Results 18,261-18,280 of 32,610 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: If we were to increase borrowing and our structural deficit disimproved as a result, that would be viewed as a breach.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: No, I do not accept that.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: I know from my engagement with the Commission that it would argue we were increasing borrowing at a time when we should not.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: No, this is based on the engagement I have with the Commission. Will the Deputy give me an example of an economist or anybody in the Commission, or elsewhere, advocating that we should be borrowing more when the economy is moving toward full employment?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy is proposing we borrow more. That is a legitimate policy choice that he can advocate. Will he, however, give me an example of anyone - an economist because he frequently quotes economists, the Commission and other agencies to me - who would say that with debt as high as we have, with an economy moving to full employment, with growth as high as it is and with the capacity...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: I represent the people in homeless accommodation too. I represent the people who want more housing, whether that is public housing or more affordable housing. I represent those citizens as much as does the Deputy. I have as much engagement with them as he does. I did not ask the Deputy if he wanted to increase borrowing more because I know that - he does. Out of all the agencies and...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: I will answer the Deputy's three different questions. A form of additional funding will be needed for the Department of Health at some point this year. That has been the case in previous years and I will have to work on that later in the year. On whether that can be done in such a way so as to not impact on the budgetary parameters for next year, that is what I am aiming to do. I have...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: I do not doubt they are doing good work but it is a higher level of recruitment than was anticipated and planned for. That is one of the key drivers of the current level of HSE spending.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: I am sorry. Regardless of the Deputy's point of view-----
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: -----what I stated is a fact. Up to April this year, an additional 350 to 400 people have been working in our health service every month. I did not blame anybody for that. I certainly did not blame the people doing the work. I just made that point.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: The first of the Deputy's four or five different questions was whether I am planning significant tax reductions in the next budget. The answer to that question is that I am not. I have stated, including in the Dáil this morning, that any changes I make to tax levels will be gradual and affordable. I believe the era-----
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy has asked me five questions and I will answer all five.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: I believe that taking the approach of very large tax reductions in any particular budget is not the right way to go. The Taoiseach shares that view. I do not have a figure on tax expenditures available to me now, but I will get it for the Deputy during the committee meeting. Could I reallocate that tax expenditure to additional expenditure or additional investment? My answer to that...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: I have four points in response to what the Deputy said. First, I am interested in his use of the word "ideology".
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: When he talks about me having an ideology, it appears to be a bad thing. When he talks about his own ideology, it appears to be a set of beliefs. I also have beliefs regarding what we should do in regard to political choice and policies.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: I have already mentioned the very close working relationship I have with the Department of the Taoiseach in regard to choices. In response to the Deputy's third question and his somewhat odd attempt to attribute some kind of Herbert Hoover mentality to me, I point out that this year I have increased capital expenditure by €800 million. A further €1.5 billion is planned for...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: What would that be?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: I have already read it. Has Deputy Broughan read the one that came after it, Theory of Value: An Axiomatic Analysis of Economic Equilibrium? It is very good.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: On the Deputy's broad point, what is now apparent to all of us is that the purchase of certain kinds of vehicles and tax policy for these vehicles were based on deceit. Expectations of the performance of vehicles were created which turned out not to be the case. This is a serious problem for the environment and for governments across Europe in terms of how we will respond to it, not to...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)
Paschal Donohoe: The Commission has indicated that ideas such as rainy day funds are part of what it sees as the future budgetary resilience framework for economies, especially in the eurozone. I am confident that anything that will build up the economy will be assessed as being inside the fiscal rules.