Results 15,881-15,900 of 32,593 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: To answer the question, a company has the right to participate in a procurement process. It is up to those running the process to decide what they believe to be the best value for the project. That is what happened in respect of the different processes-----

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Again, I am trying to answer the question.

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government agreed yesterday that there is a role for other tendering processes in respect of very large projects in future. I have outlined what are the characteristics of those projects. We will look at how we can conduct tendering processes differently in the future. It is not appropriate to go beyond that.

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Deputy Kelly put three questions to me in respect of my role in the situation, the alleged dysfunctionality in my Department and the timeline for engagement with the Minister for Health. First, what was my role? As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have responsibility for the use of taxpayers' money. I acknowledge that. I have done so on many different occasions.

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Clearly, an issue developed here -it has developed on my watch - in respect of a cost estimate and it has led to very serious concerns in this House and throughout the country. What would I have done differently and what are my learnings from what has happened? Yesterday, I published an entire set of different proposals on how we can change the procurement process relating to vary large...

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: That matters because the Deputy is making an allegation about the operation of my Department and we are acknowledging-----

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: -----in the context of this issue what needs to be done differently in the future. In acknowledging that, I will also point to the kinds of projects that we do get right and that are in place.

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The reason for that is we had just finished many different sequences of budgetary meetings that had been focused on how we put together the budget. Nearly all of those meetings were focused on current expenditure. That is the reason, as some of the emails acknowledge. We had just finished a period of Estimates negotiations and we were then moving on to implement the budget. As soon as I...

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I will deal with the final question.

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Perhaps the Deputy could clarify why she thinks we are hostage to EU procurement rules. Broadly speaking, we are subject to and part of the procurement policy of the European Union.

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: There are circumstances in which we can do so, such as, for example, in terms of the use of local labour. We can ensure that flexibilities are there in respect of procurement but because procurement policy follows on from the operation of the Single Market, I am not aware of any circumstances in which we could completely ignore it.

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy opened up by saying he was pleasantly surprised to see me here. I do not know why he would be. This is the third time I have been subject to appropriate questioning by the Dáil or by a committee of the House in regard to my role in this. The Deputy opened up with an assertion and I am not sure why he opened on that point, given my role in it. I will move on to answering...

National Children's Hospital: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I will take these questions. What I said yesterday is that I believe we need to be far more sparing and careful with the use of two-phase processes in the future. I believe they may have a role in the future, in particular to facilitate preparatory works for some projects, such that when and if a final agreement is reached a project can then move ahead without further delay. As I said, we...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the concerns raised by the Deputy in relation to the financial strain which the cost of insurance is placing on community groups, voluntary organisations, charities and small businesses. However, the Deputy should note that as Minister for Finance, I am responsible for the development of the legal framework governing financial regulation and that neither I nor the Central...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners Enforcement Activity (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As daa has statutory responsibility for the management and operation of Dublin Airport, I have forwarded your question to the Company for direct reply. If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Consultancy Contracts Data (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The amount spent on consultancy from the firms in question contracted to perform work in 2018 are provided in the table below: Supplier Number of reports commissioned Expenditure KPMG 1 €49,200 Ernst & Young (EY) Nil Deloitte & Touche Nil Arthur Andersen Nil PricewaterhouseCoopers Nil

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Consultancy Contracts Data (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The amount spent on consultancy from the firms in question contracted to perform work in 2018 are provided in the table below: Supplier Expenditure KPMG €49,200 Ernst & Young (EY) Nil Deloitte & Touche Nil Arthur Andersen Nil PricewaterhouseCoopers Nil The Deputy might note that details of my Department's spending on legal and consultancy fees are regularly...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners Data (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that since 2009 they have seized €9,577,544 in cash from passengers entering or leaving the State via Dublin Airport. Cash is seized by Revenue if it is believed to represent the proceeds of crime. Of that amount, €1,091,358 has been returned as a result of a successful appeal to Revenue. In addition, €5,703,500 of the cash seized in Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Brexit Preparations (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government has always been clear that Brexit, in whatever form it takes, will have a negative economic impact on Ireland. Indeed, the Department of Finance has been to the forefront in assessing the impact of Brexit on our economy- commissioning joint research with the ESRI on the issue, including before the actual referendum. What is clear from this research and other studies is that the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Budgets (13 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department has been engaging with the Department of Health and with other Departments, including the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, in relation to how the increased costs of the National Children's Hospital project in 2019 will be managed within the overall agreed capital allocation for 2019, in light of the multi-year management of the broad range of capital projects,...