Results 20,901-20,920 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (21 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: The details of the contracts awarded by my Department to the company in question or its subsidiaries are outlined in the table below. - 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 (to date) Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Campbell Catering €27,730.00 ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Priorities (21 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 233 together. Over the last number of years, a range of reforms have been implemented in order to enhance Ireland’s budgetary framework and ensure that expenditure is managed in an efficient and effective way. The intention of these reforms is to increase transparency around the budgetary process and to facilitate meaningful dialogue around key...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Priorities (21 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 232, 234, 235, 236 and 237 together. For every Department and Minister, managing expenditure within allocations is a key responsibility. Over the last number of months, significant additional expenditure has been allocated to a number of Departments in response to Covid-19. While we find ourselves in an unprecedented situation with regards to this virus, all...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (21 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: Since 2015 it has been the objective of successive Governments to gradually unwind this legislation in a sustainable manner. This has been accomplished on a negotiated basis with staff interests, firstly through the Lansdowne Road Agreement 2016-2018(LRA) and now the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 (PSSA). The PSSA was given legal effect by the Oireachtas in the Public Service...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (21 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware from previous replies, in my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching responsibility for workforce planning in, and recruitment to, the Civil Service. In Budget 2015, it was announced that there would be a targeted programme of recruitment into the Civil Service to address service needs and a shortfall in key skills. The Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (21 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: The Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018 was enacted on 26 December 2018. This Act introduced a new compulsory retirement age of 70 for the majority of public servants recruited prior to 1 April 2004. The public servants covered by the Act are termed “relevant public servants” as defined in Section 2 of the Act. Under the Act, any relevant public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Issues (21 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: Ireland continues to support the closest possible future relationship between the EU and the UK. Nevertheless we recognise that, regardless of the outcome of the negotiations on the future relationship, the UK will leave the Single Market and the Customs Union on 1 January 2021. This will have significant implications for us. We have been preparing for Brexit since before the UK...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (23 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: I am assuming that the Deputy is referring to current measures to ameliorate the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR), a reduction imposed on certain public and civil service pensions since 2011, and the pension increase policy currently in place with respect to public and civil service pensions. I have been advised by the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) who administer civil...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Election Expenditure (23 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: The costs of all by-elections held since 2007 are set out in the table below. Six of the by-elections were held on the same day as another election or a referendum and therefore the by-election costs reflect savings from a sharing of people and facilities (these are marked with an asterisk in the table): - The Dublin Central and Dublin South by-elections in 2009 were held along with the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Advisers (23 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, on the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The Guidelines for the 33rdDáil are currently awaiting Government approval. Appointments to the position of Special Adviser are made in accordance with Section 11 of the Public Service...

Presentation of Revised Estimates: Motion (28 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: I move: That, notwithstanding Standing Order 215(1) or (2) of the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann relative to Public Business, the following Revised Estimates for the Public Services for the year ending 31st December, 2020, be presented to the Dáil and circulated to members on 28th July, 2020, being a date later than that prescribed for the presentation of Estimates: ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (28 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: The EU funded PEACE and INTERREG programme have invested €3.3bn in Northern Ireland and the six border counties of Ireland since their inception over a quarter of a century ago.  They are an important driver of regional, social and economic development and have played crucial part in supporting peace and reconciliation.  The current PEACE IV and INTERREG VA programmes have a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (28 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: As well as committing to bringing forward the review of the National Development Plan from 2022, the Programme for Government makes a range of commitments directly related to public investment, notably in the areas of climate action and biodiversity; town-centric planning and compact growth; reorientation of transport investment in support of sustainable modal shift; retrofitting; and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sustainable Development Goals (28 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: In accordance with the requirements of section 4 of the Public Service Management Act 1997, my Department has recently commenced the process of developing a Statement of Strategy for submission to me by mid-December 2020. The Statement of Strategy will map out the risks, challenges and opportunities that will shape the Department’s operating environment and set out the actions, outputs...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Circulars (28 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: Circular 05/2017 sets out the recoupment rates applying where a civil or public servant is required to use their own car while on official duty. Officers may not claim mileage or other transport costs for travel to and from work as recoupment does not apply to home to work travel.  This applies equally to both motor and bicycle rates. The Deputy will also be aware that the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Football Association of Ireland (28 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Secretary General of my Department did consult with me prior to confirmation of his appointment as a non-Executive Director position at this sporting organisation.  The management of grant funding provided from public money issued in the form of a DPER Circular 13/2014 – Management and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds. This...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Briefing (28 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that the briefing documents provided by my Department following my appointment as Minister have been published on my Department's website, and can be viewed at the link below. The published version has regard to the relevant provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014.  

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Trust in Government (28 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: The Edelman Trust Barometer is an online survey, with the fieldwork for the 2020 survey having been conducted in October and November 2019.  While the methodology used is not set out in detail in the report, it is apparent that the questions asked in the survey reflect the concerns of citizens and the challenges being faced globally in relation to the economy, inequality and technology....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: Public procurement is governed by EU and national rules, the aim of which is to ensure that procurement transactions and decisions are open and transparent, fair, equitable and achieve value for money. Inclusion of social considerations has been specifically allowed for in the 2014 EU Directives on Public Procurement. As transposed, the 2016 Regulations require tenderers to comply with...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Jul 2020)

Michael McGrath: The Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF) represents the tools that a public body must use to procure and manage the external resources necessary to deliver a public works project that is to be delivered under the Exchequer-funded element of the National Development Plan. A review of the policies and practices deployed in the procurement of public works projects commenced in March...