Results 3,621-3,640 of 35,540 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed): Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Let us look at the €2 billion envelope. This is just for budgetary oversight and to try to get an understanding of policy and what the numbers mean. The €2 billion number refers to the expenditure measures to be allocated. Must the public sector pay deal, when it is negotiated and struck, come out of that €2 billion? I assume it does and the Minister has confirmed...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed): Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: How will that be dealt with? Will it be clear? Obviously negotiations are ongoing so if it is a 3% split over two instalments, it could be close to €500 million. If it is 5%, it could be €750 million. Is the Minister just going to settle on a figure?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed): Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Let us deal with the other known unknown, for want of a better expression. I am referring to the health overrun. We will require a Supplementary Estimate for the health budget this year. I am not going to go into the rights or wrongs of that. I am just dealing with how we are accounting for this. For 2024, I assume that a portion of the health overrun for this year is recurring and needs...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed): Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate that and I know the discussions are ongoing. The Committee on Budgetary Oversight has in its terms of reference scope to deal with this matter. We are 13 days away from the budget and there is an overspend of €1.1 billion. I am not asking the Minister to give me a number but to give me a range to within a quarter of a billion euro or even half a billion euro. Is it in...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed): Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I do not want to get into a spat about this but that is completely unacceptable. The Minister has a unit within his Department that monitors health spending. The fact that the Minister cannot tell the Committee on Budgetary Oversight whether there is €1 billion or €500 million overspend that needs to be provided again next year is not acceptable. I think the Minister has an...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed): Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: It also states clearly: "With a reduced level of real expenditure now expected out to 2025, the actual delivery of specific projects will be lower than originally planned under the NDP.” Two weeks out from the budget, the Minister is planning to deliver less than originally planned under the NDP.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed): Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: This is in the middle of a housing crisis. It is nearly unforgivable that this is the case.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed): Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: It is not me; it is the Central Bank.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: 48. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a driving licence will issue for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41677/23]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: 53. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a driving test can be expedited for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41700/23]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Customs and Excise (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: 60. To ask the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of not proceeding with the legislated increase in excise duty on petrol and diesel to take effect on 31 October 2023, for 2023 and 2024, respectively, VAT inclusive. [41671/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: 129. To ask the Minister for Health when a Cross Border Directive NIPHCS appeal decision will be made (details supplied); the average waiting times for such decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41681/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I thank our guests for being with us today. I will start with the defective blocks issue. I met the BPFI last May and we spoke of the need for engagement with the redress focus groups. I understand BPFI as a representative body and the banks have met a number of occasions, I believe four times, a very professional organisation representing affected homeowners. Mr. Hayes mentioned that he...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I ask the individual banks to comment on the appetite for gap funding or products of that nature.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I presume the other banks are going to say a similar thing. Unless there is something different there or unless one of them is talking about developing a product-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Before Dr. Hunt comes in, I commend the fact that the banks have taken the right approach in coming together. The numbers are small because we are at the start of this. There are thousands of households whose houses have to be demolished. That is the unfortunate, brutal reality of this. Only a few hundred have been approved in respect of the scheme, and there are other challenges now...