Results 21,701-21,720 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the independent recruiter for appointments to the civil service.PAS undertakes competitions on behalf of the civil service to establish panels that may be drawn upon as vacancies arise in Government Departments or Offices. Administrative Officer CompetitionThe last Administrative Officer general entry campaign undertaken by...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Issues (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: Ireland continues to apply EU public procurement rules to covered public contracts.In parallel, national procurement rules apply to public contracts valued below the EU thresholds. Under EU law, public contracts above certain values must be advertised EU-wide and awarded in competitive tendering in an open and transparent process. National rules provide for similar processes. These rules...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) legislation reduced public service pensions by way of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR), introduced on 1 January 2011 under the FEMPI Act 2010. The PSPR did not target any particular sector specifically, but was a progressive reduction, imposed by way of rate bands based on the pay-out value of the pension, with pension...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Undefined (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 553 and 565 together. My Department, working together with the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Finance, the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, the Department of Transport and the Department of the Environment, Climate & Communications, is responsible for preparing Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the independent recruiter in respect of appointments to the Civil Service The 2021 competition for Temporary Clerical Officers (TCOs) was by PAS launched in October 2021 and I set out information in relation to this competition for the Deputy’s information: No. No. of applicants 9,907 ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (21 Apr 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 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 Supervisors. In this context I...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Community Employment Schemes (21 Apr 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 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 Supervisors. In this context I...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: Further to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 241 (Proof No. 253) of 24 February 2021, the tables below outline the information requested by the Deputy as it relates to my Department and the Office of Government Procurement, which is also part of my Department. Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Purpose of review / research / study Brief Description of work...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Government has a policy of open recruitment and the role of the Top Level Appointments Commission (TLAC), as an independent body, is to support that and ensure that the recruitment and selection process for senior Civil Service posts - at Assistant Secretary General level, or equivalent, and upwards - is accessible to the widest pool of qualified candidates. TLAC operates under the Code...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 562 and 563 together. While it remains the responsibility of each Minister to appoint members to the State Boards under the aegis of their respective Departments, in 2014 the Government announced a revised model for appointments to State Boards which sets out that all appointments should be advertised openly on the State Boards portal operated by the Public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Search and Rescue Service Provision (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Minister for Transport has primary responsibility for the procurement of services such as search and rescue. The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) puts in place Framework Agreements for commonly procured goods and services, assists Public Sector Bodies (PSB) running mini-competitions under these Frameworks and also assists PSBs with some bespoke procurement projects. Having regard...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 567, 587 to 589, inclusive, 595, 596 and 599 together. A number of reforms have been implemented in recent years to enhance Ireland’s budgetary framework and ensure the efficient and effective management of public expenditure. These reforms aim to increase transparency around the budgetary process and to facilitate meaningful dialogue around key...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 590 together. I would like to thank Deputy for the question. The Deputy will be aware that a large programme of reform has been under way since the establishment of this Department in 2011. Reform of public services will continue to play an integral role in this Department's function as we recover our economy and society from the colossal and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: I understand the Deputy is referring to the policy in relation to pension increases for retired prison officers focusing in particular on the impact of changes in the treatment of rent allowance for the pensions of these retirees. The application of the existing pension increase policy to situations in which a pensionable fixed periodic allowance (rent allowance, in the case of Prison...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 570 and 571 together. There is no central information on numbers of Civil and Public Servants currently working from home. My Department proactively supports employers across the Civil and Public Service in managing workplace attendance through the Guidance and FAQs for Public Service Employers during COVID-19.This document is regularly updated to reflect any...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Earcaíocht san Earnáil Phoiblí (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: Is í an tSeirbhís um Cheapacháin Phoiblí (SCP) an príomh-earcaitheoir le haghaidh ceapachán don státseirbhís. Soláthar seirbhísí trí Ghaeilge ag an SCP Soláthraíonn SCP seirbhísí, trí Ghaeilge, do chainteoirí Gaeilge a dhéanann teagmháil leis an oifig. Tá socruithe daingne i bhfeidhm chun...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Rail Network (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: The issue of a feasibility study is a matter for the Department of Transport in the first instance. My Department understands from the Department of Transport that Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) has no plans to undertake a feasibility study of the railway line at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Environmental Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: In summary, higher EU climate ambitions imply higher marginal costs to reach these targets and these higher costs should be reflected in public investment appraisal, through the Public Spending Code. Before these reforms can be made to the code, the higher targets need to be formally agreed and research work calculating the higher marginal abatement costs that might specifically apply in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: On the 22ndof October 2020 I announced that the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Operational Programme 2021 - 2027 for the Northern & Western region would be managed by the Northern Western Regional Assembly (NWRA). Prior to this announcement the NWRA, in conjunction with officials from my Department, played a very active role in the process of programming for the 2021 -...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: It is assumed the Deputy is referring to a recent article in a national newspaper highlighting a small private survey that was undertaken. Official statistics show, that in general, the FOI system is functioning effectively and fulfilling its goal of improving openness, transparency and accountability in public bodies. In fact, the volume of requests processed annually by public bodies...