Results 841-860 of 1,061 for speaker:Séamus McGrath

Financial Resolutions 2025 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: To follow on from what the Minister of State said, this is a significant budget that involves expenditure of almost €117 billion and an additional package of €9.4 billion. Those are significant figures. It is about securing our future. Investment in key infrastructure is central to the budget, particularly infrastructure that will enable a continued supply of housing to be...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Crime Prevention (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank the Ministers for being here this evening. I raise the issue of the need for a better protocol to be put in place in relation to the offence of spiking. To explain what I am referring to, we are all aware that, when people are out enjoying themselves on social occasions, there are incidents of their drinks being spiked. Essentially, drugs are put into their drinks without their...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Crime Prevention (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank the Minister of State for the response. I acknowledge that the Government is committed to taking a zero-tolerance approach in relation to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Of course, I also acknowledge the zero-tolerance strategy and its recent launch, and also the additional funding provided. It is welcome that the programme for Government specifically includes a...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (7 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 82. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of proposals to reduce the driving test wait times at a test centre (details supplied) in view of the fact it is still well above the national average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53178/25]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Exemptions (7 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 131. To ask the Minister for Finance to increase the qualifying square area for an exemption of stamp duty on new residential property in view of the fact this can act as a supply side activation measure. [53197/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (7 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 214. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update regarding a request for additional accommodation for a school in Cork city (details supplied) to provide appropriate and urgently needed teaching and support space for children who have received a diagnosis of autism. [53581/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (7 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 231. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the opening of a special class at a school (details supplied). [53785/25]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (7 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 383. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to revise the approach to the income disregards for the means test for the carers allowance (details supplied). [53805/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Internships (7 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 631. To ask the Minister for Health to examine a serious concern affecting Irish students studying physiotherapy in the Netherlands who are seeking 12-week hospital placements in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53348/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (7 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 757. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to outline any possible funding sources to assist an organisation nationally to purchase equipment to digitise patient details and records (details supplied). [53168/25]

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: National Treatment Purchase Fund
Financial Statements 2023: Beaumont Hospital Board (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank everybody for being here. I will start with the NTPF if I may. I am trying to fully understand the operation of the insourcing and how that works in reality. In her opening statement, Ms Brady referred to it as funding provided directly to public hospitals to deliver additional treatment or outpatient consultations beyond their core HSE-funded activity. What is the definition of a...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: National Treatment Purchase Fund
Financial Statements 2023: Beaumont Hospital Board (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Is there a facility for them to do more hours under the public system? In other words, have they overtime options under the public system? That is not in the insourcing system, but working within the core funding system.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: National Treatment Purchase Fund
Financial Statements 2023: Beaumont Hospital Board (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: The premium for that overtime would not be as much as what they would get from insourcing additional hours. Is that fair to say?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: National Treatment Purchase Fund
Financial Statements 2023: Beaumont Hospital Board (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Yesterday, the HSE chief said there is a disincentive to do additional hours under the core funding model. If they do additional hours beyond their 37, they get additional payment and it is at a premium, but it is quite clear to me that they are better using their time, from a financial point of view, on the insourcing options.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: National Treatment Purchase Fund
Financial Statements 2023: Beaumont Hospital Board (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thought Mr. Sweeney said they did.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: National Treatment Purchase Fund
Financial Statements 2023: Beaumont Hospital Board (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I understand that but what I am getting at is whether the core funding system allows consultants working in the core funding model of 37 hours-plus to do extra hours to try to clear patient backlogs. My point is that they are not going to do that if they can get funded through the insourcing model, which is more lucrative for them. That is the key point. There is a disincentive for them to...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: National Treatment Purchase Fund
Financial Statements 2023: Beaumont Hospital Board (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: To clarify, is that for third-party providers within the public hospital setting?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: National Treatment Purchase Fund
Financial Statements 2023: Beaumont Hospital Board (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: It can happen.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: National Treatment Purchase Fund
Financial Statements 2023: Beaumont Hospital Board (9 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I am caught for time. It is hard to get away from the fact that this whole structure is, effectively, robbing Peter to pay Paul. It has been said that 30% of NTPF funding is used for insourcing.