Results 23,881-23,900 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Estimates for Public Services 2022 (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move the following Supplementary Estimates: Vote 5 — Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Supplementary Estimate) That a supplementary sum not exceeding €3,445,000 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 Office of the Director of Public...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2022: Financial Resolution (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move: THAT Section 125A of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 (No. 31 of 1999) be amended to provide for the specified rate of stamp duty in respect of an insured person in respect of relevant contracts renewed or entered into on or after 1 January 2023 and on or before 31 March 2023 and on or after 1 April 2023 in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: Across the EU, the European Commission classifies regions within the Union as either being a “Less Developed Region”, a "Region in Transition” or a “More Developed Region”, based on their GDP per head of population relative to the EU27 Average. The Northern and Western Region is classified as a “Region in Transition” on the basis that its...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Croke Park Agreement encompassed all civil and public servants under my Department. No distinction was made between categories of civil servants under the Agreement. The sectoral agreement in relation to the Civil Service and Non-Commercial State-Sponsored Bodies is attached for the Deputy’s information.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables below. TD: Date Effective Gross Annual € NMAX LSI 1 LSI 2 01 Oct 2022 105,271.00 --- --- 02 Feb 2022 104,229.00 --- --- ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Public Service Sick Leave Scheme provides for the payment of the following to staff during periods of absence from work due to illness or injury: A maximum of 92 days on full pay in a rolling one-year period  - Followed by a maximum of 91 days on half pay in a rolling one-year period  - Subject to an overriding threshold of 183 days’ paid sick leave in a rolling...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for her amendment. She brought forward a Private Members' Bill on behalf of Sinn Féin. I acknowledge her work in that regard and the amendments she has put forward today with a view to, as she sees it, strengthening the Bill. Section 2 of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 obliges the Minister to conduct a review of the operation of the legislation every three...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, line 8, to delete “employees” and substitute “full-time employees". These are technical amendments to close off the possible loophole in respect of part-time employees. If people read paragraphs (a) to (c) of section 5(2) of the principal Act and the new paragraphs (d) and (e) that are to be inserted by section 4 of the Bill, they...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move amendment No. 3: In page 4, line 14, to delete “employees” and substitute “full-time employees".

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move amendment No. 4: In page 5, between lines 4 and 5 to insert the following: “6.Section 8 of the Principal Act is amended— (a) by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (1): “(1A) Subject to subsection (2), a registered person whose entry on the Register has been marked under section 11(4) with a statement indicating that the person...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move amendment No. 6: In page 5, to delete lines 22 to 25.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: To state the obvious, neither I nor my Department rules on the amendments to a Bill that are to come before the committee. I will be happy to discuss the substance of what the Deputy has raised and proposed. The best approach may be if I put some points on the record and we can then discuss the matter in the context of the section. Lobbying is an essential part of the democratic process....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: We will come to the issue of the nature of the sanctions, that is, whether they are administrative or criminal, in a moment. I note two of the Deputy's amendments have been ruled out in the context of section 9. In essence, my position on amendment No. 7 is it proposing to impose obligations on designated public officials. We are all practising politicians and are contacted many times a...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move amendment No. 9: In page 6, between lines 20 and 21 to insert the following: “11.Section 21 of the Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3): “(3) The fixed payment notice may be served on the person: (a) where the Commission has been provided with the person’s email address, by sending it to the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move amendment No. 11: In page 7, line 14, to delete “14 days” and substitute “21 days”. Both amendments refer to the timeline for SIPO's consideration of applications by former relevant designated public officials to waive the cooling-off period under section 22 of the principal Act. Amendment No. 11 extends the time period allowed for SIPO to make its...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move amendment No. 12: In page 7, line 20, to delete “14 days” and substitute “7 days”.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move amendment No. 13: In page 13, line 37, after “address” to insert the following: “, provided that a record that the email has been sent to the person is made for the sender by the email system used”.