Results 16,961-16,980 of 32,602 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Seanad: Finance Bill 2018: Second Stage (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Senators for their contributions. I am conscious that the Finance Bill is a key part of budget 2019 but it must also be seen in the context of the expenditure decisions I announced on 9 October. I wish to address our current environment, refer to other budget decisions to put the Bill into a different light and respond to the points raised by Senators. Our economy is doing well on...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As I have informed the Deputy in response to similar previous questions, in my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at a Departmental level.  Decisions on how and where those allocations are invested by Departments are a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: There is no formal mechanism to include recipients of public service pensions within the industrial relations framework and pay determination processes in the public service. However, I can inform the Deputy that the interests and concerns of public service pensioners have been regularly articulated in meetings between the Alliance of Retired Public Servants and my Department. This...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As the question refers to matters which would be commercially sensitive, the Office of Public Works is unable to comment on any such plans.  Details of properties which are purchased for State organisations are normally made public when purchases have been completed. Generally when OPW is seeking to acquire a property or site it will trawl the market and advertise publicly. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The 2014-2020 EU-funded PEACE and INTERREG programmes will invest over half a billion euros in the border region of Ireland and Northern Ireland over the course of the programming period.  The programmes are managed by the Special EU Programmes Body, one of the North South implementation bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement.  My Department is joint sponsor...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Properties (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Office of Public Works manage owned and leased properties held by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Commissioners of Public Works. In accordance with DPER Circular 17/2016 – Policy for Property Acquisition and for the Disposal of Surplus Property the OPW keeps this portfolio of properties under regular review to identify property needs and properties that...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cross-Border Projects (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The EU ‘Floods’ Directive 2007, requires the Member States to undertake a Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment to identify the areas of potentially significant flood risk within their territories, to prepare maps of the flood hazard and risk for these areas, and then to prepare Flood Risk Management Plans setting out measures aimed at managing and reducing the flood risk within...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that the Baile Mhúirne and Ballymakeera Flood Relief scheme is currently at outline design stage, and the preferred options for the scheme are in the process of being finalised. The River Sullane has a history of freshwater pearl mussels, which have protected status as an Annex II listed species under the EU Habitats Directive. An...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Measures (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018, which was published on 9 July, passed all stages in the Seanad on 17 July. It passed Second Stage in the Dail on 7 November and is provisionally scheduled for Committee Stage in the Dail on 11 December.  While ultimately, the scheduling of the Bill in the Dail is a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Government Procurement (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have responsibility for the formulation of policy, and the dissemination of best practice and guidance in public procurement.  The Capital Works Management Framework, (CWMF), managed by the Office of Government Procurement, provides the necessary tools for Contracting Authorities to ensure adequate supervision and oversight on construction...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Erosion (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am very familiar with the situation at Portrane and I have visited the area. Fingal County Council is leading on this issue, as it is a matter for local authorities in the first instance to assess and address problems of coastal erosion in their areas.  Where necessary, Local Authorities may put forward proposals to relevant central Government Departments, including the OPW, for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Properties (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Commissioners of Public Works, on behalf of the State, manage a large and diverse property portfolio, which ranges from office accommodation to heritage properties, visitor centres, Garda stations, among others.  As is typical of such large portfolios, there will always be a number of properties, at any given time, that are vacant.  These are currently being retained because of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Industrial Disputes (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Public Service Pay Agreement 2018 -2020 provides the appropriate industrial relations mechanisms for the processing of disputes that may arise between the parties to this Agreement. The threatened industrial dispute in question is being addressed on this basis in consultation between officials from my Department and those of my colleague the Minister for Health.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Private Partnerships Data (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy might be interested to know that I already publish two sets of financial data on PPPs.  The data can be accessed on the PPP website at www.ppp.gov.ie.  The first set of data provides an update on the existing Financial Commitments table.  This table contains detailed information in relation to all PPP projects for which contracts have been signed and which are...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Public Spending Code, published by my department, summarises the high level principles to be applied when scrutinising expenditure proposals as well as the roles and responsibilities of those involved. It also encompasses guidance on a variety of issues related to the management of expenditure at each stage of the expenditure lifecycle. This includes central guidance on the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Erosion (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am very familiar with the situation at Portrane and I have visited the area. Fingal County Council is leading on this issue, as it is a matter for local authorities in the first instance to assess and address problems of coastal erosion in their areas.  Where necessary, Local Authorities may put forward proposals to relevant central Government Departments, including the OPW, for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: On 3rd May, 2018, I was delighted to launch 29 Flood Risk Management Plans and investment of €1bn in flood risk management as part of the Government’s Project Ireland 2040. These Plans are the output from the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme - the largest ever flood risk study carried out in the State. The Plans set out the measures...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: While obviously it would not be possible in this context for me to address each example individually, I am satisfied that there are compelling grounds to justify each of the various exclusions and part exclusions set out in schedule one of the Freedom of Information Act 2014. Taking the example of commercial state bodies, government policy remains that these should not be subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Service Stability Agreement (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 provides for a range of benefits for those public servants who have accepted and comply with the terms of the Public Service Pay and Stability Agreement 2018 - 2020. In exchange for work practice reforms, greater productivity, improvements in how services are delivered to the public, industrial peace and restraint from cost-increasing claims,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Garda Divisional Headquarters (27 Nov 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Office of Public Works (OPW) has advanced a comprehensive Garda Building Programmein recent years that has provided Garda accommodation such as, new builds, major extensions and refurbishments to existing Garda Stations.  The design and construction of these new works has provided An Garda Síochána with appropriate, fit for purpose working conditions and...