Results 4,061-4,080 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move amendment No. 14: In page 14, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 25 of Principal Act 21.Section 25 of the Principal Act is amended— (a) in subsection (2)— (i) in paragraph (d), by the substitution of “in that year,” for “in that year, and”, (ii) in paragraph (e), by the substitution of...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Chairman, the committee staff and all the members for facilitating us during the Committee Stage consideration of the Bill. I look forward to the Report and Final Stages. It is important legislation, which is borne out of the experience we have had of operating the system. This Bill significantly strengthens the system we have for the regulation of lobbying in Ireland and I...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I will start with Deputy Murphy's question. It would break one's heart to hear about baby Jacob. If I understand the Deputy correctly, the support package has been sanctioned but is not being implemented. It could well be the case that the HSE is finding it difficult to get the staff through an agency or directly-employed HSE staff. However, we will follow up on that case. A note has...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Deputy will be well aware that the airport noise competence authority in this case is Fingal County Council. It is very much aware of these issues and, indeed, so is the Irish Aviation Authority. Work is ongoing to address the matter. Ultimately, this is a matter of enforcement, and the appropriate statutory bodies have the power to deal with these issues.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: My understanding is that the change that will come into effect on 12 December is that the patients who are acutely ill will no longer be brought to Navan by ambulance. Instead, they will be taken to the nearest appropriate hospital, depending on their condition. That is different from the full ambulance bypass protocol that had been proposed. The Minister has engaged on this, and it is...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: We have now provided a dedicated stream of funding for new medicines to be progressed through the system and, ultimately, to be made available to the patients who are impacted. That has been broadly welcomed by the industry. That is ring-fenced funding that has been secured. As the Deputy said, the NCPE does its job competently. I am aware of the committee report to which he referred, and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The general scheme of the Bill has been published by the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee. There will be a process of engagement, including, of course, with the relevant Oireachtas committee during the pre-legislative scrutiny phase. I anticipate that all the stakeholders that the Deputy referenced will be given an opportunity by the committee...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: We want to see those 74 voids brought back into play. I will take that issue up with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien. He has made a lot of progress through the local authorities by providing the extra funding over the past couple of years. The number of voids has, therefore, reduced. There will always be some element of voids, but...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: That is a fair point.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Gannon. The Minister, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, are very much aware of this issue. They have already taken a number of steps, including on a temporary basis for the current school year that job-sharing teachers may be employed to work in a substitute capacity during the period they are rostered off. The limits on substitute work applying to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Kenny for raising this issue. I do not have a specific answer to hand. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, to revert to the Deputy on any consideration being given to changing the age eligibility for the breast cancer screening programme.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Shanahan. My understanding is the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, are supportive of the single European sky initiative. They have been engaging with counterparts from throughout Europe. They have been setting out the Irish position at the relevant Council meeting and they will continue to do so.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy McGrath. To be fair it might be more appropriate for the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to have that meeting. I will ask him to do so. I think the interests of the child are paramount. What we should be working towards is that there is reunification, particularly at Christmas when people deserve to spend time with their families, but on the proviso that what is paramount first...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Pringle for raising this issue. I am reluctant to give a commitment on the floor of the House that cannot be stood over and implemented but I understand the point he is making. The spirit of what has been decided is clear and we have to find a way of giving effect to it. I will discuss the issue with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and we will revert to the Deputy.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Devlin for raising this issue. A cornerstone of the Sláintecare policy is that we move towards public activity in our public hospitals. As Deputy Devlin knows discussions have been under way for quite some time between the HSE and the Department of Health with the relevant bodies, namely, the IMO and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association. I have been briefed as to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy O'Donnell who has raised a question in which many consumers throughout the country will be interested on feeding through reduced wholesale gas prices to the domestic electricity and gas prices charged to households and businesses in Ireland. As the Deputy knows, pricing is a matter for the companies themselves. He can be assured the Minister, Deputy Ryan, the Department and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. I appreciate that the cold weather, which has arrived and will get worse, is a real concern for many households. We want people to be comfortable in their homes. I will take up the specific issue she has raised about the timeframe that some applications for additional needs payments are taking and her suggestion regarding CWOs. I ask people who are in need to engage...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, has spoken to some colleagues on this issue and has made it clear that, contrary some reports, the ED in Navan is not closing this month. Of course, a concern the Deputy has is the knock-on consequences for Drogheda and the ambulance bypass protocol. The only change, as I understand it, is in a very exceptional and specific...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: It is important to clarify the position with regard to the Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019 and the key issue of open disclosure, which has been raised here. We should not confuse clinical audits with patient-requested reviews. They are different. They are explained clearly in the report that was published by the expert review group. A new patient-requested...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: Very few countries currently have mandatory disclosure-----