Results 341-360 of 1,061 for speaker:Séamus McGrath

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (25 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Okay. The €4.7 million in annual leave accruals was mentioned. To be clear: it is not the case that anyone is paid in lieu of annual leave.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (25 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: That is perfect.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (25 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: So it is just an issue of carryover and accrual-----

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (25 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: That is fine, absolutely. For the return of the Dáil now and the new security operation, for example, who foots the Bill for that?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (25 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Absolutely, and I am not underestimating the task there because you are as good as the last incident, if you like, and they do a good job as well to be fair.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (25 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Do we have any estimated cost of the likes of the operation involved for the return of the Dáil? Do we have an estimated cost for that?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (25 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: It is not a low cost anyway, when you physically see the presence of gardaí and the operation involved. It is a matter of public interest how much an operation like that costs in providing that security which is absolutely necessary but I do think it is a matter of public interest. An Garda Síochána does not charge the State for that service.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (25 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I am getting caught for time so I will move on. On the broadcasting workers, I am not going to go over old ground here but just to add my voice to that, I have also met and spoken to them and I take Mr. Finnegan's bona fides. He was quite open in his own personal views and so on. For me, it is just the reality of the casualisation of work taking place within the Houses of the Oireachtas....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Data (25 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 235. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will confirm the estimated year one and full-year cost of reducing the 13.5 percent rate of VAT for the tourism and hospitality sector; if he will also confirm the corresponding cost of reducing the rate to 9 percent for food services only; if he will confirm whether Revenue are now satisfied that splitting the Vat rate between food and accommodation...

School Transport: Statements (23 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: There has been a lot of criticism today of the school transport scheme but it has to be acknowledged that in recent times the scale of the scheme has ramped up significantly. Over 180,000 children are transported through the school transport scheme every day. It is a huge number. The programme for Government sets out far more ambition in terms of an additional 100,000. That is very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Thanks Cathaoirleach and thanks to all our guests. I welcome this discussion. Before becoming a TD, I was a long-term councillor and affordable housing was always something I strongly advocated for, so I welcome the topic being discussed in isolation here today. I will start with the Department. Mention was made of overall policy and targets. That is critical. The 14,500 affordable...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Can I break it down further to affordable purchase, as opposed to the first homes scheme and vacant property grant? Do we have that figure?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: The ratio between affordable housing and social housing is quite stark. As a public representative, I have been picking up for a long time that affordable housing always seems to take second place in the pecking order. I do not know why but it needs to change. In the new housing plan, which we will get in the coming weeks, will affordable purchase have greater standing? Will there be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I appreciate that. Sorry for interrupting but the clock is against me. In the new plan, will there be specific targets annually for affordable housing delivery through the local authorities?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Those 15,000 starter homes are not just affordable purchase, though; they include other categories.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I would still argue affordable purchase is not getting the standing it deserves - absolutely not. There is a growing cohort of people out there who simply are not getting any support. If your income is a little more than €40,000 per annum and below €80,000, you are effectively left to fend for yourself. I do not think that is good enough. Affordable housing should be the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank our guests for coming in and apologise for keeping them waiting. Today's meeting is focused on affordable housing which is a critical area, obviously. We all know the challenges in housing as a whole but in the earlier session on affordable housing we debated the specific challenges for a cohort of people who find themselves outside the social housing income limits but yet, in many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank Ms Anderson and Professor Norris. I am out of time, unfortunately.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: The Chair is very strict.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Funding (23 Sep 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 138. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of a request for funding support for an organisation (details supplied) in Cork. [50256/25]