Results 30,981-31,000 of 32,999 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Finance Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Acting Chairman. Just before addressing a core point on the Finance Bill, I will respond to a point made by my colleague, Deputy Ross. As someone who worked in a multinational company myself, I acknowledge Deputy Ross is well aware of the sector's importance. Yesterday, Facebook announced it would create another 100 jobs in the country. I also remind the Deputy that our balance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the need for a secondary level school for educate together; and if his Department has assembled any plans in the provision of such a school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9021/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to review the process of awarding patronage of secondary level schools within the existing boundary of Dublin City Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9022/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (19 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it will be possible to include a school (details supplied) in Dublin 8 in the school building programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8801/13]

Promissory Notes Arrangement: Motion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: When future historians come to write books about recent events in Ireland and when their readers browse the indexes relating thereto, one of the first phrases they will encounter under the entries relating to Fianna Fáil will be "promissory notes". The promissory notes and the payments relating thereto constituted, as Deputy O'Donnell noted, a booby trap for generations to come, because...

Promissory Notes Arrangement: Motion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Fianna Fáil foisted upon taxpayers tens of billions of euro in liabilities as a result of its inability to regulate the banking system. It could not regulate the former Anglo Irish Bank, the debt of which dwarfed the sum total of all goods and services produced in this country. This Government, of which Fine Gael is a member, obtained agreement from the European Central Bank and other...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ash Dieback Threat (12 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the measures he has put in place since the chalara fraxinea disease was found in ash trees here; the results that the Winter survey presented and the additional measures he thinks are necessary in order to deal with the affects of this disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6823/13]

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Alleviation Measures (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Minister of State for providing that information. I welcome the fact that since I last raised the issue in the House, progress has clearly been made on the way in which information can be shared. I hope this situation will be resolved soon. It is important that we end up with a process that allows the infrastructure provided by the State to be taken into account by companies...

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Alleviation Measures (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me an opportunity to raise this important matter. The Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, indicated to me that the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Alex White, would take this matter and I appreciate that he has come to the House. This issue, which I have raised several times in the Chamber, relates to the difficulties faced...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 32 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments Under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 26 - Collection of Motor Taxation
Financial Statements 2011 - National Roads Authority (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: It is extraordinary that a company would suddenly discover that it had hit its borrowing limit.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 32 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments Under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 26 - Collection of Motor Taxation
Financial Statements 2011 - National Roads Authority (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: The level of concern was such that it was considered a weekly statement on cash flow was appropriate.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 32 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments Under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 26 - Collection of Motor Taxation
Financial Statements 2011 - National Roads Authority (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: What role does the NTA play in that regard?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 32 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments Under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 26 - Collection of Motor Taxation
Financial Statements 2011 - National Roads Authority (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Okay; I understand the distinction. I am familiar with the legislation behind the setting up of the authority and understand the relationship it has with companies such as CIE. As concerns were raised by PricewaterhouseCoopers, does the Department engage with that company and how is this tracked? It issued an "emphasis of matter", as it was concerned about the ability of CIE to trade into...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 32 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments Under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 26 - Collection of Motor Taxation
Financial Statements 2011 - National Roads Authority (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: What is the assessment of the implementation of the systems referred to in that respect? I am referring specifically to the financial reporting systems.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 32 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments Under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 26 - Collection of Motor Taxation
Financial Statements 2011 - National Roads Authority (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Has there been an instance in recent years in which the CIE accounts were delayed as they were at the end of last year?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 32 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments Under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 26 - Collection of Motor Taxation
Financial Statements 2011 - National Roads Authority (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes. There are many apps available through which people can access information on what time and where buses will arrive. The change has been remarkable. It must be recognised.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 32 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments Under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 26 - Collection of Motor Taxation
Financial Statements 2011 - National Roads Authority (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: No, a Paschal nudge rather than anything else. I winced somewhat when Mr. O'Mahony referred to people drinking cappuccinos and looking at their apps.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 32 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments Under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 26 - Collection of Motor Taxation
Financial Statements 2011 - National Roads Authority (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Mr. O'Mahony would be entirely incorrect with regard to me. The system is great and that must be recognised. On CIE, I would like to hear from Mr. O'Mahony about the nature of the governance relationship that the Department has with CIE, particularly in light of the recent reports on losses at the company and concerns in that regard. Perhaps Mr. O'Mahony would outline the nature of that...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 32 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments Under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 26 - Collection of Motor Taxation
Financial Statements 2011 - National Roads Authority (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I welcome the witnesses and thank them for attending. I will start with Mr. Barry on the issue of public private partnerships, PPPs, and the recommendations in paragraph 6.48, page 90, of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report. I wish to discuss the future use of these tools and how they can develop in light of Mr. Barry's points. After that, I wish to discuss with Mr. O'Mahony CIE's...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 32 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments Under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 26 - Collection of Motor Taxation
Financial Statements 2011 - National Roads Authority (7 Feb 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I would like to develop that issue further. We discussed it with the Departments of the Environment, Community and Local Government and Public Expenditure and Reform a number of months ago and we have touched on it with the witnesses already. I have read the report of the UK's National Audit Office on the use of private finance initiatives, PFIs, the UK's equivalent. What kind of changes...