Results 361-380 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: National Competitiveness Council (8 May 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: There is much information in the report, to which I will get. The one issue about which I did not see much discussion is the cost of insurance. It is raised in the media again today in the context of the cancellation of a major festival. Does Professor Clinch have figures for the rising cost of insurance? As I read somewhere in the report that the cost of insurance was decreasing, will he...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: National Competitiveness Council (8 May 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: What were the recommendations made in compiling the data?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: National Competitiveness Council (8 May 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: What can we do with indigenous or home-grown companies to improve their competitiveness and productivity as opposed to foreign direct investment?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: National Competitiveness Council (8 May 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I have another question but I am happy to-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: National Competitiveness Council (8 May 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I refer to some of the barriers to participation in the workforce. Childcare is a big one and the cost of childcare compared to our European counterparts is significantly higher. Government after Government has said it is an issue we need to address but we never seem to address it. How much of a barrier is it and what impact can it have on our competitiveness into the future?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Children's Hospital (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: 20. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the role his Department will assume in managing the costs and residual risks of the national children's hospital project. [18054/19]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Children's Hospital (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I have discussed this matter with the Minister on numerous occasions. He said that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will oversee two of the recommendations and that the other recommendations will be overseen by the Department of Health. He also said he wants four weeks to consider how he will implement the recommendations in question. All we can do is await the outcome of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital Expenditure (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Turning to the quarterly progress reports that are going to be forwarded to the Minister's Department for any projects costing more than €20 million, how will those reports be handled when they come into the Department? What will the process be? Will they be reviewed every quarter? If I recall correctly, the Minister stated last night that the reports will be put on a tracker on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital Expenditure (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I agree that the Department would be crippled if progress reports came in for every single project costing more than €20 million. To have some confidence, however, in the progress reports coming in and being put on the tracker, we have to ensure there is sufficient expertise within line Departments to ensure all relevant information is forwarded. If there is an issue, a red flag...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital Expenditure (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: 2. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of quarterly progress reports submitted to the Department of Health for the national children's hospital that have been audited by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18076/19]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: 19. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of community employment supervisors and provision of payments under a Labour Court recommendation of 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18055/19]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Private Partnerships Data (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: 23. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of post-project reviews and cost-benefit analyses of public private partnerships that have been completed and published to date. [18056/19]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: 30. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if ex-post reviews are completed and published for all capital projects; and if a summary of lessons from those reviews have been published in the past 18 months. [18057/19]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: 31. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the flood relief schemes due to be delayed as a result of the €3 million re-profiling of the flood risk management programme. [18053/19]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: 86. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the guidance notes or circulars his Department has published and circulated to Departments on the regulation of abnormally low tenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18077/19]

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance and for Public Expenditure and Reform (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Deputy McGrath asked most of the questions. With regard to how the Department of Finance calculates the structural balance compared with the provisions set out in the Stability and Growth Pact, the Minister referred to negotiations with the Commission. Will the Minister indicate how the negotiations are proceeding? Without pre-empting the outcome, what would be the impact of a failure to...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance and for Public Expenditure and Reform (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Even if it is not a negotiation, surely there is some discussion taking place at least.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance and for Public Expenditure and Reform (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Is there any prospect of the Department publishing five-year projections in respect of the fiscal space, particularly as a general election is approaching? That would create a fair playing field for everyone.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance and for Public Expenditure and Reform (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: The best of luck with that. On current expenditure and the projections, I note that we are looking at an increase of around 1.5% over the next years. If we look at the actual growth between 2001 and 2019, it averaged 5% every year. How realistic are those projections given what has been the case in the past?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance and for Public Expenditure and Reform (18 Apr 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Health must be a particular worry because it drives some of the expenditure increases. We saw a document last week which showed that health spending is already above what was budgeted for. I cannot predict whether there will be a need to fill another hole in health at the end of this year but in all likelihood there will be some hole to be filled.