Results 19,901-19,920 of 32,726 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: Data Protection (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: This is a Government of substance, contrary to what the Deputy has said. I look forward to seeing the latest round of changes to people's social welfare payments being made next week. It will assist people-----

Other Questions: Data Protection (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: -----who are in need of support-----

Other Questions: Data Protection (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: -----and who deserve it. Only this morning-----

Other Questions: Data Protection (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: -----the Central Bank of Ireland published the latest report on the progress that has been made in mortgage arrears. Contrary to what the Deputy said a moment ago, in many different areas we are making progress, but of course we always have to make more progress and have to deliver more. I am committed to playing my part in so doing. I appreciate the support the Deputy has offered, on...

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: An interdepartmental agency group was established in 2017 to review Ireland's experie nce of PPPs and to make recommendations on their future role in the context of the new ten-year national development plan, NDP. The NDP summarises the key findings and recommendations agreed as part of the PPP review, the detailed...

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: One of the things that occurs to me as I answer these parliamentary questions is that nobody is asking me about the national development plan.

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Deputy Burton asked me about capital investment.

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Month after month I stood in this House and Deputies asked me where the national development was. When would it arrive? Now that it has arrived, it has been greeted with silence. Indeed, the only difference in behaviour was that Deputy Jonathan O'Brien welcomed it. Given the number of times I was asked when it would arrive, and what would be in it-----

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: -----I was hoping there would at least be some questions on it this morning. Perhaps this demonstrates that it is a good strategy.

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: To answer the question that Deputy Burton put to me a moment ago on the report of the Parliamentary Budget Office and its point about PPPs, I note that one can make that point about any large public capital investment. It takes many years to determine whether it has delivered its objectives and provides value for money. To reiterate the point I made a moment ago, I now see PPPs in a...

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As Deputy Burton knows, I do not determine what questions I get to answer. That is a decision for the Ceann Comhairle and the Questions Office.

Other Questions: National Development Plan (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The same rules allowed multiple questions about the national development plan to be put to me in previous appearances in this House. To answer the questions Deputies Burton and Jonathan O'Brien have put to me, I am aware of concerns about PPPs that have developed in other jurisdictions. In Ireland, there is a track record of many PPPs delivering important projects and at good value. As I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: All I can do at this point is give the Deputy a commitment to consider it. I will have to read the report and consider it before I decide what I will raise with the Commission. Currently, my focus is on ensuring that the significant increases in capital expenditure we are implementing at present happen and that the projects we are committed to are delivered at affordable prices. However, I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The public private partnership, PPP, model is an internationally recognised model to design, build, finance, operate and maintain public infrastructure. In accordance with international best practice, PPP contracts already typically include detailed provisions that apply in the event of the liquidation of a consortium member of the PPP company, or an entity under the contract, to protect the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy's party displayed an unbridled enthusiasm for PPPs when it was in government. In fact, the largest quantity of PPPs was implemented under the party's current leader. Whatever views the Deputy has now are very different from what was displayed when Deputy Howlin was Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. With regard to the Deputy's question on how we complete projects,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I will reply to Deputy O'Brien's questions first. There is an indirect cost to the State if a project is being delivered through a PPP or another procurement strategy and the project does not happen and people are in alternative accommodation being paid for by the State. The Deputy is correct. That is the case whether it is a school or a house. Regarding my approach to PPPs, I agree...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Retirements (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: If I had not put interim measures in place, members of the public service who wanted to avail of this option would not have been in a position to do so under any circumstance. We have the interim measures in place because I felt it was necessary to have some lead-in time between announcing that we were going to do this and bringing forward a Bill to give people time to arrange their affairs...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The EU fiscal rules have been designed to promote budgetary discipline and underpin sustainable economic growth. While the economy is growing and debt is on a downward trajectory, the debt level is still high and we have to be careful owing to the potential of roll-over risk should interest rates increase. This is a small and very open economy in a world which now has more risk than is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I have not discussed the specific report to which the Deputy referred with the European Commission, but I have raised with it the need to make sure the fiscal rules facilitate appropriate levels of public capital investment in those things which will allow the economy to grow in a sustainable way. Within the fiscal rules as structured, the plan we launched, Ireland 2040, looks to provide for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (22 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: It is a matter for the Business Committee if the House wishes to debate this report. In recent weeks, another report produced by an Oireachtas committee was debated in this House. If the Business Committee wishes to provide for a debate on this report, it is open to it to do so. On the NHS and the 6.5% increase mentioned by Deputy Calleary, the agreement that we have is between 6% and...