Results 4,701-4,720 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: There have been significant and sustained increases in the prices of a broad range of commonly used materials in the construction sector throughout 2021 in the aftermath of the pandemic. Energy prices also showed marked increases in 2021 and have further escalated in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Both represent significant input costs for construction projects and inflation...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: Budget 2022 made provision for up to €7 billion in funding to continue our response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Following the Revised Estimates in December 2021, €3.9 billion of this funding remained unallocated. This contingency is held in reserve centrally to allow Government flexibility to respond to emerging needs during the year. In February 2022, the Government announced...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cost of Living Issues (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: Recent months have seen a number of new challenges emerge across the economy. These challenges surfaced due to increased demand and supply chain issues as we emerged from the pandemic and have been compounded by the impact of conflict in Ukraine. As previously acknowledged, the Government cannot absorb the full spectrum of inflationary pressures. However, we have taken action to put in place...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: There have been significant and sustained increases in the prices of a broad range of commonly used materials in the construction sector throughout 2021 in the aftermath of the pandemic. Energy prices also showed marked increases in 2021 and have further escalated in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Both materials and energy represent significant input costs for construction...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Project Ireland 2040 (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: My Department published an updated Investment Projects and Programmes Tracker and MyProjectIreland interactive map in May 2022. The tracker provides a composite update on the progress of all major investments that make up Project Ireland 2040. The tracker is drawn from data provided by relevant Government Departments and agencies. It focuses mainly on projects and programmes with costs...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: The subject of overall recruitment and retention in the public service was examined by the Public Service Pay Commission in their first report in May 2017. After a comprehensive investigation, the Commission found that "In general, evidence suggests that there are not significant recruitment difficulties to the various large scale public service vocational streams. However, there are problems...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: There have been significant and sustained increases in the prices of a broad range of commonly used materials in the construction sector throughout 2021 in the aftermath of the pandemic. Energy prices also showed marked increases in 2021 and have further escalated in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Both materials and energy represent significant input costs for construction...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Refugee Resettlement Programme (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: The EU has introduced a range of flexibilities to address the impact of the influx of Ukrainian refugees including a regulation on Cohesion Action for Refugees in Europe (CARE) allowing for the swift release and reallocation of existing cohesion policy funding. In addition, Ireland receives existing funding under the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) to support migrant...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Transport (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that a response will be forwarded directly to him, as set out under Standing Order 51B.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cost of Living Issues (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: Civil and public service pay has been governed by a system of collective agreements since the Croke Park Agreement was negotiated in 2010. These collective agreements have helped to ensure that public pay is managed in a sustainable, affordable and orderly manner. These agreements have also enabled significant reform of public services and changes to work practices. The current public service...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Inflation Rate (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216, 217, 219, 220, 221 and 222 together. As the economy recovers from the impacts of the pandemic we are encountering new challenges from rising energy prices and supply chain issues. These are exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, which has added to inflationary pressures globally. This is not a difficulty unique to Ireland and is faced by almost every...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: The process of unwinding the Financial Emergency (FEMPI) legislation commenced under the Lansdowne Road Agreement 2016-2018, with the remainder of the process largely completed under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 (PSSA). This will continue under ‘Building Momentum: A New Public Service Agreement, 2021-2022’. At this point, salary rates up to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Functions (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Government has committed to €165 billion in capital investment through the National Development Plan (NDP) published last year. As a percentage of national income, annual capital investment is now among the largest in the EU. In 2022, almost €12 billion will fund vital infrastructure in areas such as housing, transport, education, enterprise, sport and climate action. My...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: All public works projects that are delivered under the Exchequer-funded element of the Government's capital plan must be procured in accordance with the provisions laid down in the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF). The CWMF represents the tools that a public body must use to procure and manage the external resources necessary to deliver a public works project that is to be delivered...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Inflation Rate (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy is aware, my Department is responsible for policy on allocating public funds across each area of Government spending and ensuring that expenditure is managed in line with these allocations by Departments. In this way, officials from my Department engage with their counterparts on proposals in relation to a variety of expenditure measures including in relation to housing,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy may be aware, the principle of abatement of a public service pension is long-standing within the rules of various public service pension schemes. Prior to the Public Service Pension (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012), pension abatement applied only where an individual was re-employed in the same sector. The Single Scheme Act extended abatement such that an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Policies (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 228 together. Due to the nature of its role, my Department, including the Office of Government Procurement therein, has no office locations that provide services directly to the general public. The Customer Service Charter for my Department describes the service each customer is entitled to expect when dealing with the Department and our commitment to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flexible Work Practices (16 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: There are no plans to reinstate the working from home advice. The working from home guidance was a public health measure introduced in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government announced, on 10 February this year, a suite of measures to mitigate the impact of recent inflation on citizens and assist with rising costs of living. This package builds on the measures announced as part...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (15 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: Motor travel rates were last reviewed in 2017 and the current rates are set out in Circular 05/2017: Motor Travel Rates. The rates are currently being reviewed by my officials and work is ongoing on devising new rates reflecting current input costs.  Proposals for revised rates will be discussed, as per existing agreements, with staff representative associations. It is anticipated that...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Staff (15 Jun 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware on the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues Government-approved Guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices.   The appointment of individual Special Advisers is a matter for each Government Minister, subject to the terms of the aforementioned Guidelines, although the...