Results 27,021-27,040 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Fiscal Policy (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: We begin this year in a strong position, with the end-2023 Exchequer returns showing a headline surplus of €1.2 billion, reflecting the underlying strength of our economy, particularly in respect of the labour market. Tax receipts for 2023 reached a new record level of €88.1 billion, with growth driven by income tax, VAT and corporation tax. On the expenditure side, gross...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Exemptions (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, the age exemption applies for any year of assessment where an individual is aged 65 years or over and his or her total income does not exceed €18,000 per annum. Where an individual is a married person or civil partner and is jointly assessed to tax, the age exemption will apply where either individual is aged 65 or over and where the couple’s total...

Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (7 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: On behalf of the Tánaiste and my Fianna Fáil Party colleagues, I extend our deepest condolences on the passing of former Taoiseach, John Bruton, to his wife, Finola, his son, Matthew, his daughters Juliana, Emily and Mary-Elizabeth, his grandchildren, our parliamentary colleague Richard, John's sister, Mary, and indeed the Fine Gael Party. John Bruton was, by any measure, a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Doherty very much for raising this issue. The report to which the Deputy refers from the RTB is just the second such report it has published. It is the rent index report. It is good to have definitive data from the RTB in relation to rents associated with actual tenancies. That gives us some very valuable information as a Government and Oireachtas in terms of the policy...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: If we adopt Sinn Féin policy, the supply of new homes will fall. At the moment, we need at least €13 billion to €14 billion of capital to build in excess of 30,000 homes a year. The State is providing €4 billion to €5 billion of that. We are likely, over the period ahead, to revise upwards the housing targets in Housing For All. That will mean much more...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The supply numbers are real numbers. Since 2020, more than 100,000 new homes have been built. More homes were delivered in four years than in the previous nine years combined, and that is the reality. Almost 33,000 homes were built in 2023. The RTB has the statutory powers it needs in the enforcement of the rent pressure zone rules. It has the powers of investigation and has been given...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: We are not going to dismiss constructive suggestions, wherever they come from across the House because we recognise that this is a challenge. We believe we are making progress as a Government and as a country in increasing the supply of homes but we have more to do. We are never going to deny that and we are open to constructive ideas and proposals from right across the House. It is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: Only Deputy Murphy could come into the House and seek to blame the Government for people burning down buildings. That was an outrageous contribution. He has actually made it more difficult for the Garda and our criminal justice system to secure successful prosecutions of people who are conducting criminal acts. He has not done anyone any service with the contribution he just made in that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I believe the Deputy did essentially blame the Government. He accused us of dancing to the tune of the far right.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: He blamed them for burning the buildings.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: He is drawing a correlation which is completely unjustified and is not defensible. If that is the way the Deputy wants to represent himself and his views in the House, so be it. I am not sure if he is suggesting that the State should provide security at every vacant building in the country. I ask him to bear in mind that some of the buildings that have been burnt down were not earmarked...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I acknowledge that he had a Private Members' motion on this issue on the Order Paper this week. I understand it will now be taken next week. The Government will respond to that motion. I agree with the Deputy that SMEs are the lifeblood of towns, villages and communities. The Government values them. As the Deputy has acknowledged, the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: We regret any closures. We do not want to see any viable business close down. It is important to recall the context of the reduction in the VAT rate. When it first happened, it was to stimulate demand by reducing prices to drive footfall into businesses. It was continued during Covid. It was also extended in the context of the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living pressures so many are...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: That number of people on trolleys is not acceptable to the Government, to the Minister for Health or to the HSE. Looking at the overall number of people on trolleys in emergency departments, we have seen a significant improvement. That is not the case in Limerick. The Minister was in touch with Bernard Gloster, CEO of the HSE, yesterday to see what further measures could be implemented to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: -----we have provided more than 1,000 extra people in one hospital since 2019 and opened 150 additional beds, including 98 in UHL itself. There is also another 96-bed block under construction and planning for a further 96 beds is under way.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The number of staff and the number of beds have increased but-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: -----that has to coincide with reforms at group level.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: It is undoubtedly the case that cafés and restaurants add a great deal to the character of our cities, towns and villages. We want them to be viable and to support them. The Government has been very supportive of the sector over recent years and that has been acknowledged. Labour availability is a challenge. We have unemployment of approximately 4.5%. That is a good news story. Our...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Minister, Deputy Foley, is leading a very ambitious programme of school building. The outturn last year in respect of capital spend was that her Department spent its budget and a lot more besides. The Government came to an arrangement with the Minister to enable an acceleration of the school building programme because we recognise the importance of ensuring that school places are...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The State has become much more involved in building apartments through the Land Development Agency and the Croí Cónaithe scheme brought forward by the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I have seen a number of examples, including in my own city, of schemes happening that otherwise would not have happened, of cost-rental homes being provided and of apartments being offered for sale to...