Results 23,461-23,480 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190, 196, 197, 198 and 211 together. I am not in a position to comment on individual cases before the courts. The Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022 provides for a significant overhaul of the framework of legal protections for whistleblowers provided by the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. It also provides for the transposition of Directive (EU)...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: Section 13 of the Protected Disclosures Act provides that, "If a person causes detriment to another person because the other person or a third person made a protected disclosure, the person to whom the detriment is caused has a right of action in tort against the person by whom the detriment is caused". Section 22 of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill provides for the insertion of a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2020 provides for a substantial overhaul of the statutory framework for the protection of whistleblowers as well as for the transposition of Directive (EU) 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law. The process of developing the Bill has involved consultation with a broad range of interested parties. The General...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Supports (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Brexit Adjustment Reserve came into force on the 11th of October 2021. The eligibility period for expenditure runs from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2023. Ireland’s allocation from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve is €1.065 billion in constant (2018) prices, equivalent to €1.165 billion in current prices, representing just over 20% of the total Reserve and the largest...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Inflation Rate (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: Costs relating to implementation of the Inflation Co-operation Framework (the Framework) are to be met from within existing capital expenditure ceilings, including those for 2023. At this point, parties have begun their initial engagement and any agreement (and costs associated with inflation) will take a period of time to be worked through. Once the initial engagement is complete and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy is aware, my Department has policy responsibility for recruitment to the civil service. As reflected in the Civil Service Renewal 2024 Strategy, the civil service is strongly committed to equality of opportunity for all in terms of its recruitment and employment practices, and building a more diverse and inclusive workforce that is reflective of the modern Ireland that it...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State-Owned Enterprises (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: Due to the nature of its role, my Department has no State owned enterprises under its aegis.The public bodies under the aegis of my Department do not pay dividends to it and are either grant funded or self-funded. The bodies under the aegis are the ESRI, IPA and the National Lottery Regulator.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Summer Economic Statement (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 to 203, inclusive, together. The 2022 Summer Economic Statement sets out the budgetary strategy for the period to 2025. As part of the total budget package set out for each year to 2025, amounts of between €3 to 3.4 billion are indicated as for ‘budgetary decisions’ in Table 1 of the document. For 2023, this figure under...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Summer Economic Statement (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: As set out in the Summer Economic Statement, core capital expenditure will reach €11.7 billion in 2023, in line with the National Development Plan 2021-2030 (NDP). Departmental capital allocations for 2022 were published in the Revised Estimates Volume 2022. Core capital allocations by Department have also been provided in tabular form in Table 4.2 of the National Development Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget Process (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: The 2022 Summer Economic Statement (SES) set out an expenditure package of €5.7 billion over 2022 and 2023. €0.4 billion of this is to be allocated in 2022 for the early implementation of new current expenditure measures. This will result in a 2022 core expenditure ceiling of €80.5 billion. An additional €5.3 billion will be available in 2023 bringing the 2023 core...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: Budget 2022 made provision for up to €7.5 billion in funding to continue our response to the Covid-19 pandemic and for the Brexit Adjustment Reserve. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2023 (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: Equality Budgeting in Ireland has been progressively developed over recent years with a view to enhancing the role of resource allocation policies in advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening economic and social rights. Equality objectives and indicators are published every year in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV) and the Public Service Performance Report. All government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2023 (13 Jul 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 faring. In July 2021, the Government published an initial report, First Report on a Well-being Framework for Ireland, that set out an initial multi-dimensional well-being framework. The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Rights of People with Disabilities (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Office of Public Works (OPW) has representation on the National Disability Strategy Implementation Steering Committee since 2017. Action 32 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 required that service providers actively engage with disabled people and their representatives in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of public services. In 2019, to further engage...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Rights of People with Disabilities (13 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: My Department and the bodies under its aegis work closely with a range of key stakeholders and organisations in the implementation of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021. As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have policy responsibility for recruitment to the civil service. As reflected in the Civil Service Renewal 2024 Strategy, the civil service is strong...

Summer Economic Statement: Statements (14 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: This debate provides an important opportunity to consider the Government’s fiscal strategy for budget 2023, as set out in the summer economic statement. This morning I was glad to have the opportunity, alongside the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, to engage with colleagues at a meeting of the Committee on Budgetary Oversight. The meeting gave us a good opportunity to tease out...

Summer Economic Statement: Statements (14 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: We had two hours of debate in committee.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (14 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 314 together. The Summer Economic Statement (SES), published on 4th July 2022, sets out the key parameters for Budget 2023. This included a total expenditure budget package of €5.7 billion over 2022 and 2023, €0.4 billion of which is phased into 2022. This is an increase of €1.7 billion relative to what was originally provided...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Summer Economic Statement (14 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: Under the approach set out in last year’s Summer Economic Statement, 3% of the core current expenditure base is being set aside each year to meet Existing Levels of Service or ELS costs. These include costs arising from demographic pressures in areas such as Social Protection, Health and Education as well as the carryover costs from measures already introduced in prior year Budgets and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Health Services (14 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: This is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for Health. The Department of Health will reply separately to provide clarification on this issue.