Results 22,721-22,740 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2022: Motion (15 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2022, copies of which have been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 8th February, 2022.

Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions: Motion (15 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in the Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, setting out the rota in which Questions to members of the Government are to be asked, or in the Orders of the Dáil of 1st February, 2022 and 8th February, 2022, Questions for oral answer, following those next set down to the Minister for Justice, shall be set down to Ministers in the following...

Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to have the opportunity to present this long-awaited Bill to the House which will provide for the transposition of the EU whistleblowing directive into Irish law. This directive is among the most far-reaching and most significant pieces of legislation ever to be adopted by the EU. The benefits to society and democracy...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Bodies (15 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: The National Shared Services Office (NSSO) is currently planning to take the first wave of public service bodies live on the new system and into Finance Shared Service by the end of Quarter 1 2022. This programme is a key enabler for the Financial Reporting Reform programme which is being led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This significant transformation programme will...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (15 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I remain committed to ensuring that the recruitment processes for Senior Public Service posts are open, transparent, and objective. Accordingly, as recently outlined to the Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach, I am moving to establish an external Review Panel to examine the current recruitment process for Senior Public Service posts and the process for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: Ireland submitted its draft National Recovery and Resilience Plan to the European Commission on 28 May 2021. On 16 July 2021 the Commission issued its positive assessment of the Plan. The Plan was then considered by ECOFIN on 6 September 2021, and a Council Implementing Decision was adopted by written procedure on 8 September 2021. Now that the Implementing Decision has been adopted by...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Bodies (15 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Independent Panel on Strengthening Civil Service Accountability and Performance made 10 recommendations in 2014. Recommendations 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 were included in the 2014 Civil Service Renewal Plan, including the establishment of an Accountability Board. The recommendations were subsequently implemented over the course of the 2014 Civil Service Renewal Plan. The Board...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Environmental Policy (15 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: Per- and poly-fluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) are an additive that is commonly used to make a range of products from household items to food packaging, oil and water-resistant. At European level a number work is ongoing to address chemicals in materials which may result in legislative changes in the future. These include: - EU Farm to Fork Strategy:The Commission will be revising food...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Referendum Campaigns (15 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: The approximate costings for all referendums since 2000 are set out in the table below with the exception of Referendums in 2004, 2011, October 2018 and 2019. The referendums in those years were not taken on their own but were combined and accounted for with the European and Local elections in 2004, both the Presidential and a bye election in 2011, the Presidential election in 2018 and the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (15 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: In March 2021, my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth amended the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 to provide for five weeks statutory leave from April 2021 for a relevant parent within the first two years of a child’s life, or in the case of adoption, within two years of the placement of the child with the family. This is in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Protected Disclosures (16 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputies for raising this issue and for their contribution to the Second Stage debate on the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill yesterday in the House. I look forward to working with them in a spirit of co-operation, as I said yesterday, on the passage of this Bill over the months ahead. Many of the issues they raised this morning are the very issues we need to tease out in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Protected Disclosures (16 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I will reiterate the point I made with regard to retrospective application. In passing legislation, it is always difficult to seek to have its impact made retrospective. We will take it as far as we possibly can. We will stretch the boundaries within the legal parameters that are there. That is why I am engaging with the Attorney General. I look forward to discussing the issue with the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (16 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that a deferred reply will be issued to her in respect of this Parliamentary Question, in line with Standing Order 51B.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (16 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy is aware, a general round increase in annualised basic salary of 1% or €500, whichever is greater, is provided for on 1 October 2021 in Building Momentum – A New Public Service Agreement, 2021-2022. Under the current pension increase policy for pre-existing public service pension schemes, this increase falls to be passed on to those pensions awarded under the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: There are many thousands of people across the country who went above and beyond over the course of the last two years. The continued contribution of so many people in all walks of life has been essential to getting us through this difficult time. Collaboration and solidarity have been the hallmark of our national approach to COVID-19 and the measures announced on 19 January are true to those...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Staff (16 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy may be aware, following a recent security review by Garda Commissioner Harris, it has been agreed to provide 2 Garda drivers to me. For clarity, there are no civilian Garda drivers in my department. However, while I currently have 1 civilian driver assigned to me, interim arrangements are in place while the full plans are being mapped out for the assignment of the 2 Garda...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising once again the very real issue of the cost-of-living pressures people are facing. The Government acknowledges that a lot of people are under real pressure because of the rising cost of living. We all know the reasons the cost of living is increasing. There are external international factors. There are also domestic factors, including the really strong...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: We do understand where people are at. The Deputy is right; talk is cheap. He talks about fuel poverty. Sinn Féin introduced an alternative budget last October that did not increase the fuel allowance by one cent.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: That is the truth.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Deputy did that in October of last year. His party published its budget proposals in which there was not a single cent of an increase in the fuel allowance. This Government increased it by €5 on budget night in an unprecedented measure because we recognise the genuine difficulties that people are facing. The Deputy talks about the carbon tax. He is being duplicitous on the...