Results 23,261-23,280 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Inflation/Supply Chain Co-operation Framework sets down the approaches and the parameters within which the parties to a public works contract can operate to determine the additional costs attributable to inflation and to share that financial burden in a proportionate manner. The Office of Government Procurement has published guidance material, template letters of agreement and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Functions (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: In recognition of the scale and urgency of the challenge of meeting Ireland’s climate action targets, a new Climate Action Division has been established within the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Climate Action is a key Programme for Government commitment and the Civil and Public Service will play a central role in driving the changes necessary to achieve net zero by...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2022 (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: Budget 2022 made provision for up to €7 billion in funding to continue our response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including spending under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Just under €3 billion of this was allocated to Departments at the time of the Budget, with a further €96 million in the Revised Estimates for Public Services (REV) 2022, leaving a balance of some...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cost of Living Issues (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: Budget 2022 included a number of measures to support citizens with increased costs of living. These measures amounted to over €1 billion and covered a wide range of areas, including income supports, supports for healthcare, energy, housing, families with children and education. The economic context has become more challenging in recent months with the conflict in Ukraine...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: Public service pay has been governed by a system of collective agreements since the Croke Park Agreement was negotiated in 2010. These collective agreements have helped to ensure that public pay is managed in a sustainable, affordable and orderly manner. These agreements have also enabled significant reform of public services and changes to work practices. The value of public pay deals to the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Fiscal Council in their recent Fiscal Assessment Report, have considered the economic and budgetary projections and in this report have provided a view on spending rules in an inflationary environment. I, along with my colleague the Minister for Finance, will consider this report. The Minister for Finance will provide a formal reply in the coming weeks. Regarding spending rules, our...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flexible Work Practices (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: In the case of the Civil Service, remote working will be facilitated into the future on a blended basis. In this context, my Department, in collaboration with Civil Service employers, Trade Unions and Staff Associations, has developed a Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service Organisations. The Framework focuses on the longer-term approach to remote working in the Civil...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: Green Public Procurement Policy is the responsibility of the Minister for Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport. In this context, my colleague, Ossian Smyth T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement Policy, is actively engaged in promoting sustainable public procurement and ensuring that relevant guidance is available to guide public procurement...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Service Level Agreements (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: All Public Bodies are obliged to treat public funds with care and to ensure that the best possible value for money is obtained (including the appropriate consideration of alternative options) whenever public money is being spent or invested. It is the responsibility of the relevant Government Department to ensure that procedures are in place to ensure compliance with all required procedures...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Equality Issues (16 Jun 2022)

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: Housing Policy (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: There have been significant and sustained increases in the prices of a broad range of commonly used materials in the construction sector throughout 2021 in the aftermath of the pandemic. Energy prices also showed marked increases in 2021 and have further escalated in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Both materials and energy represent significant input costs for construction...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, the drawdown of capital expenditure from the Exchequer is detailed each month and is publicly available in the Fiscal Monitor, which is published on the gov.ie website. All line Departments and agencies submit information on their expenditure levels against profile to my Department, along with an explanation outlining details regarding any variance of under or...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cost of Living Issues (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 120, 121 and 129 together. Public service pay has been governed by a system of collective agreements since the Croke Park Agreement was negotiated in 2010. These collective agreements have helped to ensure that public pay is managed in a sustainable, affordable and orderly manner. These agreements have also enabled significant reform of public services...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget Process (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: In Programme for Government – Our Shared Future, the Government set out a commitment to developing a set of well-being indices to create a well-rounded, holistic view of how Irish society is fairing. In June 2022, the Government published Understanding Life in Ireland: The Well-being Framework. This report builds on the initial report, First Report on a Well-being Framework for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117, 134 and 141 together. For the first five months of 2022, total gross voted expenditure was €31.8 billion. This was just slightly over the profiled spend with a variance of €114 million or 0.4%. This compares with just under €33 billion in overall gross voted expenditure at the end of May 2021, a reduction of €1.2 billion or...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: My Department is committed to delivering initiatives that enhance productivity in the construction sector. The Construction Sector Group (CSG) and the Construction Sector Subgroup are committed to delivering initiatives that enhance productivity, through seven priority actions. In November 2021, I announced funding of €2.5 million over 5 years for the Build Digital Project (BDP)....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Equality Issues (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: Equality Budgeting is an approach to providing greater information on how proposed or ongoing budgetary decisions impact on particular groups in society. Equality Budgeting seeks to approach 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. Significant work has been undertaken to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cybersecurity Policy (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: In November 2021, the Public Sector Cyber Security Baseline Standard was published by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications. This was a commitment in the National Cyber Security Strategy 2019-2024 and sets out a range of guidance for civil and public service bodies as they continue to work to mitigate the risk of cyber crime and improve resilience of their ICT and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: Monitoring and oversight of unclaimed National Lottery winnings Unclaimed National Lottery winnings are subject to oversight and monitoring by the Regulator of the National Lottery, in terms of the way and when they are spent. 1. The Regulator of the National Lottery is an independent office established under the National Lottery Act 2013 solely to regulate the National Lottery in accordance...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ukraine War (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: Ireland is resolute in our solidarity and support for Ukraine. There is a whole-of-Government response in place to co-ordinate the humanitarian supports required to respond to the conflict. My Department’s role is primarily focused on ensuring that the necessary resources are in place to respond to this humanitarian crisis with work ongoing, in consultation with other Government...