Results 281-300 of 1,019,474 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ethics in Public Office (2 May 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I hope this will allow SIPO to be more proactive in certain instances and enable it to act where it feels suspected breaches of the ethics framework have taken place. For instance, if it were felt that something had not been declared, then the agency would be able to investigate and sanction members if necessary. My colleague, Deputy Mairéad Farrell, brought forward legislation to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ethics in Public Office (2 May 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I am very much aware of the Bill brought forward by Deputies Mairéad Farrell and Buckley last year. It contained several different provisions relating to this matter. The legislation proposed had seven sections in total and many dealt with powers regarding the Standards in Public Office Commission. As I said, I will be bringing forward an approach that will deal with some of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Budget Process (2 May 2024)

Budget Process

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Budget Process (2 May 2024)

Peadar Tóibín: 77. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will list the occasions over the past 18 months on which Government Departments have requested additional funds from his Department; the purposes of these requests; which requests were granted; and which were refused. [18661/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Budget Process (2 May 2024)

Peadar Tóibín: We know that over Christmas the Minister and the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, had a ferocious argument over the health budget. We also know there are significant tensions currently between the Minister's Department and other Departments. Some of these tensions concern overspends by those other Departments. Can the Minister give us information about where these difficulties...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Budget Process (2 May 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: Vote allocations are decided as part of the Estimates process each year. Following publication of the summer economic statement, the Secretary General of my Department writes to all other Departments requesting proposals for the upcoming budget, including where they consider additional funding to be required. These requests are then assessed as part of preparations for the budget. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (2 May 2024)

Legislative Measures

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (2 May 2024)

Róisín Shortall: 73. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to provide an update on reform of the ethics in public office legislation, given that the review of the statutory framework was completed in December 2022; the reason for the delay in publishing the heads of Bill; if he expects this Bill to be introduced this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20037/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (2 May 2024)

Róisín Shortall: The programme for Government contains a commitment to reform and consolidate the ethics in public office legislation. When are we going to see that legislation? It is over four years since the commitment was given.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (2 May 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy makes reference to the 2020 programme for Government. That did indeed lay out the commitment to reform and consolidate the ethics in public office legislation and, as she will be aware, my Department carried out a comprehensive review of the statutory framework as a first step in meeting this commitment. The review’s report was submitted to Government in December 2022 and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (2 May 2024)

Róisín Shortall: There have been incredible delays in all of this. It is 14 months since the review report was published. We know the important areas that are covered by it. We should not have any further delay. It is 20 years now since SIPO started identifying the serious gaps in its powers. It is supposed to be a watchdog but it seems to be more of a lapdog at this stage because of the failure of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (2 May 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I believe that is achievable. In terms of the timelines for the heads of the Bill, I have some final work that I aim to do on it. At the latest, I aim to bring the heads of the Bill to the Government over a short number of months. That is what I am aiming to do. I accept the urgency on this and am committed to getting this piece of work done.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (2 May 2024)

Róisín Shortall: That is a really disappointing response that the Minister expects the heads of the Bill to go to Government in a short number of months when, at most, there is a year left in this Government. It is quite clear that even if we do see the heads of this legislation in the next few months, it will entail pre-legislative scrutiny, drafting and then the passage of legislation. I do not see any...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (2 May 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy cannot have it both ways. She cannot on the one hand say there is a need to maintain standards in public office and then make insinuations about my intentions. She cannot have it both ways. I appreciate the urgency of this legislation. It is something my Department is taking very seriously and I am committed to trying to get the heads of the Bill----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (2 May 2024)

Róisín Shortall: There is no evidence of that.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (2 May 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: ----completed, bringing the heads of the Bill to Government and commencing the legislative process in relation to it. As I said, the Deputy cannot have it both ways. She cannot say there is a need to stand up for standards in public office and then in the same breath insinuate that there are some kind of ulterior motives regarding where the Bill stands.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (2 May 2024)

Róisín Shortall: There is not a hope in hell of this legislation being through before the general election. That is the bottom line on this.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions (2 May 2024)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions (2 May 2024)

Question No. 74 taken with Written Answers.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (2 May 2024)

Public Sector Pensions