Results 5,121-5,140 of 35,563 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: He is not answering it. What about the people going to the food banks?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: There are people queuing for food on the streets of this State.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Tá oibrithe agus teaghlaigh ar fud an Stáit seo ag streachailt leis an ngéarchéim costas maireachtála agus tá daoine ag fulaingt. Feicimid ón staidéar a rinne Barnardos go n-úsáideann duine as gach deich dtuismitheoir banc bia chun bia a chur ar an mbord dá chuid páistí. Aréir, vótáil an Rialtas in éadan...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Not at all.

Energy Costs and Windfall Taxes: Motion [Private Members] (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil freisin leis na Social Democrats agus leis an Teachta Whitmore as an rún seo a chur os comhair na Dála maidin inniu. This motion is timely. The cost-of-living crisis bears down on workers and families, and we all understand that. The recent spike in inflation has largely...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: 45. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if grant funding to aid the implementation of environmentally friendly and energy efficient changes is available for a business (details supplied) in County Donegal; the application process to access such funding if available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7573/23]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: 73. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if, in discussions with the EU Commission, the Government has raised the extending of the Peace IV Programme in order that projects that received funding can be completed; if he is aware that work will not begin on a project (details supplied) due to delays in An Bord Pleanála and in the Department of Housing, Local Government and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: 197. To ask the Minister for Health if the paediatric care for a child (details supplied) can transfer to another hospital closer to their new home having moved address; the process to apply for such a transfer of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7638/23]

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. We will just start into some of the Estimates. I will focus on Vote 7, the Department of Finance. We can see that funding for travel and subsistence, which includes expenditure incurred by officers of the Minister and Minister of State, has increased by 21% or €190,000. What is the reason for the significant increase in this subhead?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister is planning to spend double what was spent last year in travel and subsistence within his Department. He is planning to spend €0.5 million more than was spent last year. Could that really be accounted for by Covid-19?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: It is not modest; it is 21%. There are not many Departments that get a 21% increase in expenditure. It is far from modest.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: What was the outturn before the pandemic?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: On premises and accommodation expenses, which provide for the maintenance, heating, lighting, furniture and fitting costs of Department buildings, the figure has increased by 15% from €166,000 to €1.25 million. What is the reason for this increase and what will this additional allocation be spent on?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Subhead A3, which includes committees and commissions, provides for a cost for the disabled drivers' medical board of appeal, which the Minister mentioned in his opening statement, with an allocation of €370,000. This has been a disaster for those who have been waiting for decisions on appeals and has been very difficult for the board members, who resigned en masse in 2021. The...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate the Minister has not seen the report but he has had the benefit of a conversation or briefing with-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: He has had a conversation with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, on it. As the Minister mentioned, we are all aware there are problems with the criteria. The criteria need to change, and that will include people who should be included anyway. Is the Minister committed to the principle that this scheme will cost more because the rigid criteria, which have led to the entire board...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I have raised that point in relation to one of the other fundamental unfairnesses in relation to the report in terms of those on lower incomes not benefitting appropriately from the scheme. The Ombudsman's report has highlighted this and case studies related to that point. We have had a board resign over inaction from the former Minister for Finance, which I would argue was driven from a...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
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 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (15 Feb 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I do not think anybody is suggesting the Minister intervene with Revenue concerning an individual taxpayer. It would be highly inappropriate to change the law for one individual. This is about pointing out that for certain individuals with severe and permanent disabilities, even when they get into the scheme and are approved under it, it is worthless to them because the work cannot be...