Results 19,461-19,480 of 34,135 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I have been impressed by the cases that have been put forward by both sides of the debate. The protocol on tax strategy group papers is that they are views of the Department rather than of the Minister. They inform choices I, as Minister, make. Clearly, I have also met representatives of the Irish hospitality and accommodation sectors who hold a diametrically opposing view. As a former...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Any changes we make will be sustainable, affordable and in line with the kind of changes we made last year. Deputy Broughan began to outline what I am planning to do with expenditure, but if he looks at what I am doing, he will see that the key driver for our expenditure growth for next year is investment in capital expenditure: hospitals, schools, and homes. I think that the Deputy will...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I will be making reference on budget day to where we are with regard to equality proofing and equality budgeting. I would manage the Deputy's expectations, however, by saying that we will not yet be in a place where we can extend this approach to all Government expenditure. We are working on equality proofing six specific areas: education, business, transport, culture, health, and children...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, I have should have said that we do our own SWITCH model internally and we look at the distributional consequences of the decisions we make. It is fair to say that this model is not at the level of sophistication of the model published by the ESRI, but the ESRI is the leader in SWITCH analyses, most particularly the recently retired Professor Tim Callan....

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I do not think the Deputy is reckless and profligate.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: He put forward costed ideas on the funding of expenditure. My view is that the proposals he put forward regarding how he would pay for that expenditure would ruin the economy. He is not being profligate, but the ways he has of paying for these policies would devastate job creation and retention in Ireland. That is different from being profligate. To deal with the questions the Deputy puts...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: We are using leasing and RAS programmes as social housing output builds to the point we want it to get to. What is the alternative? Does Deputy Boyd Barrett think it would be tenable for me to say that while homes are being built, we will not provide support to people who need it? That would be wrong. While we are getting our social housing output up to where we need it, we are using...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I do not have an answer in front of me on section 110.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy moved quickly to where we are on a financial transactions tax but from my recollection of what he said to me, if the information on section 110 is available, I do not have it to hand. If it is available, I will get it and send it over to the Deputy.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am pleased to be able to tell the Deputy that sales of Irish food, drink and agricultural products generally have increased by 6% since last year. Amid the changes we are seeing, the industry continues to do well. On future supports I might put against it, that will be the outcome of the budgetary process which I am in the middle of. I can point out to the Deputy what I have already...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: On Brexit, will be as prepared as we can be for dealing with the different developments that may occur next year. As somebody who is involved in the discussions on Brexit, I respectfully take a different view from the Deputy. While we may reach a point at which we will need to articulate what we will do if certain developments arise, it would not be helpful to do so now. On the VAT rate,...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I know the Deputy understands that. Ultimately, we will have to make choices regarding how we do all of that. The Deputy feels as strongly as I do about the need to make further progress on housing. If we stand by the need to adhere to the fiscal rules, as the Fianna Fáil Party does, it will mean making choices about how we pay for resources that become available beyond what I...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: What was the first issue the Deputy raised?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy asked if I knew what the tax forecast will be for the entire year. I will have a good idea of what that figure will be at the end of next week because at that point I will have the figures for September. My officials will look at trends in the economy and give me their informed view as to what these mean for the rest of the year. To clarify my earlier point on budget overruns...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, I am coming to that. That is No. 3. I have it written down here. The Deputy asked for the underspends by Department. I do not have that available to me but I can get it for the Deputy. It is published so I will be able to get it for him quickly. The fiscal monitor outlines where we are Department by Department in respect of their profiles, so we will be able to give that...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy is correct - we have gone out to tender for consultants that would give me an assessment of our position on banking pay and compensation. I think that report is in the early phases of being done and that I will get it later this year. Banking policy stands as it is, which is consistent with that of the time when the Deputy was in government. A matter I increasingly have to deal...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am implementing a policy that is the same as that when the Deputy sat around the Cabinet table. All I am saying-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am answering the Deputy's question. I know she does not like to be reminded of her time in government-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: -----when I make these kinds of points to her but, as I have said to her, the policy I am implementing at present is the policy that stands. All I have said to her is that we are assessing it, and I have explained why. The reasons certain salaries exist in certain sectors are a matter of great reflection for me. Banking is a leading example. The number of international banks that have now...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2019: Minister for Finance (26 Sep 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I know, but, as I have already said, were there to be a change to the carbon tax, there would be effects elsewhere, particularly within our society, of which I am mindful and to which there would be an expectation of a response. That answer still stands. As for changes in general social welfare rates, the Deputy will understand, as someone who was involved in the process herself, that we...