Results 16,281-16,300 of 32,593 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am not in a position to comment on what people around town are saying about this project. What I can comment on is the work I have done to date in trying to understand the key reasons this project is costing more than had been anticipated. I have outlined those reasons. It occurred to me, as the Deputy outlined what he is hearing elsewhere, that such comments may in part be driven by the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am happy to get that for the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The moment I became aware of the issue, the Minister for Health and I talked to each other immediately about it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I cannot remember now but we had multiple meetings and discussions on this matter. The Deputy will make his mind up on my stewardship or management of public money. I make the point again that we have multiple other projects across the State that are smaller than this but cumulatively far bigger in value that come in on budget and are delivered in the way the country wants. Clearly, we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I accept responsibility in relation to this. I have responsibility for how the taxpayers' money is spent. Regardless of the different governance questions or the different boards, I accept responsibility for how the public's money is spent. That is why I am doing two things. The first is that I will look at other comparable projects that we have of this size from a tendering and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Is the Deputy asking whether I believe the cost will go beyond €2 billion?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: If it does come in below €1.4 billion, my judgment at this point is that it would do so by a small amount. The reason for that is we are referring to many costs that have now been tendered. As to whether I believe it will go above the larger figures that have been quoted at the Committee of Public Accounts and elsewhere, at this point I do not, but clearly as we look at how this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I will not agree to anything that will undermine our decision-making ability on taxation policy. There are two issues. The first is that I do not believe it would get to the point in which we would have conversations about a veto on this issue. The reason for that is I know many other countries share our concerns. The protections that we have, such as through the Lisbon treaty, or all of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The particular section to which the Deputy is referring, namely, the allocation of taxing rights, would have a significant effect on the tax base in the future. However, many other countries within the OECD have a similar concern and many other companies involved in this process also have concerns regarding their global business models and how they would be able to internationalise their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is, but this is a document it is putting forward to now use as a basis for discussion between different countries. While there are some elements in there that we will have to work on, other elements could offer a way in which we can move forward on the issue in a globally co-ordinated way that would be better for Ireland. My team and I need to do a lot of work and engagement on the issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Does the Deputy mean the UK and Gibraltar?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: What it means is that in the absence of any change here, if one has bought an insurance product from a company that is based in either of those jurisdictions and if a disorderly Brexit were to take place without any change, it would lose the ability to sell those products in Ireland. However, in the Brexit omnibus Bill that we are bringing forward, we have a section allowing a three-year...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It might be but, as the Chairman may be aware, it is not up to me to direct or ask the Comptroller and Auditor General to do work like that. It is up to the Comptroller and Auditor General himself and his office to determine what they want to review and where they want to make inquires.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, they are.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I believe that they did but I am aware that the Minister for Health has indicated the level of that fee. I will not hazard a figure for that, but the board members received a fee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I said that I am reviewing the matter myself. As I said in reply to Senator O'Donnell, I hope to see if there are any developments in the next few days.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I said earlier that at a point this will be resolved. I want to make clear that we will do all we can to try to have this issue resolved and we will play our part in either the Labour Court or the WRC.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Sure.

National Surplus (Reserve Fund for Exceptional Contingencies) Bill 2018: Referral to Select Committee (31 Jan 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Orders 84A(3)(a) and 149 (1).

Written Answers — Department of Finance: VAT Rate Application (31 Jan 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58, 64 to 66, inclusive, and 68 together. The standard rate of VAT applies to food supplements. However, a Revenue Commissioners concession allowed the zero rate to be applied to certain types of vitamins, minerals and fish oils. Revenue has since decided to remove this concession with effect from 1 March 2019 so that all food supplements will be charged...