Results 28,901-28,920 of 35,959 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I am asking the Minister a direct question in respect of the €350,000 in additional moneys being provided for consultancy fees. The liquidation of the IBRC and legal challenges relating to the banking sector come under other headings with which we will deal presently. The briefing note provided indicates that the €350,000 relates to the development and implementation of the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate that when we are dealing with human resources we cannot go into the detail. However, the allocation falls under the consultancy category. Has a contract been awarded to a consultancy firm to deal with it, or is it included in a quantum of money for dealing with the particular human resource issue within the Department?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Will it present itself in salary costs in future years?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Does the figure of €350,000 paid to consultants relate to the drawing up the of the medium-term economic strategy document that was released before Christmas? Does it come under the economic planning initiative?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: It falls under the category of consultancy and other services. As such, the question arises of who is carrying out this work. It seems to be the case that these are external services and will not be done within the Department. If departmental staff were undertaking the work, the costs would come under salary costs and be included under a programme. This allocation, however, comes under...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: In regard to the administration category, we have mentioned the training that is ongoing within the Department, recruitment of officials and so on. This is one of the areas that was flagged up in terms of the Department not being fit for purpose at the time of the crash - that we did not have the necessary skills mix among staff. Given what the Minister has said at previous meetings about...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: The Estimates deal with staff and human resources.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate that point. However, this an opening statement but the opening statement by the Minister-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: We understand there was a bid from an external agent to take over Bank of Ireland a number of weeks after this State, through the Minister for Finance, announced a recapitalisation of €3.5 billion for that bank but before the recapitalisation took place. We will deal with figures later in the meeting but it is very important that those documents are located or returned.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I challenge that, and I will explain why. It is a point that needs to be raised. The Estimates will show staff and training costs and expenditure on processes and procedures. If two documents relating to the recapitalisation of a bank which cost the State €3.5 billion have gone missing in the Department whose Estimates we are considering, if this is not a matter which is germane-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate that and I acknowledge that the Chairman has always been fair. However, it is my genuine belief that this is an issue because as we consider the budget for the Department of Finance in greater detail, including training and human resources costs, we need to know if there is a need for additional resources such as additional IT facilities in order to ensure that no sensitive key...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I have a number of comments about the administration subheads. Expenditure on travel and subsistence has increased by 19%; expenditure on post and telecommunications has increased by 36%; and expenditure on consultancy and other services has increased from €25,000 to €112,000. A percentage increase of zero is given, but I do not understand how that reflects the figures, which...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I welcome the Chairman, the Minister and his officials to our first meeting of 2014. I hope they had a nice break before facing into the challenges that 2014 presents. Deputy Michael McGrath touched on many of these and there are probably more, including ones that have not yet been identified but will raise their heads over 2014. When we gather here in 2015 we will have to have seen big...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Operations (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 115. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of contacts, unsolicited and otherwise, that the National Asset Management Agency and its developers have received from former employees regarding the possible acquisition of the developers' properties. [55510/13]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Protection Policies (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 150. To ask the Minister for Finance the situation and rights of those who have a life assurance policy which is not in arrears assigned to a mortgage that is in arrears. [1523/14]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector Regulation (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 164. To ask the Minister for Finance if he has discussed or plans to discuss with the Central Bank the legal basis by which the Central Bank allows commercial banks to drop prudence and overvalue loans in their published accounts and the problems that such a policy has created. [1712/14]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Banking Sector Issues (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 286. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to a legal opinion produced by a person (details supplied) this year which confirms that efforts by the IASB to drop prudence, the safeguard against overvaluing bank loans, from the accounting framework was not endorsed by the EU and is therefore contrary to EU company law; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Banking Sector Issues (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 287. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is satisfied that under Irish company law banks must not overstate the value of loans in their published accounts; and his views on the practice of Irish banks which claim they are not allowed under IASB rules to recognise expected losses on certain loans. [1711/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 341. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a claim for disability allowance was disallowed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal in view of the fact that their medical conditions satisfied the domiciliary care allowance until they turned sixteen; if this person was medically assessed for disability allowance; the medical report that was used to determine...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gambling Legislation (15 Jan 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 576. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the conditions an applicant for a licence under the gambling control Bill will have to satisfy; and if findings of criminal infringements by the applicant in other jurisdictions will be considered relevant in the granting of a licence. [1192/14]