Results 1-20 of 18,533 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Summer Economic Statement 2019: Statements (25 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Today, the Government published its summer economic statement which is, as the House knows, a key element of our reformed budgetary process. Before I outline the key points from this statement, it is appropriate to take stock of where we are now in terms of the economy. Our economy is now very different from that which prevailed a decade ago when Ireland entered the most acute phase of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Budgets (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As set out in the most recent fiscal monitor, total gross voted expenditure at the end of May was just over €26 billion. This is €145 million, or 0.6%, below profile. Gross voted current expenditure is €65 million below profile. Of the 17 ministerial Vote groups, 12 are below profile on current expenditure. Gross voted capital expenditure was also below profile...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Budgets (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is precisely because I am responding to the points made by IFAC that, even though spending is below profile both from the point of view of Government as a whole and of many of our Government Departments, I am still acknowledging that a change in health expenditure occurred in May. The fact that we are still below profile is important but I have to signal to the House, the Oireachtas, and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Debt (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As indicated in our annual report on debt last year, while our debt to gross domestic product ratio has been declining, this is primarily due to an increase in national income, rather than a reduction in the debt itself. At the end of 2018, our debt ratio as a percentage of GDP was 64.8%. Measured by GNI*, that figure was 107%. The Department of Finance suggests that Ireland will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The consequence I was referring to in my earlier remark was the understandable debate that has now arisen regarding the variation in our in-year spending for the implementation of the budget. It is particularly varied in respect of spending in the Department of Health. On the point Deputy Cowen made regarding reliance on corporation tax receipts, I have acknowledged and do acknowledge that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is correct to say that there is a risk but that is why we are continuing on our journey to ensuring that this reliance does not build.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 15 and 16 together. To allow a debate, I have covered some of the points Deputy O'Brien already raised with me in earlier questions in the answer I have provided. He knows what I am going to say. I know other Deputies have supplementary questions that perhaps we can deal with now.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I and other Government Ministers will of course engage with the iterative process that the Minister, Deputy Bruton, has outlined. We will see if there are further choices that we need to make within the current figures and parameters of the national development plan to better meet the objectives laid out in the plan launched on Monday. I differ with Deputy Eamon Ryan regarding what he has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I will comment on the roads aspect first and then on public transport projects. I agree with the Deputy that we need to have a pipeline of big public transport projects underway. We also need to ensure that as resources are available, and they are, we have projects that already have planning permission and are ready to go. I recollect the debate that I had with Deputy Ryan some years ago...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cross-Border Projects (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the work and progress that have already taken place. As he is aware, in essence we have an agreement to allow what is in place to continue up to 2023. We have had extensive engagement with the Commission on these projects. I had engagement with my counterpart in the British Government, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Philip Hammond, during the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cross-Border Projects (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The political analysis offered by the Deputy is fair. We all hope to avoid the worst of Brexit and we are all working to do that. The Deputy and his party have been very clear in their support in trying to ensure we can do that. However, we will move to a very challenging period in the next number of months and the value of these programmes will become even greater if the uncertainty...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cross-Border Projects (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I could deal with the other questions in the group but we have missed a question.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I did not make any comment yesterday that could be interpreted as saying these ceilings are a thing of the past, as Deputy Cowen knows. Nonetheless, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council expressed views on the implementation of expenditure ceilings. In the next few weeks, our expenditure report of 2019 will set out the revised baseline for current expenditure to 2021, taking account of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I was referring to a different matter yesterday. I said that with the economy in a surplus position, if the fiscal rules in the coming years were interpreted as they were drafted, it would allow a higher rate of expenditure growth than is appropriate for an economy growing at the current rate. This is the approach we used in last year's budget when a decision was made to try to get to a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cross-Border Projects (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 26 together. As the Deputy is aware, Ireland and the UK are partners in two EU-funded cross-border co-operation Programmes, PEACE and INTERREG, which have a combined value of more €550 million over the period from 2014 to 2020. These programmes support social and economic cohesion and peace and reconciliation in the Border region of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy is correct that the last time the matter was looked at was in 2016. It estimated the additional cost of demographics was an average of €435 million annually from 2017 to 2021. We do plan to examine it again. I intend that a paper on this will be published as part of our 2019 spending review. I am not sure whether there is currently a case for the study to be broadened...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy asked about the affect of this on budgetary resources in future. I do not believe the figures will have an affect on our figures for budget 2020. Our challenge is that over time, the gradual change in our population may have a very big affect on budgets in the medium term, specifically what will happen as the population gradually gets older and the impact that might have on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy referred to a question I dealt with in the House yesterday on the Department of Health. To give that figure more context, it must be acknowledged that up to the end of April, health expenditure was very much in line with what it had been budgeted for. However, there was a change in May which had an effect on the year-to-date figure. I am engaged in forming a view on what will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Project Ireland 2040 Funding (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: What I am saying is that, as a result of the decisions made on broadband, and in dealing with the national children's hospital, I will not change other projects. The other projects have associated needs, within communities and the country. I want to make sure they move ahead. Projects do not go ahead every year for reasons that have nothing to do with budgetary policy, but this can, in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Project Ireland 2040 Funding (20 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I have done it for this year in the context of what happened with the national children's hospital. As we moved through the year, we managed to respond regarding the additional funding needs of the hospital and maintain commitments we have made elsewhere. The national broadband plan will require funding beyond what was included within the capital ceilings. Given the magnitude of that...