Results 21,561-21,580 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Seanad: National Development Plan: Statements (22 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank all the Senators for their contributions to the debate. It is really tough when one has only one or two minutes to cover such an important issue.Anyway, it is clear to me from the contributions made that there is broad support in this House for the ongoing work in respect of the review of the NDP. The importance of public capital investment is recognised by Members. An ambitious...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Supports (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) represents an important response by the European Union to the challenges posed by the United Kingdom’s departure from the EU.  Ireland played a leading role in securing support for the Reserve at the marathon European Council meeting last July. The purpose of the BAR is to help counter the adverse economic and social consequences of Brexit...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: My Department is committed to ensuring that the process of engagement between the parties to pay negotiations including the recent negotiations which were facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission is based on fairness in the treatment of all concerned. While the LEVEL 5 restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic presented very real challenges to the conduct of negotiations on...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Public Service Agreements, including the current agreement 'Building Momentum', encompass public servants only. The pay and conditions of public servants are the responsibility of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the agreements are negotiated on that basis. Section 39 organisations are grant-funded by the Health Service Executive under Section 39 of the Health Act...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, the management of capital budgets and individual projects is a matter for the relevant Departments in the first instance. What I can say is the capital carryover mechanism is in place to assist Departments with the management of their capital spend across years to alleviate pressures and delays caused by unexpected events.  This mechanism allowed...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Land Development Agency (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to “extend the lobbying register so that the lobbying of senior officials in bodies like the Central Bank of Ireland, Comreg, the NTA and the HSE which have significant policymaking or development functions will need to be reported on the same basis as central and local government.” The positions of senior officials in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy is aware, the legislation underpinning this particular matter is the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983, as amended by the Telecommunications (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1996. While the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications is responsible for this legislation, my understanding is that Section 46 of the1983 Act required the newly...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Negotiated Procedure without Prior Publication is an exceptional procedure and can only be used in a limited number of defined circumstances as set out in Regulation 32 of the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016. These circumstances include, inter alia, for service contracts where the contract follows a design contest, for repetition of similar works or...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Process (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform drafts and produces legislation in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Cabinet Handbook.  In particular, Chapter 4 sets out the procedures to be followed in respect of proposals for new legislation. In broad terms, the Department develops policy proposals subject, where necessary, to prior Government approval.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Records (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: Following the publication of the OGCIO Cloud Advice note and the new guidance from the Office of Government Procurement supporting the deployment of cloud computing across the public service, it is clear that circular 39/07 needs to be revisited in the context of the ever-growing use of digital and cloud technologies to assist in the creation, sharing and storage information. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: For the purpose of this response, I will assume the Deputy is referring to the National Smart Growth Initiative envisaged under the National Planning Framework to drive and support the aims of Project Ireland 2040, for both urban and rural areas. This initiative is being implemented through the €2bn Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) developed and administered by...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: On 1 October 2020 last I launched the Project Ireland 2040 Annual Report for 2019, along with nine Regional Reports. The reports highlight Project Ireland 2040 achievements during 2019 and give a detailed overview of the public investments which have been made throughout the country including in the following regional areas: the North-East, North-West, West, Mid-West, South-East, South-West,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Workplace Relations Commission (24 Mar 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: Capital Expenditure Programme (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: Due to the nature of its role, my Department has had no significant construction projects funded through its own Vote since its establishment in 2011.  The main purpose of capital projects and associated investment undertaken by my Department is to support greater effectiveness and efficiency across the Civil and Public Service through investing in ICT. In the wider Government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: Ireland is expected to receive €853 million in grants under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) in 2021 and 2022.  A further set of grants is to be allocated in 2023, taking into account economic developments between now and then. In order to access this funding, Ireland must develop a National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) for approval by the European...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Transport (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not own or lease any vehicles. This is also the case for all of the bodies under the aegis of my Department, with the exception of the Office of Public Works and the position in relation to that Office is set out in the table below. Office of Public Works (OPW) Type of Vehicle No. of Operated Vehicles No. of ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Bodies (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 539 to 541, inclusive, together. In the first instance, the Deputy may wish to note the nature of the bodies referenced in his question.  The Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) are companies limited by guarantee who are in receipt of grant funding from my Department.  The Special EU...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Bodies (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: In the first instance, the Deputy may wish to note the nature of the bodies referenced in his question.  The Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) are companies limited by guarantee who are in receipt of grant funding from my Department.  The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a cross-border North South Implementation Body,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Bodies (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: In the first instance, the Deputy may wish to note the nature of the bodies referenced in his question.  The Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) are companies limited by guarantee who are in receipt of grant funding from my Department.  The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a cross-border North South Implementation Body,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Bodies (24 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Office of the Ombudsman is the only body under the aegis of my Department that has received a protected disclosure since the enactment of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014.  The details requested by the Deputy are set out in the table below. Body Have any Protected Disclosures been received since enactment of Act? How...