Results 31,381-31,400 of 33,049 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Education and Skills - Review of Allowances (24 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Therefore the total compensation is 3.9% for someone in receipt of the 35-year allowance.

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Education and Skills - Review of Allowances (24 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the officials for attending and for the volume and quality of the documentation that was forwarded. It is helpful for these discussions because it is all about the detail, as I have learned during the three days we have been examining allowances. Earlier, reference was made to officials being involved in the creation of this system in the past. I am conscious that when officials...

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Education and Skills - Review of Allowances (24 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: I was not aware that Mr. Burke would take it as a compliment but I am gratified that he has. Much, if not all, of what has been done is the result of political choices. Officials present the choices and other people make the decisions. It is not the case that they or their predecessors set out to create a system such as this independent of the fact that Ministers head up Departments....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Grangegorman Development Agency: Discussion with Chairman Designate (24 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Has he ever regretted it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Grangegorman Development Agency: Discussion with Chairman Designate (24 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: In regard to openness and transparency, all of the current vacancies on the board of the Grangegorman Development Agency are advertised on www.publicjobs.ie. It is important we are able to demonstrate to anybody who is interested in vacancies of this nature that he or she can find out about them and apply for a position. I was delighted last week when a resident from an adjoining area...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Grangegorman Development Agency: Discussion with Chairman Designate (24 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chair and welcome Mr. John Monahan and Mr. Michael Hand to today’s meeting. It is important the agency gets the opportunity to put on the record of the House where things stand with this project and the progress made. I could not be more supportive of this project as it is magnificent for the area. I am delighted the Government was able to play a role in getting this...

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Last week we spoke about trying to bring together the income and allowance sides of the story. The Department of Defence did this very clearly for us. Mr. Watt has also done this in the column on allowances percentage of pay grade. Would it be possible to complement this with an understanding on whether any of these allowances form a significant part of compensation for people at higher grades?

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: The column with regard to allowances percentage of pay grade reflects the experience of most of the workers in receipt of these allowances.

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: I have a number of quick questions for Mr. Coughlan and Mr. Watt.

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: By my standards they will be very quick, even rapid. Mr. Coughlan spoke to Deputy Fleming about refurbishment costs for offices and the €8,000 allowance. To clarify, this is not a case of people claiming €8,000 for refurbishing an office. They must produce receipts for the work.

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: People who claim this allowance might not claim the full €8,000 or even much of it. They will claim a portion of it.

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: My next question is for Mr. Watt. What corroboration do the political parties in receipt of the leader's allowance provide with regard to how the money is used?

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: The parties provide audited accounts to show how the money has been spent.

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: That is fine. I am interested to know the form of corroboration. It is an awful lot of money and it is good to put it on the record so people know how it is spent. Will Mr. Coughlan put into context for us the cost savings that have been delivered in the Houses of the Oireachtas in recent years? What has been the trend in the running costs of everything here in recent years?

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Will Mr. Coughlan repeat that?

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: By "new scheme" Mr. Coughlan means the combination of the public representation allowance and the travel and accommodation allowance.

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: The combination of these yields an approximate saving of €1 million per year over the old system. What is the cost of the two of them together?

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: Vouching and fobbing are modest expectations with regard to how taxpayer's money is spent. It is very important this is maintained and increased.

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: How would that work? Is it the case that the additional payment would cease to be an allowance and would then become part of the salary?

Public Accounts Committee: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission - Review of Allowances (23 Oct 2012)

Paschal Donohoe: That is the overall direction being taken.