Results 15,921-15,940 of 32,864 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department and the Secretary General are accountable too. I have said that on a number of occasions. I said when I came into the committee today that the Secretary General has agreed to come before this committee but there are other Oireachtas committees that believe they are entitled to question him. I have found myself in this situation before. For example, when dealing with another...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy Doherty. I am not saying I will try to resolve the matter. Rather, I am saying I will resolve it.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Select Committee (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I must come in on two points. First, I reiterate the fact that the Secretary General had agreed to come in, and I have now made a commitment to resolve this matter and ensure we find a way of moving forward on it. Second, there is also an issue of precedent here, which the Oireachtas must reflect on, which is that there are multiple committees that believe they now have a role in this...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, and I are pleased to be with the committee to present the 2019 Estimates for my Department’s group of Votes. The group comprises a significant number of Votes, namely, the Votes for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and for the Office of Government Procurement; the Votes for a number of offices under the aegis of my Department,...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Is the Chairman referring to that relating to the public expenditure section?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: If we are going to do that, I might touch on some key elements rather than going through the entire statement, which was distributed to members yesterday and which, I am sure, they have read. Members will be aware that the Department of Finance is divided into two broad areas, namely, the economic and fiscal directorate and the finance and banking directorate. The opening statement gives...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The rest of my letter which I issued went on to highlight that, in the context of a no-deal scenario, we said that we would need 600 this year and we would deliver 400 by the end of March, with the other 200 to be delivered across the rest of the year. We would obviously look to deliver it early in the year. I confirm to the committee that the deadlines and timings of those figures will be...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I have always said that, in the context of a no-deal scenario, it will need 600 staff for this year. We have identified the phasing of that as being 400 by the end of March with a further 200 to follow. We will deliver that.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As soon as is needed. What is very different to what I indicated to members last year is that there is a very high level of demand and interest in doing this work. Off the top of my head, I think over 3,000 people applied for these jobs who would then be available when needed. The Revenue Commissioners have decided that there is clearly training and work that needs to be done to get the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I cannot give an exact figure for all Departments for additional current expenditure for this year but I will come back to the Deputy about it. It will be a highly significant figure, given the amount of additional funding that has gone into agencies and the recruitment of additional staff, especially in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. With regard to my own Vote, the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As I have been responding to the Deputy's question, my team has provided information on some of the building blocks. Across a number of Departments, €25 million will be required for current expenditure on additional staffing. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc and Bord Bia will require €71 million. The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I do not have that in front of me. To be more specific, I am saying that the increases in current expenditure that build on other increases in Government expenditure that we would not have made for 2019 are at least €115 million. I have given the Deputy the example of the Revenue Commissioners. If further needs develop and I need to make further resources available, I will do that....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I will see if we have information with regard to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman. I am confident that this will make a big difference to the list of appeals to the Tax Appeals Commission. I accept that the list is too large and needs to change. I believe it will make a difference because the additional current resources I am making available here are to hire more case...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy. On his four points, he has already acknowledged the planned legislative change that is under way. Key to this is the fact that the Central Bank (National Claims Information Database) Act was enacted last year. It will make a contribution to dealing with our understanding of this issue, which in turn will help in dealing with the issue with premiums. I will give the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As I said when I gave the commitment to assess the matter, decisions on how and when the Revenue Commissioners implement the law are decisions for them. I said this at the time in question and later in the Dáil. Consultation takes place on the development of policy but the Office of the Revenue Commissioners is the only body charged with implementing it. As I said to the Chairman, I...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I would imagine these are the Departments that were not listed in the other figures I gave. I listed the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Foreign Affairs and Trade. I have already given members the figures from my two Departments. I would imagine the information pertains to the rest of the Departments.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: That would primarily be staff and any ICT costs.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, but the majority of the technology costs sit in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Revenue Commissioners. I would anticipate that the IT component of the other figures will be very low in comparison.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chairman, he is very kind. The officials will rotate as needed.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (21 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes.