Results 25,301-25,320 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: I did engage with Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, BPFI, in recent weeks on these issues. I know that BPFI met the mortgage group on 29 May and provided me with an update from that meeting. Having met the homeowners yesterday on the specific mortgage issues, I think the asks they have are quite reasonable in the main. They want dedicated contact points in place within the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: I understand that there is a further meeting today between the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the homeowners' group with the view to getting the scheme up and running. I also understand that BPFI is going to meet the Department as well in order that they fully understand the intricacies and the detail of how the scheme will operate. We also need to ensure that the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Inflation Rate (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: Over the past year, Ireland, along with almost all other advanced economies, has had to grapple with the effect of surging global energy prices triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These price pressures quickly spread to non-energy goods and services, creating broad based inflationary pressure. In practical terms, it has squeezed real incomes of households and has also come at a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Inflation Rate (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: The truth is that it will be through a combination of measures. Incomes will rise next year. I believe that in the main incomes will rise ahead of the rate of inflation next year. In real terms, people will make gains relative to the cost of living next year. The last 12 months have been really difficult for many people. Even though there was a whole range of cost-of-living measures,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: First, I want to contest the Deputy’s central thesis that Ireland is some kind of a basket case. That is not the case. He spoke of how we talk about the story of economic success. That is a real story. Some 2.6 million people at work is not a fantasy. They are real people, they include the Deputy’s constituents and they are all over the country. Unemployment is less than...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: Of course, we see challenges every single day in our health system. We have recruited approximately 20,000 more people in health since the beginning of the pandemic. The Deputy spoke about living standards. Living standards in Ireland over the last number of decades have improved, without question. We have seen a reduction in inequality in Ireland over that period of time as well. Our...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: We have statutory bodies that this House has empowered through legislation to carry out certain functions, and when it comes to ensuring that we have a competitive marketplace generally and that there are no anti-competitive practices. We have the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. It has examined the retail sector, for example, and it has not stood up some of the charges that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: At the outset I want to say that the report and the findings contained within it are deeply shocking. It is disturbing to think that there are any individual examples of that kind of behaviour and practice happening in Ireland now or in the past. I assure Deputy Bacik, the House and the general public that this will be treated with the utmost seriousness, which it deserves. We welcome...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: On the question of a referendum, the relevant Cabinet committee is actively working on this issue. A meeting of that Cabinet committee will take place this afternoon as I understand it. It will be given further consideration and there will be engagement across the House and of course public confirmation of any final decision on that particular issue. On child trafficking, since last...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: I must apologise because I am not familiar with the detail of this particular case, the Davitt complex, but we will certainly look into it. I want to underline what the Government position is. Our position is that we support integration. The best developments around the country have a mix of tenure types, of house types and apartments, involving private, cost-rental, social and affordable...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: Tuath Housing and Dublin City Council need to come back with a response on the issue. At the at the level of principle where amenities or facilities are being provided for development, they must be provided to all. How people came to occupy the property, whether it be Part V or private purchase, should not be the basis of denying anybody access to shared amenities. As the Deputy said,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Healy-Rae. I want to underline the Government's support for the family farm and the principle of that all over Ireland. I negotiated with the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, over the last number of budgets, significant increases in the funding for his Department. He successfully negotiated a new strategic Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, plan worth almost €10 billion...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: To be honest, I would be more optimistic than the Deputy. I recently visited the Farm Zero C project, with which Deputy Michael Collins will be very familiar, in Shinagh, Bandon, where the four west Cork co-ops have come together to develop, on a commercial basis, a farm that is environmentally sustainable. They took us through all of the different aspects of what they are doing - testing...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: Housing output increased by about 45% last year. The data on commencements, completions, planning permissions and so on is more encouraging now than it was around six months ago. There is a lot of activity in the sector. The suspension of the development contributions, for example, and the water connection fees is making a real difference. It is making projects that might have been...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: I join with Deputy Bacik in wishing everyone a happy Pride. The decisions we made at the Cabinet this week will be welcomed by many across the country. I assure the Deputy that the report will be published and the necessary legislation will be brought forward as a priority by the Minister. I do not anticipate any delay. I think it will be broadly supported in this House. It is a very...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: Tusla has implemented its child-exploitation procedure in 2021 in partnership with An Garda Síochána which provides Tusla staff and carers with information on how to recognise indicators of child sexual exploitation, how to make appropriate referrals and how to respond to cases where children may be at risk of sexual exploitation. Tusla also developed a training e-learning module...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: Did the Deputy refer to baldies and grey-heads there? Do I take it he will not be canvassing for support from any bald person or any grey person in Cork North Central at the next election? I do not know why he felt the need to throw in-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: I do not know why he felt the need to throw in a disparaging remark like that. I am sure the people that description might relate to will remember exactly what you said.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: It was petty and unnecessary. On the substantive issue, I do not know what the Deputy has against debate. This is an opportunity for civil society to have a debate on a really important issue not only for Ireland but every country in the world -----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Jun 2023)

Michael McGrath: ----- on defence, foreign policy and security.