement for the majority of public servants, there is a significant reduction, weighted in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Requests (24 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, compliance and enforcement of the Freedom of Information Act are a matter for the Information Commissioner, who is independent in the performance of his functions.  Sections 22 and 23 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 set out the obligations of bodies subject to FOI legislation to provide the Information Commissioner with the particulars he...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (24 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Programme for a Partnership Government sets out the ambition to build a strong economy and to deliver a fair society so that communities thrive throughout both urban and rural Ireland.  For each of the policy challenges contained in the Government's Programme a clear unambiguous high-level ambition is also identified, for example: - meet the target of building...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (24 May 2016)

Paschal Donohoe: The Haddington Road Agreement provided for a range of productivity measures including an increase in the standard working hours of public servants for no extra remuneration. Through its provisions, the Agreement is delivering an unprecedented structural increase of almost 15 million additional working hours annually in the productivity...