Results 22,361-22,380 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (30 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: None of that is true.

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (30 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: We can talk about it during the week.

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (30 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: Get off the high horse.

Seanad: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Statements (30 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I appreciate the opportunity to come before the House to say a few words on the national development plan, NDP. I will have to leave the House at about 5.45 p.m. to go to Dáil Éireann as I must introduce a Bill. The Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, will deputise for me at that point. I am grateful to have this opportunity to speak with the House about the revised national...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (30 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Central Policy Unit for Freedom of Information at my Department has put in place a broad array of supports for bodies across the civil and public service in order to assist them in discharging their obligations under the Freedom of Information Act in an efficient and thorough manner. The Central Policy Unit has published on its website sample letters covering various situations that...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Equality Proofing (30 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: Beginning with a pilot programme introduced for the 2018 budgetary cycle, Equality Budgeting is a way of approaching and understanding the budget as a process that embodies long-standing societal choices about how resources are used, rather than simply a neutral process of resource allocation. In practice, this means that equality budgeting attempts to provide greater information on how...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Equality Issues (30 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: Since 2018, when it was first piloted, significant work has been undertaken to develop the Equality Budgeting initiative. With an initial focus on gender, due to the availability of data, Equality Budgeting has since been expanded across multiple dimensions of equality including gender, socio-economic, disability and minority groups. An Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group (EBEAG)...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Bodies (30 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: The position of CEOs of statutory bodies is in the first instance dependent on any specific provisions in the legislation establishing those bodies, and may differ between organisations. More generally, in respect of board appointments, the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards published by my Department in 2014 states “Consistent with best corporate governance practice it is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (30 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: My Department developed Guidance and FAQs on working arrangements and temporary assignments during COVID-19 for civil and public service employers. This Guidance and FAQs document has been continually updated to reflect public health and Government policy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The FAQs have been prepared to assist employees and management in the Civil and Public Service to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Public Sector Pay (1 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank Senator Craughwell for raising this issue and I thank the Cathaoirleach for giving me the opportunity to address it in the House. As a Member of the Oireachtas for more than 14 years, I am deeply conscious and appreciative of the extraordinary work carried out by all of our support staff. I see this work up close day in, day out, and know that I, for one, could not do the job I do...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Public Sector Pay (1 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Senator. I also acknowledge the Cathaoirleach's comments. I should have said that this issue has been raised with me by him and many of his colleagues from across the floor of the Seanad in recent times. My understanding is that both parties, that is, the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission and SIPTU, have written to the WRC and want to go back to the WRC for negotiations....

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I do not need to make any concluding remarks.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: Special leave with pay for COVID-19 only applies when a Public Service employee is required to self-isolate as they are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 and/or had a positive PCR test for COVID-19. Certain employees may be eligible for premium payments whilst availing of Special Leave with Pay, providing they satisfy the specific conditions for inclusion of these...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Statutory Instruments (1 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: The legal basis and Ministerial power for the making of regulations for public service sick leave is founded in the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Act of 2013 (No. 47 of 2013).   The responsibility for the application and implementation of those regulations, in this case S.I. No. 124/2014 - Public Service Management (Sick Leave) Regulations 2014 and...

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank all of my colleagues for their contributions on this amendment and on Second Stage. I acknowledge the points they have all made about the role of our secretarial assistants. They do extraordinary work. In the 30 or 35 minutes we have been in the Chamber we can be sure that the phones in our offices have rung more than once, many e-mails have arrived into our inboxes, messages have...

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: Hopefully not, a Cheann Comhairle. I assure Deputy Smith that I am not going anywhere. I am never going to be far away from the House or Members. I can be held to account at any time and am happy to be held to account and to attend committees and plenary sessions as well. The Deputy should not underestimate the value of this debate. My officials are here while other officials are...

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: They are listening very carefully to all the contributions being made. There is an process ongoing at the moment. The amendment I am being asked to accept includes a report covering engagement the Minister has had with union representatives of political staff in respect of their pay claim. In fairness, that is not my role. It is not my role to engage directly with the unions. The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I have referred this query to the National Lottery Regulator, who will respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables below, with one table for my Department and another for the Office of Government Procurement (OGP), which is also part of my Department. Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Year Costs 2021 (to date) €122,488 2020 €176,370 ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Properties (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: My Department continues to implement measures to improve ventilation across its office buildings. The measures to improve the natural ventilation of buildings include the opening of windows, a reduced onsite workforce facilitated through working from home and the revision of the maximum occupational capacity of offices to ensure a safe physical distancing of staff. Additionally, all forms...