Results 22,401-22,420 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Appropriation Bill 2021: Second Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to have the opportunity to introduce the Appropriation Bill 2021 to the House. This Bill is essential financial legislation that must be concluded in the current year. The Appropriation Bill has two primary purposes. First, it provides legal authorisation for all of the expenditure that has occurred in 2021 on the basis of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: OGP is currently engaging with its public sector clients in relation to their requirements for cloud services (including collaboration and video conference services) which will inform OGP’s future strategy in relation to potential procurement solutions for cloud services. Any procurement of cloud services will be through public a competition(s) advertised on www.etender.ie....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Supports (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: Ireland will receive just over €1 billion from the EU’s Brexit Adjustment Reserve, the biggest single allocation for any Member State, representing just over 20% of the total funding available. Approximately 80% of funding will be paid to Member States as pre-financing in three tranches over the period 2021 to 2023. I am pleased that on 6 December 2021 the European...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) has provided grant funding to Benefacts since 2015. The project was funded as a pathfinder initiative in the area of data analytics on the non-profit sector. Benefacts was initially co-funded with philanthropy, however in recent years the Department has been providing the majority of funding to the entity. In 2019, DPER received an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I am not aware of any tender issued by my Department for the provision of chairpersons of Government initiated reviews or bodies.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Summer Economic Statement (SES) set out the Government’s medium term fiscal strategy which anchors budgetary policy by keeping core expenditure growth in line with the trend growth rate of the economy. The objective of this rule is to de-couple expenditure policy from cyclical variations in the economy and from windfall tax revenue. In its Fiscal Assessment Report, the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242 and 243 together. Budget 2022 followed the medium term expenditure strategy laid out in the Summer Economic Statement, which set a sustainable rate of growth for core expenditure in the period to 2025. This will see core expenditure grow each year by just over 5 per cent on average over the period to 2025, broadly in line with the trend growth rate of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Oireachtas Commission oversees the provision of services to the Houses and their Members by the Houses of the Oireachtas Service (the parliamentary administration) in accordance with the Commission Acts. The primary functions of the Commission are to provide for the running of the Houses of the Oireachtas, to act as governing body of the Service, to consider and determine policy in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I wish to highlight the ongoing work within the Government and the HSE to address what is an important issue across society. As the Deputy is aware, the Government is committed to establishing a new statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home support services, which the Department of Health is developing. It is the view of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I assure the Deputy that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is working on the legislation on the important issue of oversight. She is examining the HIQA report the Deputy referred to. The Minister of State will engage directly with HIQA on that. She will not fall short in taking the necessary steps to ensure there is a proper system of regulation and standards are upheld at all times. ...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy and wish to convey condolences from the Government to him, his party and the families of the late Liam Kavanagh and Toddy O'Sullivan, who represented my constituency with distinction for so long. Both of them were Labour Party stalwarts and great servants of their constituents and of their party. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha. I thank the Deputy for raising...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: Each long-stay setting is different so the position that HIQA and the HSE adopt is particular to each. Therefore, the answer I am giving relates specifically to the Dean Maxwell. The HSE is in constant contact with patients and their families so they can receive updates. It is important that reassurance be given that no resident will be asked to leave the Dean Maxwell in advance of 1...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: There is a commitment given by the HSE to continue to admit residents unless it is instructed otherwise by HIQA. It is important to be clear on that caveat and qualifier. If a direction is issued by HIQA, that will need to be complied with. We take the HIQA reports and regulations extremely seriously. They are there to protect standards and safeguard residents and staff so it is important...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge the work that he continues to do on this issue along with Deputy Cahill and Councillor Michael Smith, who has rightly been acknowledged for his work. It is important to highlight what has been confirmed today, which is that the Dean Maxwell can continue from today to admit new residents. That is a significant and important development. The HSE has made...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Deputy rightly highlighted the HSE's plan and intentions, which are to develop a larger short-term respite care facility for north Tipperary and to retain the current day services, to include dementia services. The Deputy is correct in making that point, but the Government, through the work of the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, will engage further with the HSE and meet with the HSE...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: It is a hat-trick for the Premier County today. It is good to engage with Deputy McGrath. The Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, has had ongoing engagement with representatives of the sector and, in fact, her officials met with them again yesterday. The Minister attended the meeting along with me and the Tánaiste on 6 December. The MEAI, to which the Deputy referred, was in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I should say that the Minister for Social Protection was the person who recognised that there was a need to reopen the PUP, has always been at pains to say that we have to look after the people who are most in need and are the most impacted by the restrictions. I think it is important to put that point on the record. The PUP is open for people to go back on it. People who came off it...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Government absolutely acknowledges that many individuals and families are under pressure at this time, particularly with rising fuel costs and electricity costs and so on. It is important to say that the measure we agreed at Cabinet on Tuesday to provide a rebate or a discount, as such, of €100 off every domestic electricity bill is in addition to the targeted measures that were...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: It is important to say that the updating of the technology to take account of the booster dose should be done at a time when people have had the opportunity to have that dose. We are now at a point where around 1.3 million booster doses and third doses for the immunocompromised have been administered. We are going to accelerate the roll-out of the booster vaccine significantly. The Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I have had a fair bit of engagement with the Minister for Education in relation to this issue in recent weeks. The minor works grant is normally paid in November or December. It is normally at a level of around €30 million for primary schools, as the Deputy has acknowledged. What was announced and paid out is a sum of €62 million, which is more than double the grant in total....