Results 23,841-23,860 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Estimates for Public Services 2022 (30 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move the following Supplementary Estimates: Vote 20 — Garda Síochána (Supplementary Estimate) That a supplementary sum not exceeding €78,971,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2022, for the salaries and expenses of the Garda Síochána, including pensions, etc.; for the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (30 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: In July 2020, the European Council, made up of the Heads of State and Government of each EU Member State, adopted a historic €750 billion recovery package for Europe. This package, NextGenerationEU, is Europe’s shared response to the severe health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19. Next Generation EU is an ambitious and common recovery package which will complement and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Schemes (30 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that due to the nature of its role, my Department does not have responsibility for any schemes or programmes provided directly to the general public.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Meetings (30 Nov 2022)

Michael McGrath: Due to the nature of its role, my Department does not attend meetings of joint policing committees or city and county development boards.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (1 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that a deferred reply will be issued to him in respect of this Parliamentary Question, in line with Standing Order 51 (1) (b).

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy McDonald for raising the BPFI report today, which confirms that we face an enormous challenge in relation to housing. The Government has been upfront and honest about the scale of that challenge. That is why we brought forward the Housing for All plan, which is showing significant signs of progress in relation to supply overall, which will reach the highest level for a long...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy well knows, we have brought in emergency measures in the context of this winter, which have been approved by this House and are really needed. The reason we have such a level of growth in new rental prices is the mismatch between supply and demand. That is why the Government's core focus is on increasing supply of all kinds of housing, that is, affordable purchase, cost-rental...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: ------getting to the level we need it to get to. This is the only side of the House that has a fully-funded multi-annual plan for housing and we are delivering the increase in the units.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: All of the renters who aspire to home ownership look to help to buy, the first home scheme and the LDA, all of which Sinn Féin has opposed. The Deputy's answer with regard to rental is to increase tax with a new tax on rental properties, increased tax for landlords and an income tax on capital gains. That is the Deputy's answer to attracting new investment to Ireland and that will not work.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Making better use of existing stock has to be an important part of the overall solution, given the scale of the housing challenge we face. We know that, with the best will in the world, building new homes takes time, with the various stages that have to be gone through, including planning, procurement, bringing services to land, waterways, water,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I am conscious this is a new tax that has just been legislated for in the Finance Bill. It is set, as the Deputy knows, at three times the property's existing base local property tax, LPT, rate. As is always the case with a new tax, we will keep the rate under review and see if it is having the desired effect. The whole purpose of this new tax, which the Oireachtas has now legislated for,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: -----it be a derelict sites tax or, for the first time ever, a new vacant homes tax. The imperative is to get this up and running. We will monitor the impact to see the extent to which it is having a beneficial effect. It will have some but when it comes to the specific rate, we will be keeping that under review.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: Supply is increasing. That is a fact. The Government is focused, collectively, on implementing all strands of Housing for All. New public stock is not just delivered by our local authorities. It is also delivered by approved housing bodies and the LDA. The question is, when it comes to this House making decisions, which might be difficult ones where trade-offs are involved in our...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: Yes, we will. Deputy Boyd Barrett should also put the full facts on the record when he talks about the performance of the local authorities in Dublin. The four Dublin local authorities currently have 2,000 homes under construction on various sites and in excess of 3,700 others in the pipeline for delivery at this point in time. Shanganagh is under way. The LDA is now building homes -...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is also providing €100 million to local authorities to help them clear legacy debt. This will assist in accelerating the delivery of social homes on sites that local authorities own by taking away the debt related to them. He is also putting in place a fund for the Housing Agency to assist it in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Canney for raising this matter. In many ways it speaks to the issue we have been discussing for the past half an hour. Everyone agrees there is a housing crisis and we face a huge challenge to deliver homes all over the country. However, as soon as something is proposed that is an imposition on somebody, in some cases a major imposition, then objections are raised, progress...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Canney. There is no problem with engagement, which should always take place between stakeholders. Of course farmers have issues with this measure and will be affected by it. This is a tax of the Department of Finance. The Revenue Commissioners are involved. The local authorities have a central role, as has the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: It is important to clarify the position with regard to the Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019 and the key issue of open disclosure, which has been raised here. We should not confuse clinical audits with patient-requested reviews. They are different. They are explained clearly in the report that was published by the expert review group. A new patient-requested...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: Very few countries currently have mandatory disclosure-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: We will have the debate with the Minister but that is-----