Results 27,041-27,060 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

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

Michael McGrath: To be fair to the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, to his Department and to the HSE they have put in a huge amount of work to increase the training places, working closely with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The numbers are certainly going in the right direction. The number of doctors entering GP training has more than doubled from 120...

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

Michael McGrath: For balance, I should point out that overall we have seen a significant reduction in the number of people on trolleys last year compared to the previous year overall across the country. What were we are witnessing in UHL is not acceptable to the Government. I spoke with the Minister for Health this morning. He has been in contact as recently as yesterday with the CEO of the HSE and they...

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

Michael McGrath: I assure the Deputy there is no political blockage to that scheme getting up and running. The Government fully sanctioned the scheme. It is a very large scheme and will cost approximately €800 million making it the largest scheme of its type in the history of the State. It is the right thing to do and we considered it very carefully as a Government. I will ask the Minister to come...

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

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Smith for raising this issue. The Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, is aware of the specific issue the Deputy has raised. The Department and the HSE are very anxious to make progress there and ensure access to a GP service is made available to the local community. As the Deputy is aware more broadly a strategic review of general practice is under way at the moment, which...

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

Michael McGrath: As Deputy Griffin will be aware the Government does not instigate criminal investigations. Where evidence is provided of alleged criminality to An Garda Síochána it will make the decision as to whether to instigate an investigation. It is important that employment rules are fully adhered to by all organisations. The issue of the difference between a contract of service and for...

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

Michael McGrath: I understand Cork County Council has now submitted its assessment of the damage that came from this exceptional weather event. It is not the expectation of the Government that a local authority would, out of its normal funds, be in a position to repair or reinstate roads that were very damaged by a storm. I will take up the issue with my Government colleagues. The practice has been that...

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

Michael McGrath: I am very sorry to hear that properties in Ballinspittle were flooded as a result of the heavy rainfall. As the Deputy knows, the Government set up and activated two schemes in the past when there were similar flood events, namely, the Irish Red Cross scheme and the humanitarian scheme through the Department of Social Protection. I will liaise with my Government colleagues and ask that the...

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

Michael McGrath: This situation is one of the reasons the Government and I made the case for investment in the rental sector in the budget last October. Our proposals did not meet with great support across the House. The view seems to be that we do not need investment and we do not need property owners willing to make their properties available for tenants. However, that measure has been legislated for and...

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

Michael McGrath: The Government's position on what is happening in the Middle East is very clear. We have continued to call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the release of all hostages unconditionally and full and unhindered humanitarian access so the people of Gaza get the essential supplies they need. The Government does not interfere in decisions that are appropriately made by relevant sporting...

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

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am familiar with it, as he is aware. I visited Northside Community Enterprises on the old foreign affairs campus a few weeks ago, and the Deputy was there. We discussed the issue with members of the organisation in question. We are anxious to help because we recognise how important a role the service played when it was in place. We will work...

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

Michael McGrath: I thank the three Deputies. I know that the issue raised by Deputy Durkan around family law and parental alienation is one that he has raised consistently. I will mention it to the Minister for Justice again.

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

Michael McGrath: She will not be surprised, but I am sure she will come back to the Deputy. I thank Deputy Munster for raising the issue of the driving centre in Drogheda. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, or the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, to revert back to her on the issue of the specific site. We are making progress overall on the average waiting times for tests. It was 30 weeks in...

Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the opportunity to engage today on the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2023. As Deputies are aware, the Government published the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2023 on 19 December 2023. Today's Second Stage debate on the general principles of the Bill is an important step in...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (7 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) is a tax on gifts and inheritances that is payable by the beneficiary of a gift or inheritance on the value of the property received. It is the relationship between the person providing the gift or inheritance (the disponer) and the person receiving the benefit (the beneficiary) that determines the tax-free threshold (Group threshold) below which CAT does not...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (7 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 100 together. The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is an income support paid to farmers. ACRES payments will be subject to tax as income and will generally be taxed under Schedule D Case I as a receipt of a trade of farming. In the case of individual farmers, an ACRES payment will be subject to income tax and USC. In general,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Legislative Measures (7 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: Given that it seeks to amend the NTMA Acts in relation to investments made by the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023 is under my Department’s responsibility. There has been engagement between my officials and officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs on the Bill since its publication in March last year. Such engagements have...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (7 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware the 9% VAT rate applied on a temporary basis to the hospitality and tourism sectors until 31 August 2023 when it reverted to the 13.5% rate. The 9% rate was introduced on 1 November 2020 in recognition of the fact that the tourism and hospitality sectors were among those most impacted by the public health restrictions put in place throughout the pandemic. The...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (7 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The sourcing and issuing of cheque books to their customers is an operational matter for the banks concerned and is, therefore, not a matter in which the Minister has a statutory function. However, a recommendation of the Retail Banking Review, which was published in November 2022, was that the Department of Finance should lead on the preparation of a new National Payments Strategy (NPS) to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Student Accommodation (7 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The NTMA has informed me that the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) is a commercial investor in a range of businesses, platforms and projects which support the delivery of new homes in Ireland. These investments are in private market commercial operations, typically featuring a significant quantum of third-party investment that deliver a range of housing tenures including...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Official Travel (7 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: It is not possible for my Department to provide this information in the time available. I will make arrangements to provide this information to the Deputy as soon as possible in line with Standing Orders.