Results 23,281-23,300 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

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

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126, 127 and 143 together. The Government is acutely aware of the increase in consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices. This increase in inflation is not a problem unique to Ireland. Internationally, arising from the pandemic supply chain issues were a factor, and now with the war in Ukraine driving further...

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

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the primary recruiter for the civil service and establishes recruitment panels that individual civil service employers may access as vacancies falls to be filled. I am advised by PAS that since the enactment of the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 on 22 December last, a total of 36 candidates have been assigned...

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

Michael McGrath: The PEACEPLUS cross-border EU programme is at a very advanced point of development and I look forward to its launch and to the first calls for funding applications later in 2022. This new €1.1bn North South programme will carry on the work of the current INTERREG and PEACE programmes in support of shared peace and prosperity across an eligible area of Northern Ireland and the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Project Ireland 2040 (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: The National Planning Framework (NPF) and the National Development Plan (NDP) combine to form Project Ireland 2040. The NPF sets the vision and strategy for development out to 2040 and the current NDP provides the enabling investment to implement that strategy from 2021 to 2030. With an investment in capital of €165 billion, the NDP shows the ambition of the government with the largest...

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

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 146 together. Our economy has faced significant challenges in recent years including from the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and most recently rising prices. Many of the drivers of inflation at present are global in nature, such as supply chain issues and have been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. Government has provided substantial supports to...

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

Michael McGrath: The Summer Economic Statement 2021 set out a medium term expenditure strategy for the period to 2025. This strategy aims to align core expenditure growth with the trend growth rate of the economy while unwinding the exceptional Covid-19 spending. Recent months have seen a number of new challenges emerge across the economy. These developments have changed the context for this year's...

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

Michael McGrath: I wish to thank the Deputy for the question. The Programme for Government does not contain any commitments concerning the establishment of a new oversight body for the Public Service. The Deputy may wish to note that, in 2014, the Civil Service Management Board (comprised of secretaries general of government departments) was established to oversee the implementation of the ongoing change...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Inflation Rate (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: Significant progress has been made in the delivery of Project Ireland 2040 and the National Development Plan. Hosted at gov.ie/2040, the Investment Projects and Programmes Tracker and interactive map provide people with in-depth information on the progress of capital projects in their own area. The most recent version of the tracker was released on 18 May 2022. It is drawn from data provided...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (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 represent significant input costs for construction projects and inflation...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (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. Following the Revised Estimates in December 2021, €3.9 billion of this funding remained unallocated. This contingency is held in reserve centrally to allow Government flexibility to respond to emerging needs during the year. In February 2022, the Government announced...

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

Michael McGrath: Recent months have seen a number of new challenges emerge across the economy. These challenges surfaced due to increased demand and supply chain issues as we emerged from the pandemic and have been compounded by the impact of conflict in Ukraine. As previously acknowledged, the Government cannot absorb the full spectrum of inflationary pressures. However, we have taken action to put in place...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (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: Project Ireland 2040 (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: My Department published an updated Investment Projects and Programmes Tracker and MyProjectIreland interactive map in May 2022. The tracker provides a composite update on the progress of all major investments that make up Project Ireland 2040. The tracker is drawn from data provided by relevant Government Departments and agencies. It focuses mainly on projects and programmes with costs...

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

Michael McGrath: The subject of overall recruitment and retention in the public service was examined by the Public Service Pay Commission in their first report in May 2017. After a comprehensive investigation, the Commission found that "In general, evidence suggests that there are not significant recruitment difficulties to the various large scale public service vocational streams. However, there are problems...

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

Michael McGrath: The EU has introduced a range of flexibilities to address the impact of the influx of Ukrainian refugees including a regulation on Cohesion Action for Refugees in Europe (CARE) allowing for the swift release and reallocation of existing cohesion policy funding. In addition, Ireland receives existing funding under the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) to support migrant...

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

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that a response will be forwarded directly to him, as set out under Standing Order 51B.

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

Michael McGrath: Civil and 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 current public service...

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

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216, 217, 219, 220, 221 and 222 together. As the economy recovers from the impacts of the pandemic we are encountering new challenges from rising energy prices and supply chain issues. These are exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, which has added to inflationary pressures globally. This is not a difficulty unique to Ireland and is faced by almost every...