Results 4,921-4,940 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Third Level Staff (26 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: As set out in my previous responses on this matter, officials from my Department engage on an ongoing basis with their counterparts in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on multiple policy issues, which include the consideration of principles for a Higher Education Staffing Agreement. The purpose of a Higher Education Staffing Agreement, once...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Data Protection (26 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that the CCTV cameras or face recognition technology referenced in the question are not used by my Department, including the Office of Government Procurement. With regard to the bodies under the aegis of my Department, the CCTV cameras or face recognition technology referenced are not used by the National Shared Services Office, the Office of the Ombudsman, the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works (7 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: In relation to the first part of this question, the information is already publicly available through the published Revised Estimates Volume for the years in question, including at subhead level. The link to the Revised Estimates Volumes are available here: www.gov.ie/en/collection/e20037-revised-estimates/ Expenditure for all of these years (except 2021) is available through the yearly...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Priorities (7 Apr 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: Departmental Staff (7 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to inform the Deputy that one member of staff of my Department is assigned to the post of Public Expenditure and Reform Attaché in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels. The role of the Attaché is to represent and promote Ireland's interests in the policy areas under the remit of the Department, including Cohesion policy and funding, public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Defibrillators Provision (7 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that due to the nature of its role, the offices of my Department are not open to the general public, with the exception of approved appointments. However, the buildings used by my Department are equipped with defibrillator devices which are portable and can be transported in an emergency situation for use should they be required. I wish to further advise the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Family Support Services (7 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: Government is acutely aware of the challenges still facing households, especially those at lower incomes from increased costs of living. In 2020 we saw a fall in prices as a result of the pandemic. As we emerge from the pandemic and the economy recovers we are faced with a new set of challenges including rising energy prices and transitory supply issues which are causing prices to increase,...

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

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department, including the Office of Government Procurement, has not awarded any contracts to the named company during the period specified. This is also the case with regard to the bodies under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Offices (6 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Government has no plans at this point to establish an ombudsman for older persons. It would fall to the relevant Minister with responsibility for policy regarding older persons to consider and to bring forward such a proposal. I would like to point out to the Deputy that older persons are entitled to use the services of all existing Ombudsman offices for any complaint regarding the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (6 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: It is important that Ireland’s statutory National Minimum Wage and the Living Wage concept are not confused. The Living Wage has no legislative basis and is therefore not a statutory entitlement. It currently stands at €12.90 per hour according to the Living Wage Technical Group document 2021. The National Minimum Wage is a statutory entitlement and has a legislative basis. The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner (6 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: I am informed by the Ombudsman of the following: In 2020 the Ombudsman received 53 complaints about Private Nursing Homes. The majority of these complaints (30) related to the care and treatment of residents while the remainder of the complaints received concerned complaint-handling, the level of fees charged and other administrative actions. Six of the 2020 cases were either upheld or...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flexible Work Practices (6 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: The matter of a four day working week has been raised by the Four Day Week Ireland campaign led by Forsa, ICTU and other civil society groups. Correspondence on this issue has been received in my Department and I also met with the campaign in February of this year to discuss their work. In the context of the civil and public service, there are two main concerns in considering a move to a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: Responsibility for ensuring compliance with all national and EU procurement rules and procedures rests with contracting or purchasing Departments and public agencies. Screen Ireland are a body under the remit of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht , Sport and Media. Accordingly my Department has no role in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: Responsibility for ensuring compliance with all national and EU procurement rules and procedures rests with contracting or purchasing Departments and public agencies. Screen Ireland are a body under the remit of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht , Sport and Media. Accordingly, my Department has no role in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (5 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that there is currently one member of staff employed by my Department absent for a period greater than 12 months due to the circumstances set out in the question. There are no staff in this position in the bodies under the aegis of my Department with the exception of the Office of Public Works (OPW), where there is one member of staff absent for a period...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (5 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: Under the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act 2003, the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (the “Commission”) has the power to regulate the provision of “secretarial facilities” to Members. “Secretarial facilities” is a term encompassing the staff employed under the Scheme for Secretarial Assistance. The Act requires the Commission to obtain the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Reviews (5 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: We made a commitment the 2020 Programme for Government to “reform and consolidate the Ethics in Public Office legislation”. The review of the statutory framework that I have initiated and to which the Deputy’ question refers is the first step in meeting this commitment. In brief, this review is examining: - Ireland’s existing ethics legislative framework; - The...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Measures (5 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Bill to which the Deputy refers was brought forward by the previous government in 2015 with the broad aims of: - Modernising, simplifying and streamlining the existing legislative framework covering Ethics in public office; - Responding to the recommendations on conflicts of interest contained in the final report of the Mahon and Moriarty Tribunals; and - Consolidating local...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flexible Work Practices (5 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: I was pleased to publish, along with Minister of State Ossian Smyth, the Civil Service Blended Working Policy Framework on Thursday 31stMarch. This Framework provides direction to individual Departments on the development of their own tailored Blended Working policies, and ensures a consistency of approach across the Civil Service. This new model of working marks another feature of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (5 Apr 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that details of the spend by my Department on consultancy services, professional fees and legal advice is regularly updated and published on gov.ie. Details of this spend since the Department’s establishment in 2011 up to the end of December 2021 can be found at the link below and the spend to end Q1 2022 will be published shortly....