Results 24,981-25,000 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Pringle very much for raising this issue. Just yesterday, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, met with members of the Mica Action Group. The regulations are being finalised. The Minister expects that they will be in place in the coming weeks and that the new scheme will finally be in place and up and running. Of course, anyone in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I am happy to meet with the homeowners to see what assistance I can provide. I recognise that practical issues will arise for them with regard to their mortgages. In many instances, people will be out of their homes for prolonged periods. While the State is assisting in other ways, people may well need support and assistance from their financial institutions. I always have to say that...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: What we are going to do is build more homes. We are going to place an emphasis on age-friendly accommodation because we recognise the clear demographic trends and that there is going to be a requirement for the State to deliver public housing for older people at scale over the coming years. In the interim, the housing assistance payment and other supports will continue to be available. We...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: The Government has been very consistent in being a voice for restraint in this conflict. We are not at all, in any way, satisfied with what we are witnessing. It is appalling. The bombing of civilian areas in Gaza is simply not acceptable and must come to an end. We have joined the international calls for a ceasefire. Mediation efforts are under way. We urge all parties to become...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. That sounds a shocking situation-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: -----that should never have happened. I will speak with the Minister on it and we will follow up. If the council has made an offer to buy the property, that should be facilitated and that is what should happen. We will follow up on this specific case.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. I do not have the operational detail available to me to give him a substantive answer to his question. I acknowledge the concern and anxiety that is evident when patients have to wait that length of time for results. The Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, will get back to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. I am not sure about the blaze of glory-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: ----but I am sure the former Taoiseach's visit was genuine and motivated by a desire to try to move the project on and make progress. My colleague, Deputy Cahill, has also raised this matter and was there on the day with the Deputy. We will need to get an update from the local authority, the NTA-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: -----and the Department of Transport to establish the exact status of the project and why it is stalled, as the Deputy said it has. We will need to check that out.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Cannon for the question. I fully appreciate the importance of having access to a sports hall in a school environment. We hear the point the Deputy is making about Seamount College in County Galway. I acknowledge the efforts made by him and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, on that issue. We will raise it with the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, and respond to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. We are always open to examining new ways of making more accommodation available. Where there is spare capacity in homes, we have looked at all the different policy levers we have to see how we can encourage people to make those rooms available. As the Deputy knows, we have a very generous rent-a-room relief scheme. Up to €14,000 of income can be received...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Ward for raising this issue. I fully appreciate the importance of both developmental checks and the vital role public health nurses play in our communities. The issue here is not one of funding, but of the recruitment of public health nurses. Efforts are under way to make progress in this regard. We have successfully recruited about 20,000 extra people across the health...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Cahill for raising this matter. As he knows, the Government does not get directly involved in those matters of detail for which the HSE is responsible. We do, however, understand the importance of the issue when this happens for a patient who has been receiving medication under the medical card scheme. We have taken note of the specific issue raised by the Deputy, and the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has been doing a great deal of work in this area. Having negotiated several budgets with her, I know she has pressed the case for increased funding very hard. She was extremely successful in securing extra funding. Since 2021, we have provided an extra €207 million in funding. That is no consolation to anybody who cannot...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising the ongoing challenges. We understand the impact these statistics have on all of the individuals and families involved. A huge amount of work is under way to make progress, in particular in UHL where we know there have been real problems. The Minister and HSE have put a real focus on the hospital and have provided supports. Nationally, we have expanded bed...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. We have made a lot of progress for those who are eligible under the scheme. The Deputy is raising the example of people who are not eligible, but in the forthcoming year those who are eligible have reduced charges of between €50 and €75 per student with a cap per family of €125. The Deputy raised a particular issue and specific location. I take it...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Smith. My understanding is that following discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, approval for an offer to be made to the unions has been agreed. The proposal is that a grade of adult educator will be formally established, with a standardised pay scale aligned with the Youthreach resource persons scale. The grade...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: All I can say is that the Minister is very much aware of the issue the Deputy has raised on a number of occasions. It is being worked on.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Higgins. She is right to point to the myriad different schemes, supports and incentives now in place. It can sometimes be difficult for individuals to navigate their way through the system, even in terms of getting information, and then understanding and applying it. Sometimes, they have to look at different websites and so on. The Deputy's suggestion has some merit. We...