Results 4,501-4,520 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Tax Data (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Programme for Government commits to hypothecating all additional carbon tax receipts over 2021-2030 (estimated at €9.5bn) in order to: - Ensure that the increases in the carbon tax are progressive by spending €3 billion on targeted social welfare and other initiatives to prevent fuel poverty and ensure a just transition; - Provide €5 billion to part fund a socially...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 to 340, inclusive, together. As the Deputy will be aware, counsel fees were reduced in both 2009 and 2010 respectively as part of a broader Government agenda to reduce escalating legal costs. A further reduction was imposed in 2011 primarily to control spending under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme. These reductions were underpinned by Government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Summer Economic Statement (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: Table 1 of the 2022 Summer Economic Statement sets out the budgetary strategy for the period to 2025. As part of the total €6.7 billion budget package for 2023 an amount of €3 billion is indicated as for ‘budgetary decisions’. This category comprises provision for Existing Levels of Service (ELS) costs and the planned core capital expenditure increases under the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 343, 350 and 351 together. Costs relating to implementation of the Inflation Co-operation Framework (the Framework) are to be met from within existing capital expenditure ceilings. The ceilings detailed in the National Development Plan 2021-30 (NDP) are cognisant of the overall capability of the construction sector to deliver on the NDP and of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2023 (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: I can confirm to the Deputy that it is not intended that the annual priority reserve of €51 million for 2023 as set out in National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-2030 will be used as a resource for any potential overspends in Budget 2023. The annual priority reserves included in the NDP will be allocated each year during the Estimates process. Retaining this element of flexibility is an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department and the Office of Government Procurement (OGP), which is part of my Department, engaged the services of one of the named organisations during the period specified. With the exception of the Office of the National Lottery regulator (ORNL), this is also the case for the bodies under the aegis of my Department. The ORNL have advised that they have...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: The suggested Living Wage at €12.17 per hour based on the Civil Service 35 hour standard net working week equates to an annual salary of approximately €22,226.07. Detailed data on civil service staff indicates that less than 0.1% of staff (FTE) in the civil service are on salary points less than this suggested Living Wage. Those currently on an annual salary of less than...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Summer Economic Statement (SES), published on 4th July 2022, sets out the key parameters for Budget 2023. This included an increase to the 2022 and 2023 core expenditure growth rates to 6 per cent and 6½ per cent respectively. These adjustments were made to respond to the challenging economic context, in particular regarding inflationary pressures. To protect public services,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ukraine War (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: It is estimated that 5.6 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded across Europe. This includes almost forty thousand refugees arriving in Ireland. Given the evolving nature of the situation, it is difficult to provide exact costings as the number of arrivals fluctuate on a daily basis. The demographic profile of arrivals, a key determinant of costings, is also subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: In Budget 2022, provision was made for up to €7 billion to continue our response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Some €3 billion of this was allocated at Departmental level, while €4 billion contingency funding was held in reserve centrally to allow Government flexibility to respond to emerging needs during 2022. Following some additional allocations as part of the Revised...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022 provides for a substantial overhaul of the legislative framework for the protection of whistleblowers as well as to transpose EU Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law. Among other things, the Bill expands the personal scope of the legislation to include an individual who is or was a volunteer. This...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Supports (7 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: Ireland’s allocation from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve is €1.065 billion in constant (2018) prices, equivalent to €1.165 billion in current prices, representing just over 20% of the total Reserve, or the largest allocation for any Member State. - €361.6 million received in 2021 - €276.7 million received in 2022 - Third tranche due in 2023 The allocation...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy may be aware, part of the reasoning for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform terminating funding to Benefacts was that the service provided did not fall under the ambit of the Department's policy responsibility. That remains the case. Accordingly, the Department does not have plans regarding any proposed reconstitution of the Benefacts service. However, the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (7 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: In relation to the matters the Deputy refers, the remit of my Department extends to Special Leave with Pay for Covid-19 and to the Public Service sick leave scheme. Special leave with pay for COVID-19 arrangements were introduced in March 2020 as a temporary measure in response to the unprecedented circumstances presented by the COVID pandemic. Special Leave with Pay has been used in lieu of...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: With regard to Deputy Pringle's question, my understanding is that work is ongoing with regard to the review of cardiac services, which is being led by Professor Philip Nolan. The timeline was impacted by Covid-19 but it is expected to be completed shortly. I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for raising the issue of these very important schemes. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is examining...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for welcoming the reduction in public transport fares. The purpose of that initiative is to support PSO public transport every day throughout the country. That is the way in which it is being applied. We have, over the course of Covid, provided additional support to the private transport sector. I will ask the Minister for Transport, Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: I have not yet seen that particular pre-budget submission. The way the process works is that over the coming weeks I will sit down with my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, as part of the Estimates process to agree on a settlement for health for 2023. Then, the more micro-decisions relating to the allocation of funds all of the different strands of healthcare will be made...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: I assure the Deputy that this is an issue all over the country, and not just in the Kingdom of Kerry. There are staff shortages across a range of sectors. The unemployment rate is now less than 5%. This was confirmed again earlier by the Central Statistics Office. That is good news, but it does create challenges. We are looking at this in the context of different initiatives, such as,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: There will have to be another home him anyway.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue on behalf of Meelick GAA club. I will look into the issue with the OPW. In general, where State land is adjoining an existing sports club that has ambitions around expansion, and if there is no other intended use for the land, the State, in principle, is supportive of disposing that land, either by a means of a freehold agreement or long-term lease...