Results 20,981-21,000 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Workplace Safety (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: In relation to employee safety and attendance in the work premises, the Return to Work Safely Protocol sets out the steps employers need to take to make their work premises safe during COVID-19. Employers should implement the advice in the protocol and, where necessary, ensure that it is tailored to meet the unique set of circumstances pertaining to each sector and workplace location. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018 (“the Act”) was enacted on 26 December 2018. The Act introduced a new compulsory retirement age of 70 for the cohort of standard grade public servants recruited prior to 1 April 2004 (termed “relevant public servants” under the Act). Prior to 26 December 2018, these public servants had a compulsory...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Appointments Service (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland formally ratified this Convention in 2018. Under Article 33 of the UNCRPD, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) is the independent monitoring mechanism for UNCRPD in Ireland and works with the National Disability Authority (NDA) to carry out its task. The NDA has confirmed to my officials that the most recently published...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: OneLearning was established in 2017 and is the Civil Service Learning and Development Centre staffed by Civil Servants and based in the Dept. of Public Expenditure and Reform. OneLearning are responsible for all training that is common across the Civil Service to ensure oversight, value for money and evidence based prioritisation of learning solutions. OneLearning in partnership with...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: Civil Service employers do not currently request ethnic background information from civil servants on assignment and such data is, therefore, not available at present. The Civil Service is strongly committed to equality of opportunity for all in terms of its recruitment and employment practices. Our Commitment is demonstrated and documented with key actions in People Strategy for the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Programme for Government (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The Government, has committed, in the Programme for Government, to mandating public sector employers to move to 20% home and remote working in 2021. In response to the requirement by Government for employees to work from home where possible during COVID my Department developed guidance for civil service organisations -Working from Home during COVID-19 Guidance for Civil Service...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The unwinding of the emergency FEMPI legislation commenced with the Lansdowne Road Agreement, 2016 - 2018 and is continuing under the Public Service Stability Agreement, 2018 - 2020 (PSS). To date, salary rates up to €50,000 have been fully restored. On 1 October 2020, under the PSSA, annualised salaries for all public sector employees will be increased by 2% . At this point,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The reduced new entrant pay scales for civil and public servants introduced in 2011 were abolished in 2013 under the Haddington Road Agreement, where it was agreed to merge the new scales and existing scales - typically by adding the lower two points of the new scale to the existing scale. As such there are no separate reduced pay scales for civil and public servants. Under the Public Service...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy may be aware, the principle of abatement of a public service pension is longstanding within the rules of various public service pension schemes and pension abatement is an important aspect of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 ("the Single Scheme Act"). Abatement addresses valid concerns about simultaneous payment of both pension and salary...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: I am informed by the Office of the Ombudsman that the estimated cost of recruiting two additional Assistant Legal Advisors at Assistance Principal Officer level in 2021 is €165,000.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Workplace Relations Commission (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: Funding for the Workplace Relations Commission is allocated under the Regulation Programme of Vote 32 and details of this are published in the latest volume of Revised Estimates for Public Services 2020. The 2020 estimate for the Workplace Relations Programme is €19,299,000. This is inclusive of the Workplace Relations Commission, The Labour Court and the Employment Appeals Tribunal. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286, 287 and 288 together. I am informed by the Office of the National Lottery Regulator that sales of Draw Based Games (including the two bi-weekly Lotto and EuroMillions draws) amounted to €537.3m in 2018 and €586.7m in 2019. Sales of Scratch Cards and online Instant Win Games amounted to €267.7m in 2018 and €297.8m in 2019. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (22 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The Government has recently put in place a number of detailed measures to improve the way that public service data is used, managed and governed including the Data Sharing and Governance Act and Public Service Data Strategy. The Data Sharing and Governance Act is an enabling piece of legislation which will facilitate significant improvements to data management and data sharing, in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Electric Vehicles (23 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: With the support of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, the Office of Government Procurement is now finalising centralised procurement arrangements for the direct drawdown of battery electrical vehicle (BEV’s) for both passenger cars and vans. Once in place, public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Art Collection (23 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The Office of Public Works holds certain material in storage which is related to National Monuments in State care and which has an intrinsic cultural and heritage value.In most cases, this material is in the form of fragments of carved stone fabric or other material from sites or specific moveable objects such as grave slabs or other ancient elements which it is judged are more securely held...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Heritage Sites (23 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The Office of Public Works has, for several years, made public access to St. Laurence's Gate available by special arrangement and the building has been opened previously during Heritage Week, Fleadh Ceol etc. However, opening the site on a more permanent basis is dependent on the successful resolution of two major issues in particular which must be addressed in sequence: 1. The need to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Tax Code (24 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Minister for Finance has responsibility for the taxation matters raised in this question. I understand that the Deputy will receive a reply from the Minister as he has already submitted the same question to him.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (24 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: At the outset it is important to remind the Deputy that Ireland’s allocation of European Regional Development Funds have in the past, and will continue in the future, to support projects in all parts of Ireland. Moreover, in accordance with the EU Regulatory requirement, stakeholders at local, regional and national level will continue to have a key role in the planning, monitoring and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (24 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: A decision will be made shortly regarding the role of Managing Authorities for the 2021 - 2027 European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) Operational Programmes. In the meantime, the three Regional Assemblies, including the Northern Western Regional Assembly, are playing a very active role in the process of programming for the next round of ERDF, in conjunction and cooperation with the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for her question. As she points out, the capital expenditure levels for 2021, as originally set out in the Revised Estimates Volume of December 2019, amounted to €9.1 billion. This figure, which was set out in advance of the Covid-19 pandemic, was almost €1 billion, or 12%, higher than the corresponding 2020 allocation. As part of the July stimulus, the...