Results 23,601-23,620 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (29 Sep 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, there are a number of mechanisms in place that support lateral movements of staff members across the Civil Service.These include: - Civil Service Mobility Scheme - Secondments - Redeployment. Civil Service Mobility Scheme The Mobility scheme is the primary mechanism for the permanent lateral movement of staff members across Civil Service organisations through an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Information and Communications Technology (29 Sep 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), which is a Division of my Department, works in collaboration with Government Departments and agencies across the Civil and Public Service.  This is to ensure the delivery of the benefits of digital transformation of public services to both individuals and businesses.  Providing advisory...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Strategies (29 Sep 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Partnership Agreement sets out Ireland’s investment strategy for its Cohesion Policy Funds. Ireland will receive €1.4 billion in Cohesion Policy funding for the 2021 to 2027 period. When this funding is co-financed at a national level, it will mean Cohesion Policy programmes add a total value of almost €3.5 billion to the economy. These funds will strengthen economic,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Budget 2023 (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: In addition to a €4.4 billion package of temporary supports to be provided this year, budget 2023 provides for additional core expenditure of €5.8 billion. This significant commitment, which will bring overall core spending next year to €85.9 billion, is designed to support households and businesses in a challenging economic climate, and to invest in public services and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Budget 2023 (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: This is the expenditure report. It is not terribly glossy, but it is full of useful information. The way that the distribution analysis is presented is there is the 2022 impact and then, separately, the 2023 impact. The Deputy is asking to strip out the 2023 measures that are cost-of-living related, such as the €400 energy credits that will apply next year, the continued reduction...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Budget 2023 (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: If it were the case that we only provided €12 a week increase in the core weekly rates and did nothing else, then the Deputy’s conclusion would be a fair one. However, of course, that is not the case. The increase in the core weekly social welfare rates is being supplemented by an extensive range of once-off payments that will start to flow within the next short number of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (4 Oct 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. As the Deputy will be aware,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Farrell and agree with her point on the value of section 39 organisations and the work they do. I met representatives of several section 39 organisations over recent weeks in the lead-up to the budget and they made the point to me on the impact of the pay deal on them. As they are of course grant-aided organisations, they receive their financial support directly from the HSE....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Having been a practising Deputy for more than 15 years, I have a deep appreciation of the work of our secretarial assistants. An independent review was carried out on the secretarial assistant grade at the request of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. It has been completed and in the past few days has been sent to my Department, having been...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Development (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: The partnership agreement sets out Ireland's investment strategy for its cohesion policy funds. Ireland will receive €1.4 billion in cohesion policy funding for the period 2021 to 2027. When this funding is co-financed at national level, it will mean cohesion policy programmes will add a total value of almost €3.5 billion to the economy. Using these funds, implementation of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Development (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I cannot answer the question on the European Commission publishing its assessment but will seek to find out the answer for the Deputy. As I said in my reply, the Commission classifies regions into three categories depending on their GDP output performance relative to the EU average. Based on that, the northern and western region has been reclassified from a more developed region to a region...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Development (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I do not accept the Deputy's assertion that it is an indictment of Government policy. It is the European Commission that has reclassified the region because of its improved economic performance relative to the European Union average.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Development (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: The population is up in the northern and western region. Employment is up there, as, of course, are investment levels. It is because of its improved performance that it has been reclassified, not by the Government but by the European Commission. I do not suggest that the Deputy is trying to make a political football out of it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Development (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: This is not a national decision; it is a decision by the European Commission based on the three classifications it has for regions and it is based on the improved performance of the north and western region using that benchmark.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy is aware, my Department is responsible for the allocation of public funds across each area of Government spending and ensuring that expenditure is managed by Departments in line with these allocations. My Department is also responsible for maintaining the national frameworks, such as the public spending code, within which Departments operate to ensure appropriate accounting and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: The first point is that my Department does not manage the capital projects of other Departments. It is their responsibility, in line with their legal obligations, to manage those projects, and it is the responsibility of the Accounting Officer to do so. Arising from the lessons that had to be learned from the national children's hospital, the public spending code was strengthened in 2019....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: There are many opportunities for projects such as this to be debated, such as at the health committee, here on the floor of the House as a Topical Issue matter and so on. It is not for me, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, to commit to a debate on a project that is being managed by another Department. As I stated, the capital budget for this project was approved in 2018....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: Budgetary and expenditure reform remains a key feature in terms of public expenditure and budgetary management throughout all Departments. This important goal is progressed in a number of ways, including through day-to-day management of resources, regular engagement across Departments and the public service reform programme. It is also progressed through a range of important budgetary...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I assume the Deputy is primarily referring to the delays in delivering capital projects. There is a balance to be struck between ensuring that we have proper oversight mechanisms in place, on the one hand, and, on the other, the speed of execution and getting projects on the ground. In the last couple of years, we have had significant underspends on the capital budget. While Covid was a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I will take the first part.