Results 22,081-22,100 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Process (15 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. Title of Bill Number of Bill Regulatory Impact Assessment Appropriation Bill 2020 75 No Public Service Pay Bill 2020 78 No Draft Scheme of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill Not available until Bill ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (15 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: Due diligence must be given to any proposal that involves additional expenditure by the Exchequer, including by reference to the requirements set out in the Public Financial Procedures manual.  In this instance, D/PER received a submission from the Department of Education on 30 April regarding a proposed settlement to the club in question.  There was no engagement with my officials...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (15 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: The relevant information in respect of penalty interest is set out in the table below.  As can be seen from the table, my Department has reduced the overall level of penalty interest incurred in recent years across its three Votes.  Due to the devolved nature of budgeting within the Department, the Finance Unit works with business units where penalty interest has...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that the majority of staff of my Department continue to work remotely in line with current Government and HSE guidelines unless, due to business needs, it is necessary to be physically present in the office.  In line with the Work Safely Protocol, my Department has a Covid Response Plan that is available to all staff and provides guidance on a broad range of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. There is a deep appreciation within the Government of how serious this issue is and the life-changing nature of this issue for the families who are affected by mica in Donegal, Mayo and a number of other counties where the issue has now emerged. That is why the Government has put in place a process to try to bring about a resolution to this matter....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to reiterate that we are attaching the appropriate level of importance to this. We recognise the devastating consequences of living with mica, which too many families are experiencing at this time. This working group is chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Once we have a completed working group report, my officials and I will...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of Sláintecare and the Government's commitment to the reform of our public health service. I reassure the Deputy, the House and the Irish people that the Government remains absolutely committed to fundamental reform of our health service. We are committed to the implementation of Sláintecare, which was not a one-year or a two-year plan; it...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: Of course the Government acknowledges that the resignations were deeply disappointing. Of course we acknowledge that.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: We need, of course, to examine the reasons that those resignations took place. The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, has spoken directly to Laura Magahy and Professor Tom Keane. He has engaged directly with the Sláintecare implementation advisory council. He will, of course, go before the Oireachtas health committee. Yes, the Government is considering the structures that are in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this very personal and sensitive issue. I personally know of a number of women and their families who have been impacted. I know the devastating impact it has had on their lives. The Government is here to support the women and their families. That is why we decided, with the full support of this House, to put in place a tribunal to support women to get...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I want to make the point that the purpose of the tribunal is to get cases settled quickly, in months rather than years, and to respect the deeply sensitive, private and confidential nature of the issues at hand. The hearings are, of course, held in private. There are also pre-hearing steps designed to reduce the adversarial nature of claims, including allowing women to give written...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: The tribunal's rules of procedure enable it to make directions to progress urgent matters. The tribunal registrar has confirmed that urgent claims will be facilitated. It remains the right of any woman or family to go to court. The Government wants to make the tribunal entirely user-friendly and the vehicle of choice for the settlement of these issues. We recognise the right of women to go...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I mentioned Covid-19, not as an excuse, but as a reality. The reality is that 5,179 people have died in Ireland with Covid-19. There have been points over the past 18 months when our system was under real strain, and we got through that thanks to the heroic work of our front-line workers in the HSE, allied health professionals and others working across the system. Despite that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, spoke with Professor Keane over the phone because he is in Toronto. He has spoken on more than one occasion with Laura Magahy since her resignation took place. He has spoken and met with the implementation advisory council and will now consider its request for an extension of time. We will consider that in the context of the consideration of what we...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy and I know she raised this issue yesterday as well. Undoubtedly, the significant increase in gas prices internationally is now working through to the very high increases which we are seeing in electricity prices. That is a real concern. We are also seeing it, of course, at the pumps in the forecourts in regard to petrol and diesel. The Government will take this into...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. We will, of course, consider the point that he has made in regard to the commencement date of any changes that we make. As I said, for those in receipt of the fuel allowance, they will start to receive the benefit of that next week but there are many people who do not get the fuel allowance currently, given the eligibility criteria. It is a means-tested support and...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. What I can confirm is that the review of the national development plan is almost complete and will be published before the budget. We now have agreement from Cabinet in regard to the overall financial framework. It is going to be the largest public capital investment programme in the history of the State for transport. It will involve an...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for again raising the issue of the former Debenhams workers. I will look into the issue of that training fund because we have sanctioned it and the fund should be up and running to provide the support for people who want to return to work, if they have not already returned to work. The decision we made yesterday, I believe, is a fair one because it would be grossly...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As he knows, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and EirGrid are working closely with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan's Department to ensure that we have security of supply across this winter and, indeed, into the future and have taken certain steps to ensure that is the case. In regard to data centres, there is a balance to be struck. We,...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Mattie McGrath for raising that question. The Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, met with the INMO and the local representatives in the area-----