Results 4,081-4,100 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

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

Michael McGrath: We will have the debate with the Minister but that is-----

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

Michael McGrath: -----the kernel of the issue that has been raised with me and that I have heard raised publicly. The Oireachtas will perform its function in respect of the legislative process and that will take place, as I understand it, tomorrow evening.

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

Michael McGrath: Deputy Bríd Smith raised the issue of the EU aviation agreements. I again underline the importance of international connectivity for us, as an island nation, from tourism and trade points of view. I hope the House will agree with the motion that has been placed before it.

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

Michael McGrath: I assure Deputy Mattie McGrath that the Government is working very hard on all strands relating to inward migration, people fleeing the war in Ukraine and those seeking international protection. There will be a further Cabinet committee on that issue on Monday of next week. We have an obligation to fulfil our international responsibilities and we will continue to do that. On the issue...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Canney. There is no problem with engagement, which should always take place between stakeholders. Of course farmers have issues with this measure and will be affected by it. This is a tax of the Department of Finance. The Revenue Commissioners are involved. The local authorities have a central role, as has the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: Yes, we will. Deputy Boyd Barrett should also put the full facts on the record when he talks about the performance of the local authorities in Dublin. The four Dublin local authorities currently have 2,000 homes under construction on various sites and in excess of 3,700 others in the pipeline for delivery at this point in time. Shanganagh is under way. The LDA is now building homes -...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is also providing €100 million to local authorities to help them clear legacy debt. This will assist in accelerating the delivery of social homes on sites that local authorities own by taking away the debt related to them. He is also putting in place a fund for the Housing Agency to assist it in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Canney for raising this matter. In many ways it speaks to the issue we have been discussing for the past half an hour. Everyone agrees there is a housing crisis and we face a huge challenge to deliver homes all over the country. However, as soon as something is proposed that is an imposition on somebody, in some cases a major imposition, then objections are raised, progress...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: Supply is increasing. That is a fact. The Government is focused, collectively, on implementing all strands of Housing for All. New public stock is not just delivered by our local authorities. It is also delivered by approved housing bodies and the LDA. The question is, when it comes to this House making decisions, which might be difficult ones where trade-offs are involved in our...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I am conscious this is a new tax that has just been legislated for in the Finance Bill. It is set, as the Deputy knows, at three times the property's existing base local property tax, LPT, rate. As is always the case with a new tax, we will keep the rate under review and see if it is having the desired effect. The whole purpose of this new tax, which the Oireachtas has now legislated for,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: -----it be a derelict sites tax or, for the first time ever, a new vacant homes tax. The imperative is to get this up and running. We will monitor the impact to see the extent to which it is having a beneficial effect. It will have some but when it comes to the specific rate, we will be keeping that under review.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Making better use of existing stock has to be an important part of the overall solution, given the scale of the housing challenge we face. We know that, with the best will in the world, building new homes takes time, with the various stages that have to be gone through, including planning, procurement, bringing services to land, waterways, water,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy well knows, we have brought in emergency measures in the context of this winter, which have been approved by this House and are really needed. The reason we have such a level of growth in new rental prices is the mismatch between supply and demand. That is why the Government's core focus is on increasing supply of all kinds of housing, that is, affordable purchase, cost-rental...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: ------getting to the level we need it to get to. This is the only side of the House that has a fully-funded multi-annual plan for housing and we are delivering the increase in the units.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: All of the renters who aspire to home ownership look to help to buy, the first home scheme and the LDA, all of which Sinn Féin has opposed. The Deputy's answer with regard to rental is to increase tax with a new tax on rental properties, increased tax for landlords and an income tax on capital gains. That is the Deputy's answer to attracting new investment to Ireland and that will not work.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy McDonald for raising the BPFI report today, which confirms that we face an enormous challenge in relation to housing. The Government has been upfront and honest about the scale of that challenge. That is why we brought forward the Housing for All plan, which is showing significant signs of progress in relation to supply overall, which will reach the highest level for a long...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: Across the EU, the European Commission classifies regions within the Union as either being a “Less Developed Region”, a "Region in Transition” or a “More Developed Region”, based on their GDP per head of population relative to the EU27 Average. The Northern and Western Region is classified as a “Region in Transition” on the basis that its...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Croke Park Agreement encompassed all civil and public servants under my Department. No distinction was made between categories of civil servants under the Agreement. The sectoral agreement in relation to the Civil Service and Non-Commercial State-Sponsored Bodies is attached for the Deputy’s information.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables below. TD: Date Effective Gross Annual € NMAX LSI 1 LSI 2 01 Oct 2022 105,271.00 --- --- 02 Feb 2022 104,229.00 --- --- ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (6 Dec 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Public Service Sick Leave Scheme provides for the payment of the following to staff during periods of absence from work due to illness or injury: A maximum of 92 days on full pay in a rolling one-year period  - Followed by a maximum of 91 days on half pay in a rolling one-year period  - Subject to an overriding threshold of 183 days’ paid sick leave in a rolling...