Results 18,761-18,780 of 32,864 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Summer Economic Statement (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The signs of that are evident across the country-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Summer Economic Statement (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: -----for example, in the new figures that have come out today that further point to the rate of unemployment in the country falling.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gender Balance (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The gender breakdown of staff in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Finance is as follows. There is a tabular format for all this information being shared with Deputy Bruton separately but the following are the key points. The percentage of female staff in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform stands at just over 54%. In the Department of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Budgets (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: It will depend on the reason for the overrun. If one looks at the structure of the summer economic statement, one of the major reasons for carry-over costs is the impact of costs generated in the previous year where there is a reasonable expectation that those costs will carry forward into the next year. We are now documenting that more publicly than has been the case in the past. If the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Budgets (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: It will be later on in the year because we have to better understand all of the causes of the overspend versus the figures the HSE has published to date. We will have to know what those are in advance of the budget. As such, it will be known before that. I will be working closely with the Minister, Deputy Harris, on that. The director general of the HSE will no doubt put forward a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Summer Economic Statement (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: 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. I do not have a direct role in respect of project selection. Decisions on how departmental allocations are invested and what projects are selected are matters in the first...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I acknowledge the fact Deputy Cowen has raised this issue with me on a number of occasions. I want to inform both him and the House that I will be bringing a memorandum to the Government meeting on Thursday seeking approval for the publication of the relevant Bill, which is to be entitled the Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018. Subject to Government approval, which...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I always said it would be my intention to publish this Bill and see it enacted this year, and we are going to deliver against that. If no interim measures were in place, I would understandably have been criticised for the lack of such interim measures, given the interest many public servants have in accessing the provisions of this scheme. To answer the Deputy's point, the interim...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I have honoured the commitments I gave recently in regard to publishing the legislation and bringing it forward. It has taken time to draft this Bill because of the complexity involved in evolving the terms and conditions of the many people who work within our public service and Civil Service. To answer the Deputy's question in regard to whether it is at the discretion of the employer,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Budgets (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Managing the delivery of public services within their budgetary allocations is a key responsibility of Ministers and their Departments. Given the scale of overall voted expenditure, the cash basis of Government accounting and the funding implications that unexpected events can have on expenditure requirements, variances or changes from spending profiles can occur for a number of reasons...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Measures (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 36 together. As the House is aware I am obliged under legislation to: 1. review the operation and effectiveness of the FEMPI legislation, having regard to the overall economic conditions in the State and national competitiveness; and 2. consider whether the relevant Acts continue to be necessary, having regard to amongst other things the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: There are a number of watercourses including the river Erne that flow between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Office of Public Works (OPW) has a long-standing working relationship with the Department of Infrastructure, Rivers (Dfl Rivers) which is the competent authority for the implementation of the ‘EU Floods Directive’ in Northern Ireland. In 2009, the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: 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 matter, in the first instance, for my ministerial colleagues. The ten-year National...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Economic Policy (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As outlined in the Summer Economic Statement published last month, the Government is determined to ensure that the budgetary strategy is based on steady increases in public expenditure underpinned by stable and predictable tax revenues. To deliver on this objective it is essential that expenditure increases to deliver improvements in services are affordable and sustainable over the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget Measures (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I have prioritised the resourcing of our health system. Last year the Budget for the health sector was increased by almost 3.6% bringing the total funding to a record level of €15.3bn. In 2016 Ireland ranked sixth highest in terms of healthcare spend per capita out of all OECD countries. There has also been a significant...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget Measures (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: There have been no discussions within my Department on the east west link road and rural roads in general. I understand the Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport has responded to the Deputy on this issue in PQ 24501 on 12 June 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Summer Economic Statement (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Planning for the withdrawal of the UK from the EU poses a significant challenge, particularly given that the precise nature of the relationship that will exist between the UK and the EU is yet to be agreed. The impact of Brexit will depend on the outcome of the ongoing negotiations. While this poses challenges in planning our response, it is important to note that Ireland’s economy is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Insurance Coverage (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government’s strategy for flood insurance is  in return to its investment on flood defence schemes, households and businesses should be able to access flood insurance. While the Office of Public Works has no responsibility for oversight or regulation of the insurance industry in relation to flood risk insurance, or to insurance matters generally, the Office of Public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I and my Department are fully committed to maintaining the well-established dialogue with the Alliance of Retired Public Servants. Through ongoing recourse to that dialogue process, I believe that retired public servants and their representatives can be confident that their pension concerns will receive full and proper consideration as they have done in the past. The interests and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Erosion (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am very familiar with the situation at Portrane and I have visited the area and have been briefed by Fingal County Council on the problem.  Fingal County Council is leading on this issue as it lies within its functional area and it is a matter for local authorities in the first instance to assess and address problems of coastal erosion in their areas.  I fully appreciate the...