Results 21,421-21,440 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

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 absolutely understand. My Department and I are available to assist the committee in its work in any way we can. I will ask Mr. Moloney to organise that we write to the committee immediately on the national recovery and resilience plan. The Government is required to submit a plan to the European Commission by the end of April. I would value the committee's input. We will ensure that...

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 fully respect and will always uphold the right of the committee to do its work to hold me to account and ask all the questions it needs to ask. In return, I have sought to be as open as possible which is why we wanted to ensure that the documentation was compiled. I have provided everything I possibly could to the committee because I believe in an open process and open engagement and...

Finance Act 2004 (section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2020: Motion (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2021, copies of which have been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 12th January, 2021. At the outset I would like to say that despite the extraordinarily difficult circumstances over the past year, we have...

Finance Act 2004 (section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2020: Motion (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank all the Deputies for contributing to the debate on this motion. In substance, it is a technical motion providing for the carrying forward of more than €700 million of the capital budget from 2020 into 2021, in order that those funds will be available for expenditure across a range of areas under the public capital investment programme. It will not be possible for me to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Energy Efficiency (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: Cohesion Policy is an important tool to stimulate economic growth, promote social cohesion and to reduce disparities between the regions of the EU, and EU Structural and Investment Funding is comprised of the following: - European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) - European Social Fund (ESF) - European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) - European Maritime and Fisheries Fund...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: A civil servant who meets a minimum service requirement will be entitled to claim preserved superannuation benefits on reaching minimum (or preserved) pension age. This applies if the individual resigned from the civil service before the minimum pension age without an entitlement to immediate pension benefits, did not opt for actuarially reduced pension benefits, and also did...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 to 219, inclusive, 221 and 222 together. Public procurement in Ireland is governed by EU Procurement Directives and national legislation and guidance. Public bodies are obliged to act in accordance with these rules and accordingly must observe the general principles of EU law including non-discrimination, the free movement of goods and services,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: Unfortunately the ‘type of company’ data requested in the PQ (ref: 5420/21) is not part of the supplier registration details captured on the national electronic tendering platform (eTenders). Suppliers are asked to indicate whether they are one of the following: - Private Company - Public Limited Company - Sole Trader - Partnership - Charity Details of the type of company...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: My Department has no plans to commission a review the State’s financing of the non-profit sector, including charities.  My Department’s policy in relation to funding for the sector is set out in Circular 13/2015 Management and Accountability for Grants.  A review of funding programmes availed of by charities and not-for-profits would be a matter, in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Directives (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together. Directive (EU) 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law (also known as "the Whistleblowing Directive") was adopted on 23 October 2019 by the European Parliament and Council and must be transposed into Irish law by 17 December 2021. The Directive provides for a range of measures to establish a common set...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together. As set out in correspondence sent to the Deputy on January 29th 2021, there are two State Boards which fall under the aegis of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.   The answers provided in response to Parliamentary Questions No. 256 and 257 of 27 January 2021 provided details of State Boards that fall...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flexible Work Practices (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: Government Departments and Offices have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated public health requirements by introducing new measures of flexibility in working arrangements. Civil Service Departments and Offices have been advised by my Department, as standard practice across the public service during COVID-19, to consider all forms of flexible working...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (4 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: On 18 December 2020 political agreement was reached between the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament on the draft Regulation establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility.  It is expected that the final Regulation will be formally adopted in February. The Department of Public Expenditure & Reform is responsible for preparing Ireland’s National Recovery and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (4 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I note that the recent ESRI/Pathways to Citizenship Through Naturalisation Report in Ireland (ESRI Research Series Number 116, December 2020) found that Ireland has more favourable conditions for acquiring citizenship by naturalisation than many other EU Member States. The report also points to some issues and areas for potential improvement that have been highlighted by some NGOs and in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sustainable Development Goals (4 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: My Department published its Statement of Strategy 2021-2023 on 19 January 2021.  It is available on the gov.ie website at this link:  The Strategy has been informed by my priorities and relevant commitments in the Programme for Government and the overall strategic context in which my Department operates.   The Department’s Mission for 2021-2023 will be to serve...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sustainable Development Goals (4 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Group specifically leads on two specific sub-actions under Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 12. These sub-actions relate to the delivery of resilient and sustainable infrastructure, and promoting of sustainable public procurement practices respectively. The following sections provide an update on the latest...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: My thanks to the Deputy for the question. That was certainly not the intention of me, as Minister, in appearing before the committee, which, of course, I am happy to do at any point. As both the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and I acknowledged in our opening statements, this was a year like no other in the context of budget 2021. We have acknowledged that, due to the circumstances...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: If I may respond to a question from Deputy Doherty, I wish to alert the committee to the public consultation that is currently under way regarding the national recovery and resilience plan. It is open until 22 February and we would be delighted to hear from the committee as part of that process. All Departments have been consulted regarding the preparation of that plan which is currently...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for his kind comments. I look forward to working with him and all his colleagues on this committee. I reiterate my officials and my Department generally are available on an ongoing basis to help this committee in the work it is doing. There have been some really good reforms in recent times and we can build on them. In respect of many of the recommendations in the...