Results 23,441-23,460 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: No, those are the administrative subheads. The only A subhead is A3 which is on page 13 of 40.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: It is in that book.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: Some subheads within the programmes were selected and brought into the briefing. They are the big ticket items generally.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: Why in the economic planning and reform project which relates to Ireland's exit from the programme is there a total cost of €1.4 million pencilled in across a number of the divisions within the Department? Will the Minister explain that, please? It is €350,000 under subhead A3 and there are four such figures of €350,000.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I note in Vote 7 that the outturn for last year was approximately €5.5 million below the Estimate for last year, which would be an underspend in the region of 15% or so. Can the Minister rationalise that for us? Are we dealing with all the administrative subheads together?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: Thank you. I am not petty-minded about travel and subsistence but I have to ask why there is an increase of 18% pencilled into the Estimate for 2013. I assume it is related to the EU Presidency. Will the Minister confirm if that is the case? He indicated in respect of salaries, wages and allowances, which account for a significant part of the outturn for last year coming in well below the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I will try to be brief to allow as much time to examine the Estimates as possible. I join the Minister in acknowledging the commitment of his staff. They have impressed me over the course of the year with the commitment they have shown to their duties. Many of them have gone beyond the call of duty on many occasions and I readily acknowledge that and thank them for all of their work. The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU Directives (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: 23. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the actions his Department is taking to ensure timely implementation of EU directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24435/13]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Cost (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: 84. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of persons to date that have availed of the special assignee relief programme; the number of employers whose employees have availed of the programme; the amount of tax foregone as a result of the tax relief granted; the number of employees who have had education fees paid by their employer on a tax free basis under the programme; his views on the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Cost (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: 85. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of persons who have to date availed of the foreign earnings deduction; if he will provide details of the countries in which persons availing of the deduction have worked; the number of employers whose employees have availed of the deduction; the amount of tax foregone as a result of the tax relief granted; if he intends to add any further...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Expenditure (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: 124. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide details of the planned cuts to public service pensions in excess of €32,500 per annum; if there will be a pro rata reduction of the pensions paid to surviving spouses; if the pension reductions will be also refunded in a number of years time under the proposed new pay agreement; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Issues (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: 132. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of persons to date that have received payments under the Connect Ireland initiative; the total amount that has been paid out; the largest payment to a person; the estimated number of jobs that have been created under the initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24740/13]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigrant Investor Programme (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: 209. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will show separately, in respect of the immigrant investor programme and the start-up entrepreneur scheme, the number of persons who have availed of each scheme to date; the amount that has been invested to date; the number of jobs that have been created; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24741/13]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Service Pensions (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: 214. To ask the Minister for Defence in the context of the Military Service Pensions Act 1934, if there is a distinction between active service and service; the way decisions are made to issue a certificate of active service under the Act; the way surviving family of a former activist under the Act can apply for a certificate of active service issued and to have evidence they may hold in that...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Speech and Language Therapy (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: 254. To ask the Minister for Health the number of newly qualified speech and language graduates from Irish colleges that have been recruited by the Health Service Executive in 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24587/13]

Ireland and the Eurozone: Motion [Private Members] (21 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this Private Members' debate and thank Deputy Thomas Pringle and his colleagues in the Technical Group for tabling the motion. The first point we need to recognise is that the sentiments expressed in the motion put down by Deputy Pringle and his colleagues are shared by many Irish people. That is a statement of fact. I believe that the Irish people...

Other Questions: NAMA Loans Sale (21 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: The reason I put down the question is that I noticed a lot of recent activity in NAMA has centred around the sale of loan portfolios as opposed to the sale of actual property assets. There was one high profile sale, Project Aspen, which was in regard to a joint venture, and another which was subsequently cancelled in regard to a portfolio called Project Club. I know the Minister has issued...

Other Questions: State Banking Sector Regulation (21 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I gave no lectures. I asked valid questions.

Other Questions: State Banking Sector Regulation (21 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I did not lecture anybody. I asked about the corporate governance guidelines that are in place to enable the Minister to make decisions on behalf of the citizens of this State when questions arise at the AGMs of the banks in which we hold shares. I accept that the final decision is made by the Minister. Who advises him? Is he advised by the NTMA or by the banking unit within the...

Other Questions: State Banking Sector Regulation (21 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Minister for his reply, a summary of which is that he personally decides on issues as they arise. We all know the issue which brought this into sharp focus was the recent Bank of Ireland annual general meeting. The Minister gave us his rationale for abstaining from the vote, namely, the ongoing Mercer report dialogue in the bank. I felt it was important to get clarity on how...