Paschal Donohoe’s ‘Dear me’ letter

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe will have to write to Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe in order to clear the estimates process, it has emerged.

Because they remain two departments and technically he is minister for both, under existing rules, the minister for public expenditure must write to the finance minster to approve increases in spending ceilings for departments, as required under legislation.

“It would happen at revised estimates time. The minister for finance is responsible for expenditure ceilings so he has overall responsibility for that,” a spokesman told the Irish Examiner.

“So when the minister for public expenditure wants to increase those ceilings, as in he wants to increase the estimates for each department, he has to go to the minister for finance to get clearance to increase, before it goes to Government,” the spokesman added.

However, given Mr Donohoe is minister for both departments, officials are examining a way to overcome the need and suggested Mr Donohoe will bring a combined memo to the Cabinet on the estimates, but that is not finalised.