Results 23,621-23,640 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

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

Michael McGrath: I will respond to Deputy Durkan and it is a matter for the Leas-Cheann Comhairle if she wants to allow the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, to respond to Deputy Carroll MacNeill. Some Departments are quite adept at spending their capital budget. The Department of Education is very good at delivering school building programmes, extensions and new schools. It has well-developed...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 100 together. The level of employment in Ireland reached more than 2.55 million people in the second quarter of this year, the highest level ever. Increased labour force participation has been a key factor behind the strong employment recovery. Despite some expected softening in the labour market over the next year or so, tight conditions and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: They are facts.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy well knows, the Government, through local authorities, approved housing bodies and the Land Development Agency, LDA, is embarking on the largest public house-building programme that this State has seen, and rightly so. The Deputy was correct in his outline of the scale of the challenge, which is most acute in Dublin but is present elsewhere around the country as well. For the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: The LDA's Project Tosaigh will do much of what Deputy Boyd Barrett suggests. Recently, the Government discussed a developing situation whereby a significant number of sites had been earmarked for build-to-rent apartments but the private sector was unlikely to proceed with those developments because of changes in the interest rate environment. They can now look elsewhere for returns in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Budget 2023 (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Dillon for raising this question. Budget 2023 contains a significant response to support households, public and community services and businesses, with spending measures of some €4.5 billion in aggregate. The Government announced a €2.2 billion winter cost-of-living package for households, including a double week of social welfare schemes in October, a fuel...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Budget 2023 (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: The rental tax credit will be legislated for in the Finance Bill over the coming weeks. Once the Finance Bill has been passed by both Houses and enacted, I anticipate that individuals will quickly have the opportunity to register and claim the rental tax credit on the PAYE Anytime system, the Revenue's online system. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, will outline the details of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Budget 2023 (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputies. In response to Deputy Dillon, we are conscious that the next number of months will be very tough for many people. Deputy Carroll MacNeill gave an example of a business utility bill. We are seeing them being brought forward as well by households and constituents, who are sharing with us details of the bills they are receiving. What we have done will certainly help to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget Process (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that the costs accrued during the commissioning of official promotional material in respect of Budget 2023 were paid by my Department. In order to ensure that Budget documentation was made available promptly to members of this house, to Seanad Éireann, and to media representatives, a limited print run of the full set of documents was prepared. Folders to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 124 together. As the Deputy will be aware, a claim by SIPTU in respect of staff employed under the Scheme for Secretarial Assistance has been under consideration at the conciliation service of the Workplace Relations Commission. The staff in question are employed in the Houses of the Oireachtas by individual TDs and Senators. It was agreed to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Defence Forces (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy may be aware, my colleague, the Minister for Defence, provided his consent for temporary association membership of ICTU to PDFORRA and RACO which was accepted by the associations on the 24th of May and 2nd of June this year respectively. Accordingly, the Defence Forces representative associations are now encompassed by the Public Services Committee of ICTU for the purposes of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: The “Inflation/Supply Chain Delay Co-operation Framework" was introduced on 10 May in the interest of safeguarding public projects that are already under construction by mitigating against the risk of insolvency or contract repudiation in light of the exceptional increases witnessed in the price of construction materials, fuel and electricity. The Framework facilitates both parties to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ethics in Public Office (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: We made a commitment in the 2020 Programme for Government to ‘reform and consolidate the Ethics in Public Office legislation’. As the first step, I asked my Department to undertake a review of the statutory framework in advance of bringing fresh proposals for reform to Government. I am happy to inform the Deputy that this process is now well advanced. I expect the Ethics...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: 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. The current public service is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Croke Park and Haddington Road Agreements provided for a range of significant reform and productivity measures including the introduction of additional working hours for public servants. Section 4.2 of Building Momentum provided for the establishment of an independent body to assess issues arising in addressing the Haddington Road Hours and to make appropriate recommendations to be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Agriculture Industry (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Programme for Government recognises the special economic and social role that agriculture plays in Ireland, but also commits to the creation of schemes that will encourage and incentivise farmers to farm in a greener and more sustainable way. This is with the aim of developing a sustainable Irish agricultural sector that protects the environment and aligns with emerging consumer...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: In 2019, my Department published Circular 20/2019: Promoting the use of Environmental and Social Considerations in Public Procurement. This Circular instructs Departments to consider including green criteria in public procurement processes where clearly defined, quantifiable, verifiable, and measurable criteria have been developed, and the cost can be met within a Department’s existing...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2023 (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: Budget 2023 provides substantial resources (c. €4.5bn) in expenditure measures to respond to price pressures, particularly for those on lower incomes. While Government has already taken significant steps to ease the burden of the rising cost of living, it is clear the winter ahead will bring uncertainty for many households and businesses. To go towards alleviating this, Budget 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 256 together. In Budget 2023 I have set out a responsive approach to fiscal policy - investing in the future of our public services and economy while addressing the challenges faced today. I have provided €85.9 billion in core expenditure. This funding will support the sustainable delivery of public services and infrastructure, and invest in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: Budget 2023 set a comprehensive response to support investment in public services, facilitate continued response to externally driven challenges alongside measures to help alleviate the cost of living pressures experienced by households and businesses. Cost of Living The Government announced a €2.2 billion Winter cost of living package for households. This includes: - a double week of...