Results 121-140 of 6,288 for speaker:Gerald Nash

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Programme for Government (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: I would like a chance to respond but it seems we have run out of time. I did not even expect to get to this particular question, given the time allocated this morning. I wish to make the point, now that there are more Members present, that the reason we got to that question is because many Government TDs are not here to take their own questions. That is quite extraordinary considering much...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: I am trying to identify the question.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: I thank the Minister for the prompt. I have been here all morning as I had finance questions earlier as well.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Programme for Government (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: 83. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to outline his vision for a public infrastructure Act as referenced in the programme for Government; how this will improve delivery, value for money and accountability in relation to public infrastructure development; if he will provide details on any models his Department is evaluating which are in place in analogous countries; and if...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Programme for Government (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: I ask the Minister to elaborate on what his intentions are for the introduction of an infrastructure Act and what that will involve.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Civil Service (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: 75. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he plans to commence and conclude his planned review of the Civil Service blended working policy framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5125/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Civil Service (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: I would like the Minister to put on the record of the House the programme for Government commitment on the context around the planned review of the Civil Service blended working policy framework. As I mentioned in another context earlier, in recent weeks the Department of Social Protection, for example, went on what I might describe as a solo run and requested that staff return to the office...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Civil Service (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: It seems to me that the Department of Social Protection jumped the gun with its solo run on this. It jumped the gun on the programme for Government commitment. Nobody has any difficulty with a review. The existing policy, though, has been in place only since 2022, and I would not advise the Civil Service and public service or the Minister to take any example from the code of practice of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Civil Service (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: If I am reading correctly what the Minister is saying, he is comfortable with what the Department of Social Protection did in recent weeks, essentially instructing staff to come back to the office without agreement two days a week. By the way, that may seem reasonable to some, and I am not saying it is unreasonable. What is unreasonable is the lack of consultation and the unilateral nature...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Functions (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: 70. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to provide details on the full number of staff who will be assigned to the proposed dedicated infrastructure division in his Department; if he will provide details on the range of skill sets that will be available within the division; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5127/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Functions (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: This question is on the commitment made in the programme for Government to create a dedicated infrastructure division in the Department. Will the Minister put on the record the range of skill sets that will be available, the number of staff to be employed and the overall complexion of that particular division, which will be critical to the development of crucial infrastructure in our country?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Functions (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: I thank the Minister very much. The creation of this division seems to be a halfway house between Fine Gael's manifesto commitment to a Department of infrastructure and Fianna Fáil's own ambitions in this area, as reflected in its general election manifesto. The division will be headed by a deputy Secretary General. That is also the case in some other Departments. I believe the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Functions (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: I will put the Minister behind the 8-ball, if I may. I have no doubt from speaking to his Government colleagues that Government has one, two or maybe even three principal objectives in respect of the expeditious delivery of critical infrastructure in the early part of the term of this Government. What are the most important infrastructure development projects that could be supported by this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Programme for Government (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: 66. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he will conclude the process of workforce planning referred to in the programme for Government for the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5124/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Programme for Government (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: Will the Minister put on the record the position relating to the programme for Government commitment on the process of workforce planning? It is referred to in the document adopted by the House. Will he elaborate on precisely what that means, what the process involves and when he expects to complete that initiative?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Programme for Government (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: I am glad the Minister made the point that the public sector ought to be the employer of choice. It needs to be the exemplar and best practice needs to be shown. A degree of workforce planning in the ranks of junior Ministers has taken place this week. The Minister claimed that because of an expanded population we require additional Ministers of State. We had that debate yesterday. He is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Programme for Government (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: IBEC has even made an assessment in recent years and has caught up with the position of the Labour Party and others that our State is not only too small to service current economic and social needs, but future economic and social needs and ambitions. I will make two points. The first is that when we talk about agility, the public sector and the private sector need to be agile. There is now...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Projects (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: I thank the Minister of State. We know, and I will not recount, the different overspends around OPW projects that have been interrogated by the media, and indeed in this House, during the last period. The OPW is a very proud organisation with a long track record of achievement throughout the entirety of the history of the State. I do not want to see the OPW, its staff and the work it...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Projects (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: I look forward to seeing that guidance. I assume it will be published and made available to Members of the House because it is important in respect of accountability and transparency in State organisations, and governance, more generally. This morning, and during the past 24 hours, there was a separate matter to do with the public spending code - the outrageous overspend on an IT project...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Projects (13 Feb 2025)

Gerald Nash: It has a brand issue, there is an issue with the OPW brand. The Minister of State said in an article in the Mail on Sunday he wants to rebuild the brand. What does he mean by that?