Results 13,581-13,600 of 36,763 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I have a number of questions on the summer economic statement. Deputy Michael McGrath touched on the fact that the Christmas bonus is not factored in to the statement. The Minister responded to this in parliamentary questions. The debate last week was about the criticism from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, IFAC, that the bonus had not been factored in. The Minister clarified the issue...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: The Government has produced a-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I will come to Brexit in a minute. This is about the core issue of presenting figures that are credible and very transparent. The Minister mentioned we would have to wait until budget 2020 to see about the Christmas bonus. However, he has presented numbers here for budget 2020 and indeed 2021 and 2022 in which there is unallocated spending of €700 million. That is the budget...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister is stating that the Christmas bonus may not be paid out next year.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister has just said that a decision has not been made on it. Clearly, therefore, he is stating that the Christmas bonus may not be paid out. If he was stating that the Christmas bonus will be paid out next year, then that would have to be factored into the figures. The Minister cannot have it both ways. Is it the case that the Christmas bonus may not be paid out next year?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: That criticism from our fiscal advisory watchdog is not being heeded or the Minister has a different view regarding how he should proceed in factoring in the Christmas bonus. Let us go to the other aspect of this matter. The figures presented earlier this year lacked credibility. The Minister made the point that he has increased the expenditure projections to what he termed slightly more...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Will the Minister give me the figure for what expenditure is this year?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I will clarify because I may not have explained myself clearly.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: The spring statement presented figures which the IFAC stated were not credible. The development between then and now is the Minister's increase of expenditure projections to 3.25%.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: What increase has there been since spring in respect of 2020? Is it 0%? What increase has been factored in for 2021? Is it €100 million?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: There is, therefore, no increase in expenditure this year to deal with the position of the IFAC. The increase for next year, however, will be 0.1% of GDP. Will the Minister give me a figure to go along with that?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I referred to since the spring projections.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I am not trying to conflate two different things.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Not for this year.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: That is fine. I am now moving on to next year and I want to know how much the Minister has changed that figure for next year, the budget of 2021.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: In fairness, I have asked this question a number of times and I have not got the chance to-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: The additional expenditure for 2021 is on page 25, at the bottom of table No. 4, as 0.1% of GDP. I am asking the Minister for the associated figure. My next question, if I have time to ask it, is how much of that additional expenditure is the overrun of the national broadband plan that the Minister has been overseeing and that has now run out of control? That is the point to which I am...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: This is deeply frustrating. I have asked a very simple question. I have closed the booklet I was referring to now in frustration. What is the additional allocation that the Minister has factored in as part of table No. 4 on page 25 of expenditure developments? It is given as -0.1% of GDP. I ask this question because that component is made up of two things. One is the overrun in the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: No,-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Minister for Finance (3 Jul 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I would like to focus on a couple of points. I will start with health spending. The latest fiscal monitor showed that as of the end of June, current expenditure was 6.8% higher year-on-year than in 2018. The projected figure was 5.8%. At the end of May it was 8.9% higher than the previous year's figure whereas, as I said, growth of 5.8% had been projected. How concerned is the Minister...