Results 23,721-23,740 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery (25 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: The National Lottery is a significant asset which plays an important role in generating funds for Good Causes throughout Ireland and across a range of areas including sport and recreation, culture and heritage, community health, the arts, and youth affairs. The National Lottery Fund transferred €289m to the Exchequer in 2021 which represents a significant 14% increase on 2020 and is a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Appointments Service (25 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) was established under the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004. The Commission is the principal regulator of recruitment and selection processes within the public service. It has a statutory role to ensure that appointments in the organisations subject to its remit (that is, those that fall under the authority...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Tax Collection (25 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Programme for Government commits to a gradual increase in the carbon tax over the next decade to reach €100 a tonne by 2030. It is estimated that these increases will lead to €9.5bn in additional revenue over the period 2021 - 2030. The Programme for Government states that all of the funds raised by the increases in the carbon tax will be used to support increased...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (26 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, while I have overall policy responsibility in relation to public service pension schemes, questions about the pension schemes of any particular public service body should be referred to the Minister of the parent Department for the body concerned, in this case the Minister for Housing. However to address the general point raised, it is a fundamental feature of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (27 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, I have overall policy responsibility in relation to public service pension schemes, and for the National Shared Service Office (NSSO) which makes pension payments to retired civil servants. The NSSO provides access to payslips via an online service as standard; however, in exceptional circumstances this can be reviewed by the NSSO, with a view to posting payslips...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: This Government has acknowledged from the very beginning the scale of the challenge we face as a country in housing and the provision of accommodation for our people, whether it is private housing, public housing, cost rental or affordable purchase. We have prioritised investment in housing since coming into office in the summer of 2020. That is delivering results. Do we believe that more...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: -----because thousands of people are being provided with accommodation in our country as a result of the investment we are making. In addition, we are investing in affordable housing for the first time in well over a decade, including new affordable purchase schemes which Sinn Féin opposed. The Land Development Agency is now on site and is delivering homes for our people, both public...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: There is no €2 billion in capital underspend on housing. As the Deputy knows, it is always the case that the final quarter of the year is the period in which there is the largest delivery. That is when schemes get closed out, accounts get done and drawdown of payments happens. There will be no such underspend in respect of housing capital this year. Any underspend, as the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: On this side of the House we are focused on doing everything we possibly can to resolve it-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: -----and to ensure that people who want to purchase a home are given direct support by the State to do so.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Bacik for raising this issue, which is significant for our country and the planet. By now, the Taoiseach will have delivered his speech at Sharm el-Sheikh. I think he summed up very well the imperative of action and delivery. This is something he has pinpointed as being the key issue. Ireland has made significant progress in terms of the overall framework, putting...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: The truth is that the real test is when it comes to the specific actions that have to be taken to deliver on the targets. These will present challenges and difficulties at local and national levels but we will provide leadership and we require support from across this House. I do not think there is any lack of opportunity for input from parties and Deputies in the House to allow them to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of LEADER funding in Galway. The first point I want to make is that there is no cut in LEADER funding. That is not the core point he made. The point he made is about the per capitaallocation. As part of the new €10 billion CAP strategic plan, the Government has committed significant funding of €108 million to LEADER for the period...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Canney. As he knows, Galway has been allocated €9 million for the period 2023-27. When we take this in conjunction with the transitional funding for Galway, which is €3.6 million for 2021 and 2022, it gives a total LEADER allocation of €12.6 million for the county for the period 2021-27. For the corresponding period 2014-20, County Galway had a core...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising an issue that is important to communities all over Ireland. The Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, is working closely with the head of the National Ambulance Service, Mr. Robert Morton, and they are now very much focused on the implementation of the national ambulance strategy. We have provided substantial additional resources to the NAS over the past...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: To be fair, the net issue leading to problems in certain cases is a lack of staff. It is not a lack of funding; the budget is there. The service is actively recruiting. It is bringing people in from other jurisdictions and trying to bring paramedics who qualified here and travelled abroad back to Ireland. However, there is a global shortage of paramedics and advanced paramedics. The...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: Deputies McDonald and Naughten raised climate action issues with regard to COP27 and so on. It makes sense to have a debate when the Taoiseach and the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, report back to the House having attended COP27. We can have an informed debate when we know the outcomes of COP27. We do not yet know what those outcomes are. I...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: With regard to Deputy Barry's point on tech jobs, it is a matter of concern when anyone loses his or job, but especially when it is in the manner in which it was done in Twitter's case. There will be an opportunity for a full debate on that issue and the wider issue. IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland have briefed the Ministers in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: A well-resourced winter plan is meaningful action but we need to continue to increase the permanent capacity of the healthcare system and build up resilience in the system. It is the case that we are faced with an unprecedented number of presentations. In our children's hospitals, according to reports in the news yesterday, there has been, I think, a 50% increase in presentations relative...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: -----but I accept the point that we have to build up permanent capacity further.