Results 22,221-22,240 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: It needs to be in the coming weeks and certainly before the end of the year. The discussions with the social partners will get under way shortly. We have a budget to complete in the next 12 days or so. We also have the launch of the national development plan. The focus of the Minister for Finance and I over the next 12 days or so will, understandably, be on the budget. That involves an...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy who understands these figures very well. To answer his question directly, we will not be using the stronger than expected tax receipts to boost the budget day package. We do not believe that would be an appropriate or prudent thing to do. We will, therefore, stick to the framework we set out in the summer economic statement. As the Deputy noted, that involves an...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for his questions and his comments on the recognition issue, which a number of his colleagues also raised. The Deputy raised an important point on the need for remembrance and the fact we tragically lost so many people to Covid-19. It is appropriate that we recognise and remember all those we lost, including those we lost in the last 18 months not due to Covid, who were...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Chairman for her question. The answer is "Yes". In bringing forward a budget, it is important that we do not just set out the steady state and the overall amounts of money but, rather, actually lay out where the increases are going and what the new initiatives and measures in various areas are that will benefit from that funding, as well as, crucially, how that translates to...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: In the context of capital funding, from next Monday when the national development plan will be announced, every Department will have multi-annual funding out to 2025. They will know exactly what they will have each year and that gives them every opportunity to plan the delivery of projects, including in ICT. There is a wide definition of what qualifies as capital expenditure. It includes...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: It will. As the Chairman acknowledged, excellent work is being done across government, including by the Department of An Taoiseach, in respect of well-being budgeting and an overall well-being framework. My Department has made significant progress in respect of non-financial measures generally, whether it be equality budgeting, well-being budgeting or green budgeting. As part of budget...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: Yes, there is no intention to increase the budget package on foot of stronger than expected tax receipts. At this point, we are planning to bring forward a budget that is consistent with the summer economic statement and I do not envisage that changing.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I will make a quick point on the previous question. Last year, we did not have a summer economic statement or a fiscal framework. We were in truly extraordinary circumstances, so this year I hope the information we have been able to provide to the committee is more meaningful and helpful. We have a degree of more certainty. With regard to secretarial assistants, is the Deputy referring...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thought the Deputy said secretarial assistants.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: That is fine, because there is a live issue there as well.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: On that issue, there has been engagement between my Department and the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. The way in which the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission is funded is different from all the other Votes. It is given a three-year budget and that is done by means of an Act of the Oireachtas every three years, so later this year the Oireachtas will have to pass an Act providing for...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: Yes, there is agreement in principle, which is probably the best way to describe it. The Department of Education is the primary Department on the employer side. Of course, the Department is not the direct employer of school secretaries so there is the issue that the secretaries are employed directly by schools. Many of them have to sign on during the summer and there is a wide variation in...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Data (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: Matters in relation to revenue generated by taxation measures, including the carbon tax, are a matter for the Minister for Finance. However, I will note that alongside Budget 2021, my Department published a paper that detailed how much the carbon tax is expected to raise in 2021, the allocation of the resulting funds in line with the Programme for Government commitments, as well as detail on...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Semi-State Bodies (30 Sep 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has received the request referred to and will process the request in line with the Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) Regulations 2007-2018.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flexible Work Practices (5 Oct 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Government has committed in the Programme for Government to mandating public sector employers to move to 20% home and remote working. In July, 2021 the Government approved a Policy Statement on Blended Working in the Civil Service, which was produced by my Department and agreed by the Civil Service Management Board. The Policy Statement commits the Civil Service to implementing a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Revenue Commissioners (5 Oct 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that the matter referenced in the first part of this question relates to a body under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In respect of the bodies under the aegis of my Department, I am advised that the Office of Public Works will respond directly to the Deputy in the coming days in line with Standing Order 51a. In terms of the other...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (5 Oct 2021)

Michael McGrath: The following table lists the estimated annual savings from reducing salaries by 50% of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Ceann Comhairle, Leas Cheann Comhairle, Ministers and certain Ministers for State, whilst leaving the current rate of the salary for Deputies in place. ">Table *Allowance for three specified Ministers of State who regularly attend meetings of Government

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (5 Oct 2021)

Michael McGrath: I would like to inform the Deputy that officials from my Department have attempted to contact your office to seek clarification on the information required within your question. When clarification of the information sought has been received, my Department will collate the required statistics and I will respond directly to you by way of letter.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Supports (6 Oct 2021)

Michael McGrath: Ireland has been allocated €1.065 billion in constant (2018) prices, equivalent to €1.165 billion in current prices. This represents 21% of the total value of the Reserve, the largest allocation for any Member State. The reference period for expenditure under the Reserve runs from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2023. The objective of the Reserve is to provide support to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Summer Economic Statement (6 Oct 2021)

Michael McGrath: As part of the medium term expenditure strategy, the Summer Economic Statement (SES) set out set out the budget package for each year to 2025, with the provision under this to meet the expected costs of delivering existing levels of service (ELS) set out in Table 2.1 of the Mid-Year Expenditure Report. For Budget 2022, provision has been included for an additional €4.2 billion in...