Results 22,801-22,820 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Freedom of Information (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Pringle for raising this important issue. I am pleased to have the opportunity to update the House on the progress of the review of the Freedom of Information Act. The opening public consultation on the review closed shortly before Christmas. This preliminary consultation was designed as an opportunity for all interested stakeholders to have their say in setting the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Freedom of Information (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: To what is the Deputy referring?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Freedom of Information (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: Yes. I will follow up on Deputy Pringle's correspondence and make sure he gets a comprehensive reply. Without going into any individual case, it is important to point out that the Information Commissioner is fully independent in the performance of his functions and his office is currently the ultimate recourse for adjudicating on a complaint or appeal in relation to FOI. I believe the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Freedom of Information (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I can understand why some people would be sceptical when they hear a Government is carrying out a review of freedom of information. The assumption might be that its purpose is to restrict the operation of FOI in some way. That is not where I am coming from on this issue. I also assure the Deputy that it is certainly not a cost-cutting initiative either. The Deputy raised a point about...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Freedom of Information (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: What is the next question the Leas-Cheann Comhairle has for which a Deputy is present?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: As part of Project Ireland 2040, the National Development Plan 2021-2030, which was published on 4 October last year, sets out the Government's overarching investment framework and broad direction for investment priorities for this decade. As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: There is a lot of information available online. We published alongside the NDP, as I mentioned, the updated investment tracker. That sets out a composite update on the progress of all major investments, with an estimated cost of greater than €20 million. The NDP is also accompanied by the "My Project Ireland” mapping tool, which provides details on specific projects by...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. We all have a role in raising the profile of those information sources. I am not sure if as many people as we would like are aware of the extent of the information available concerning individual projects. It is very user friendly. You go onto the mapping tool, you click on your county and you will see all of the significant projects that are being advanced under the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Supports (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Brexit adjustment reserve aims to provide financial support to the most affected member states, regions and sectors to deal with the adverse consequences of Brexit. Ireland will be the largest beneficiary of the reserve, with an allocation of over €1 billion, the equivalent to just over 20% of the entire reserve. Approximately 80% of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Supports (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: The key requirement here is to demonstrate the direct link between the project, or what we are seeking to fund, and the adverse consequences of Brexit. This is because this funding is governed by EU regulations and is subject to EU audit, as well as rules that go with that. That is the key test, as such. The link with Brexit cannot be general in nature. It has to be demonstrable and quite...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Supports (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I will discuss the issue relating to the offshore islands with the Minister, Deputy McConalogue. I expect to bring a memorandum to Cabinet in the coming weeks on the Brexit adjustment reserve to give an update to the Government as to where things stand. We have again engaged with line Departments on specific proposals they believe meet the criteria and qualify under the Brexit adjustment...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: The current framework for pay determination provides that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has statutory responsibility for the remuneration of civil servants, as set out in section 17 of the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956, as amended. The statutory framework governing remuneration for posts in State-funded bodies is set out in the relevant legislation governing each...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Deputy touched on two broad areas. On civil servants, the legal position is clear. There is a statutory framework for the determination of pay. It is to be found, as I said, in section 17 of the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956, as amended. Under that legislation, the power is vested in the Minister, who has statutory responsibility for the remuneration of civil servants. When it...

Supplementary Estimates for Public Services 2022: Leave to Introduce (2 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move: That leave be given by the Dáil to introduce the following Supplementary Estimate for the service of the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2022: Vote 29 — Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary Estimate).

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Mar 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: Flexible Work Practices (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 68 together. In July, 2021 the Government approved a Policy Statement on Blended Working in the Civil Service which is in line with the Programme for Government commitment mandating public sector employers to move to 20% home and remote working.  The Policy Statement commits the Civil Service to implementing a policy of blended working for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 70 together. As the Deputy might appreciate, issues involving the pension schemes in relation to the Commercial Semi State companies can be complex. They also involve a range of different stakeholders and are influenced by a number of different factors such as those which impact on the overall value of pension funds. There is also a historical...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: Supporting society and the economy has been a Government priority since the onset of the pandemic. Supports were introduced swiftly in 2020, with a range of schemes introduced to support incomes, employment and key public services. Over €16½ billion in funding was made available for measures to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic during 2020, which provided for essential economic...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Budget 2022 expenditure ceilings reflect funding of €6.8 billion for our public services to address the challenges of Covid-19 with a further €0.2 billion of investments under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Just over €4 billion of this amount was held in reserve. In REV 2022, just under €0.1 of the contingency was allocated with €51...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: Ensuring public expenditure is sustainable over the medium term is essential to allow us to continue to invest in our economy and society to deliver improvements in infrastructure and public services, while reducing the deficit in order to underpin the sustainability of the public finances as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. I have provided detailed information separately for the Deputy...