Results 21,341-21,360 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: Public sector employees on unpaid leave (e.g. parental leave etc.) are not eligible to claim the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Although school closures are in effect across the country due to COVID-19, it should be noted that childcare services, including childminders, and other existing childcare arrangements remain open and can continue for children of essential workers and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I refer the Deputy to the document attached (TAB A) which details the current Secretary General posts at Level I, II and III, listed by Government Department. The salaries for Secretary General Level I, II and III are as outlined in Circular 12 of 2020 which is available here: I would highlight the following: - The salary for the 3 Secretary General Level I posts is €211,742 - above...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 266 together. The distribution of the €710 million capital carryover has already been detailed in the Appropriation Act 2020 and by subhead in the Revised Estimates Volume 2021. A table setting out the overall carryover request by Vote is set out. It may be helpful to the Deputy if I outline the carryover procedure and the transparent...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: Amendments have not been made to the Public Sector Sick Leave Scheme or to occupational injury schemes as a result of COVID as public sector employees absent from work due to COVID-19 get Special Leave With Pay (SLWP) rather than sick pay. The arrangements for pay of public servants who fall ill with COVID-19 was set out clearly by DPER at the outset of the crisis to protect public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 270 together. Since the beginning of the pandemic, my Department has neither allocated nor spent any funding on a Covid-19 communications strategy from its own Votes, which are Vote 11 (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform), Vote 39 (Office of Government Procurement) and Vote 43 (Office of the Government Chief Information Officer). The Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I note that the Deputy has submitted this question to all Departments and that each Minister will be replying in respect of their own Department and the bodies under their aegis. As a result of its business continuity plans, investment in (and effective use of) technology and the commitment of its staff, the work of my Department has been able to continue since the pandemic began. This has...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Disability Act Employment Targets (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of my Department and the Office of Government Procurement, which is also part of my Department, is set out in the following tables. I wish to advise the Deputy that the number of staff with a disability noted only reflect employees that have declared a disability, given that the declaration of a disability is voluntary. While all posts in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Open Government Partnership Action Plan (28 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I proposed to take Questions Nos. 66, 68 and 69 together. Commitment Four of Ireland's Open Government Partnership National Action Plan 2016-2018 was to Enhance Citizen Engagement in Policy Making, to build capacity within public offices to engage citizens in policy making in a way that is accessible and meaningful, with the ultimate objective of leading to better outcomes and greater...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Community Employment Schemes (28 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Deputy will be aware that the matter of community employment schemes falls within the policy remit of my colleague the Minister for Employment Affairs & Social Protection. I have however a strong appreciation of the role of Community Employment Schemes in communities right across the country and I know this role could not be fulfilled without the leadership of the Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Circulars (28 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 72 together. Insofar as Section 17 of the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 conferred powers on the Minister for Finance relating to the superannuation, remuneration, appointment and terms and conditions of service of civil servants, those powers were transferred to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform by Section 9(1)(a)(i) of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Salary Increase for Position of Secretary General at the Department of Health: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (2 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Chairman and members of the committee for the invitation to come before them today, albeit virtually. As the Chairman has done, I acknowledge Mr. Moloney, the acting Secretary General of my Department, who is also with us. As members know, this is my first time appearing before the committee. As a former member of many years, I am familiar with the valuable work undertaken by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Salary Increase for Position of Secretary General at the Department of Health: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (2 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: If the Deputy looks through the correspondence and documentation in its entirety, in particular the minutes of the meeting at the end of October 2020, which was attended by me, the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health and the Secretary General to the Government, it was for the very purpose of looking at the needs in the Department of Health and the need for a new Secretary General to be put in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Salary Increase for Position of Secretary General at the Department of Health: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (2 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: The reference I made to the international context a few moments ago was the expectation that a salary of this order would attract applicants from all over the world and one would hope people with experience of dealing with a large public sector or private sector organisation. When one looks at the responsibilities of the Secretary General of the Department of Health, one must bear in mind...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Salary Increase for Position of Secretary General at the Department of Health: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (2 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: Deputy Farrell referred to the juxtaposition in regard to student nurses. I of course fully understand that and the Government is determined to resolve that issue. As she knows, the Government appointed Professor Tom Collins to undertake a short-term review of clinical placement allowances for student nurses and midwives. He has reported back and made a recommendation. There is ongoing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Salary Increase for Position of Secretary General at the Department of Health: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (2 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: No, it absolutely was not. As I said, the context is very clear. The meeting to which I referred involved very senior people, including the Head of Government. There was consensus at that point that there would be a need to go beyond the standard terms if we wanted to get the best candidates interested in and applying for-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Salary Increase for Position of Secretary General at the Department of Health: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (2 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: It remains to be seen who ultimately applies for the job and comes through the process. In arriving at the figure I considered other senior roles across the public service. I touched on a number of those already. As the Deputy knows, bespoke arrangements were put in place for the Garda Commissioner and the head of the HSE. There is a very high salary for the Governor of the Central Bank....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Salary Increase for Position of Secretary General at the Department of Health: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (2 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I engaged directly with the pay division of my Department regarding the specific salary. That can be seen in the memo that was generated. There were discussions with my pay division prior to that. I referenced the engagement that was ongoing with the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health and Secretary General to the Government. I also consulted the Minister for Finance to draw on his...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Salary Increase for Position of Secretary General at the Department of Health: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (2 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for his question. As he will be aware, as part of the additional funding we are providing for the Department of Health and the health sector, there is an ambitious plan to recruit approximately 16,000 additional health professionals over the course of 2021 to make the move that we all agree is necessary, which is to implement Sláintecare and build up the permanent...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Salary Increase for Position of Secretary General at the Department of Health: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (2 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: It is only fair to say that the Government has not been found wanting when it comes to supporting people directly impacted by the economic devastation caused by Covid-19. We have extended the PUP again, leaving it open for new entrants and maintaining the higher rates. The same applies to the wage subsidy scheme. The Government has spent vast sums of money to try, insofar as we can, to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Salary Increase for Position of Secretary General at the Department of Health: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (2 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy said, our national debt is rising significantly but the cost of servicing that debt is actually falling. The average interest rate on our debt is now in the region of 1.6%. The National Treasury Management Agency, NTMA, has done a great job of taking maximum advantage of the really favourable borrowing conditions by refinancing our debt where possible and availing of the...