I thank the Deputy for raising this question. The Government's commitment to introducing a more open budgetary process focused on major public goals and proven policy performance is aligned with the ongoing process of budgetary reform that seeks to increase the focus on how public money is used to provide services, and on the impact these services have on people’s lives. This commitment is also reflected in the approach towards the review of the national development plan, NDP. My Department recently published the P…

I will make a few points. I welcome the Deputy's comments regarding the emphasis on existing levels of service. Of course, it is always the case that ministerial colleagues will seek to add to the existing budget with new ideas and new policy initiatives drawn from the programme for Government, but there is also a need for an emphasis on reform. We must always be asking ourselves whether we are spending our resources wisely, whether we are doing it in a manner that is getting the best outcome and whether we are ens…

On the issue of capital investment, as the Deputy is aware, in the current year we have a budget of €10.8 billion, which is the largest in the history of the State. Learning from the previous crisis and taking account of the different conditions at this time, we will protect the public capital programme. That is a really important commitment from Government to which I look forward to giving effect as part of the review of the national development plan. On the issue of the Department of Health and the HSE, they have…

I welcome Deputies Calleary and Niamh Smyth raising this really important question for Northern Ireland and, indeed, the Border counties of Ireland as well. PEACE+ is a special new cross-Border EU co-operation programme which will combine the existing PEACE and INTERREG funding streams into one cohesive new programme for the 2021-27 period. The programme area covers Northern Ireland and counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo. There is also scope for co-operation outside the programme area. The …

I thank the Deputy for raising those questions. To add to my earlier remarks, following the consultation that is currently ongoing and any necessary revisions to the draft programme that may arise from it, the final PEACE+ programme will be bought to the Government and to the Northern Ireland Executive for approval. The draft programme will subsequently be submitted to the European Commission for final approval later in 2021. I have already had several engagements with Conor Murphy, the Minister of Finance in the N…

The points raised by the Deputy are really well made. I have been briefed on several of the projects that have already been undertaken under the current PEACE and INTERREG programmes. They are inspiring and I am looking forward to visiting several of these programmes in person as soon as the public health restrictions allow. It is absolutely appropriate that one of the key themes in the draft programme is about empowering and investing in young people. Such a commitment from the Irish Government, the UK Government …

As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have statutory responsibility for the terms and conditions of service, including remuneration, of civil servants, as set out in the Civil Service Regulation Acts. In meeting these responsibilities as regards the terms to apply for recruitment to the post of Secretary General in the Department of Health, I engaged with the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health and the Secretary General to the Government. In that context, I took account of a number of factors, including t…

As the Deputy has acknowledged, the successful candidate, Robert Watt, has waived the salary increase in light of the economic conditions that apply now. That is being done on a voluntary basis and I acknowledge the decision he has made which is appropriate in the circumstances we are all facing. I will point out, as I did over the course of the hearing before the Oireachtas joint committee on finance, that only a short number of years ago, an openly advertised competition to recruit a CEO for the HSE, with a salar…

As the Deputy knows, we did have an open, competitive process. We had a significant number of applicants, all of whom were treated fairly and assessed on their own individual merits. We had a shortlisting process and an interview process. Independent people were appointed to the Top Level Appointments Committee and they, ultimately, arrived at a decision and made a recommendation. This Government has ambition for our health service. We are serious about implementing Sláintecare. As the Deputy knows, we recently agr…

I thank the Deputy for raising this question on behalf of Deputy Lawless. The Supporting Excellence: Capital Project and Programme Review Delivery report to which the Deputy referred was produced by EY for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and funded by the European Commission’s structural reform support programme. It is a key interim output for the ongoing review of the national development plan, NDP. The report identifies a range of strengths and weaknesses in the public capital delivery system. It …

I assure the Deputy that we are acting on the recommendations made in this report. An action team for the Supporting Excellence: Capital Project and Programme Delivery Review report has now been convened and work is under way to maintain the momentum of delivery and implementation. On the issue Deputy Moynihan raised, I have confirmed a number of important reforms. I am setting up a new major projects advisory group involving people with expertise and experience in delivering major public capital programmes. It wil…

It is undoubtedly the case that lessons need to be learned from the national children's hospital. That is one of the reasons I have focused on introducing these reforms to the oversight of the delivery of major public capital projects. If the Deputy looks at the three measures that I have outlined, I refer to the setting up of a panel of experts to advise Departments at critical decision gates, for example, before a project goes to tender to ensure that all of the work in the detailed appraisal has been completed p…

I propose to take Questions No. 57 and 103 together. I thank the Deputy for his question. The review of the national development plan provides an opportunity to reassess capital investment plans, particularly in light of the new programme for Government and the ongoing impact of and recovery from Covid. There has been significant progress in delivering a range of infrastructure projects throughout the country, since the launch of Project Ireland 2040. However, as committed to in the programme for Government, my Dep…

As the Deputy knows, the national development plan relates to the public capital programme. We have a record envelope of €10.8 billion this year and are keen to proceed with and set out an ambitious capital development plan for our country out to 2030 to make sure it is properly aligned with the priorities in the programme for Government of housing, transport, health and, of course, climate action. The national development plan is, in essence, a sister document to the national planning framework and both make up th…

I thank the Deputies for raising these issues. The revision of the national development plan will take account of the pandemic, our learnings from it and the impact it is likely to have on the development of Ireland in the years ahead. In addition to reviewing the national development plan, we are also preparing a new national economic recovery plan. The intention would be to publish that document in early summer. On the question of economic supports, as Deputy Ó Murchú knows we have given a commitment that support…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following: “notes that: — Project Ireland 2040 represents a new strategic approach to social and economic development, and it is the first time that spatial planning and investment have been explicitly linked in Ireland; — Project Ireland 2040 aims to accommodate the growth of 1 million additional people in a balanced and sustainable way, with a focus on developing regional growth; — the Government sets the broad legislative and pol…

That is right. I am resuming from where I left off a number of weeks ago. At that point, I had referred to the need for this legislation to progress a range of pay reform matters. I had just begun to touch on the seagoing commitment scheme, which is one of a number of measures advanced in 2020 to support recruitment and retention in the Naval Service. It provides for a €5,000 payment for each 12 months of seagoing service. Naval personnel of able rating and above with at least three years service, of enlisted rank …

I thank Deputies Mairéad Farrell and O'Reilly for their contributions. Hopefully, they will be in a position to support the Bill. I look forward to the Bill being progressed in the weeks ahead, particularly as it is needed to give effect to the Building Momentum pay agreement. The latter is a very fair agreement. It involves general pay increases in October and October of next year of 1% each or €500, whichever is greater. It also involves a new sectoral bargaining fund amounting to 1% of basic pay to resolve any o…

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)( a ) and 181(1).

I am delighted to be here in Seanad Éireann to discuss the review of the national development plan, NDP. I genuinely welcome the opportunity to update Members on the review of the NDP which is currently well under way. For the past year, the world has grappled with the spread of Covid-19 which, as we all know, has not only presented unprecedented healthcare challenges but has taken its toll on all sectors of our society and indeed our economy. While maintaining the focus on addressing the health emergency, we must …