Results 12,501-12,520 of 32,547 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (14 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The PEACE IV Programme (2014-20) supports peace and reconciliation in the border counties of Ireland and Northern Ireland.  The programme has a total funding allocation of €269,610,964, including Irish ERDF of €49,551,086 and Irish national match/exchequer funding of €8,744,309. The INTERREG VA Programme (2014-20) aims to build social and economic cohesion...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (14 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59, 61 and 64 together. The programme of reform in the Civil Service supporting the development of high performing organisations continues to be embedded.  A fourth progress report which captures the progress made since the plan was commenced was published in May 2019 and is available on my Department's website at...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (14 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The significant public service reforms that this Government has undertaken in recent years continue to deliver improved services and value for money across a range of specific areas such as governance, accountability, procurement, shared services, organisational reform and property management. In my own Department, two notable examples are the establishment of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (14 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 66 together. Taking account of the increases provided for core expenditure, relative to the allocations in the Revised Estimate Volume 2019, spending on day to day public services will increase by 4.3 per cent next year, with capital investment growing by 10.8 per cent. Total gross expenditure will increase by 5 per cent to just over €70...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (14 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As I have previously informed the Deputy, the significant reforms within the public sector that this Government has put in place since 2011 continue to deliver improved services and value for money across a range of specific areas such as governance, accountability, procurement, shared services, organisational reform and property management. The current framework for public service...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (14 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I refer the Deputy to PQ 39967 of 30 September 2019. The position remains the same. PQRef: 39967/19  The process of unwinding the Financial Emergency (FEMPI) legislation commenced under the Lansdowne Road Agreement 2016 – 2018 and will be completed under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018 – 2020 (PSSA). The PSSA, which was negotiated in 2017, and the provisions of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Equality Proofing of Budgets (14 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Ensuring equality of opportunity is a key aim for most societies.  Gainful employment is arguably a key metric in this regard and this Government has created thousands of new jobs, with a record 2.3 million people now at work in our economy.  Our income tax system is considered progressive by international standards; our tax revenue funds a wide range of services, with an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (14 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware from previous replies, in my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching responsibility for workforce planning in, and recruitment to, the Civil Service. In Budget 2015, it was announced that there would be a targeted programme of recruitment into the Civil Service to address service needs and a shortfall in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (14 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform, I have overall responsibility for EU Cohesion Policy and primary responsibility for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The Minister for Education & Skills has primary responsibility for the European Social Fund (ESF). These two Funds, along with the Cohesion Fund (from which Ireland no longer benefits), the European...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (14 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has overall policy responsibility for the European Structural and Investment Funds, and has primary administrative responsibility for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The Department of Education and Skills has primary responsibility for the European Social Fund. The Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine has...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (14 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The post 2020 Cohesion Policy Legislative package, which includes the combined European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund Regulation, and the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF), which sets the overall EU Budget for the next programming period, are still under negotiation and remain to be finalised. However, I can confirm that the Commission published their...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Illicit Trade (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The message I want to send to business owners is that we want to ensure they have a level playing field. More importantly for them, the right action must be taken to create such a level playing field. I hope it is apparent from the actions I have detailed in my response to the Deputy that we are aiming to achieve this objective. We will continue our efforts in that regard.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector Staff (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy is correct that a lot of work went on to ensure that if changes took place in the UK as a result of Brexit, Ireland would be well placed to attract additional investment and jobs. That is what we have done. Bank of America and JP Morgan have made decisions that are a result of Ireland being a competitive and stable place in which to grow financial services. I do not think that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector Staff (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Central Bank and Mr. Sibley have reiterated a number of important points that I and the Central Bank have made. While recognising that these are commercial decisions in which we do not play a role, I want the rate of interest offered to existing mortgage holders in Ireland to become more competitive. In order for that to happen, other changes need to be made, particularly the level of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Illicit Trade (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 53 together. The threat that fuel fraud and the illicit alcohol and tobacco trade pose to legitimate businesses, consumers and the Exchequer is clear and I am assured by Revenue that combating such criminality continues to be a priority for it. Steps taken by Revenue to combat the illegal fuel trade include the introduction of stringent supply...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Illicit Trade (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy regularly raises this issue with me and I know how important it is to the businesses and communities he represents. On a number of occasions when we have discussed this, I have made available to him information on the scale of seizures that are happening. He may be aware that as recently as April of this year, 2.9 million smuggled cigarettes were detected and removed in a single...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Policy (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The publication identifies Ireland as having the lowest tax-to-GDP ratio in the European Union, at 23%. This low ratio, however, primarily reflects well known issues in the measurement of GDP in Ireland. As a result, this measurement is not an accurate reflection of the relationship between tax revenues and economic output in Ireland. The Deputy will be aware of the work we have done to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Policy (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I notice an increasing tendency in the Labour Party to deny or share any of the experience it had in government. The Deputy was a member of a Government, a very fine member at that, who gave great leadership in the State at a very difficult time, during which she well understood the pressure the corporate tax regime was under. She understands and understood then the sensitivity of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Policy (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy has made the assertion that we facilitate very large companies in paying no tax. What we do is we implement our tax policy fairly without regard to any company or individual. The Deputy has given no recognition to the many changes made in our corporate tax policy, including by me, in recent years whereby we have dealt with issues related to hybrids and how tax is levied when...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Policy (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: -----but it is my job to ensure our reputation will continue to be built because of the changes we are making. If I was to make any of the changes the Deputy is recommending and they resulted in the loss of a single Irish job, she would be the first Deputy to come into the House to castigate me for doing so.