Results 4,941-4,960 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (31 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: Some €4 billion in funding was held in reserve in Budget 2022 to be allocated, if needed, for additional Covid-19 related measures that might be required in 2022. In the Revised Estimates for Public Services (REV) 2022 in December, given the ongoing effects of the pandemic, a number of further targeted supports totalling €96 million were provided to Departments in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (31 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: The new PEACE PLUS cross-border EU programme is now at a very advanced point of development and will be formally launched later this year. Development of the new programme was led by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), working closely with my Department and the Department of Finance NI, together with a cross-border and cross-sectoral Programme Development Steering Group. The draft...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Gender Equality (31 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: My Department is committed to creating an inclusive working environment for all staff. As the Deputy may be aware, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth recently announced details of the introduction of gender pay gap reporting in Ireland. The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 introduced the legislative basis for gender pay gap reporting and I have been...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Transport Policy (31 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Department of Transport is the principal Department with responsibility for active travel. Among a broad set of responsibilities across the transport area, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has certain statutory objectives and functions in relation to the promotion of active travel. In January of this year, the Minister of Transport announced that the NTA had allocated funds to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Expenditure Reviews (30 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: Work is continuing within my Department to develop our understanding of the potential expenditure impact of taking in refugees from Ukraine. At present, as this is still an early stage of people movement into Ireland, it is difficult to provide exact costings as the range of potential arrivals is quite large and the demographic profile of these can only be estimated at this point. It is also...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery (29 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy may be aware, the responsibility for the regulation of the National Lottery is, under statute, under the remit of the Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery (the National Lottery Act, 2013.) I understand that the Regulator will, on foot of complaints received, consider the opt-out system for the draw based add-on “Plus” games in the National...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (29 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department, including the Office of Government Procurement (OGP), has no retainers in place with outside organisations.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff (29 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that there are currently no civil servants employed by my Department, including the Office of Government Procurement, on secondment to the private sector.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Consultations (29 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: The information requested by the Deputy for my Department, including the Office of Government Procurement (OGP), is set out in the tables below. As part of its “People @PER Strategy”, my Department is fully committed to recognising, valuing and harnessing the diverse talents of its staff, and to creating an inclusive working environment where staff feel supported to achieve...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (29 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: The authorities responsible for the administration of the large number of pension schemes operating in the various sectors of the Irish public service are, in general, the relevant employers and Ministers in those sectors. It would be a matter for those sectoral authorities, including relevant Ministers, to supply such information as may be available in respect of the number of retirees in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Issues (24 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Brexit Adjustment Reserve has a total value of €5 billion in constant (2018) prices, or €5.47 billion in current prices. All Member States are to receive an allocation. The purpose of the Reserve is to provide financial support to the most affected Member States, regions and sectors to deal with the adverse consequence of Brexit. Expenditure under the Reserve must...

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Neodracht), 2022: An Chéad Chéim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Neutrality) Bill 2022: First Stage (23 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: No.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2022: First Stage (23 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: No.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I reiterate that we are concerned about the current trend with Covid. I would make the point, however, that the anchor of Government policy on this issue in the past two years has been the public health advice. The decisions taken a number of weeks ago were made in line with the specific public health advice that we received. We have not received any new advice to make any change to the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: It falls to individuals to make a decision for themselves and to carry out their own risk assessment as to what they think is appropriate. At this point, the Government has not received any public health advice that is contrary to what it received previously.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I agree that the response of the Irish people has been remarkable, although it comes as no surprise to anyone in this House. Work is under way to contact those who made offers of accommodation through the portal, with an initial focus on the vacant properties where own-door accommodation can be provided. The welfare issues that arise in that circumstance are less than where someone has to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I want to say on behalf of the Government that we are anxious that this payment be made as quickly as possible. There was a meeting on Monday this week involving the health sector trade union group as well as the HSE and the Department of Health. A number of issues were discussed there, some of which the Deputy touched on. There will be a further meeting today. We are very anxious to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I assure Deputy Harkin that this issue is being worked on. We are aware of the fact that the existing transformation payments are due to expire at the end of this year. I am familiar with the previous report that Grant Thornton brought forward about the need for additional support in certain circumstances. The Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, is leading the work on the future...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I am not familiar with the details of that case, I will be honest, but I do appreciate the importance of local social welfare and Intreo offices in communities throughout the country. The Deputy said that he has raised this with the Minister, so I will leave it with her to come back to him directly.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: I acknowledge Deputy Conway-Walsh’s personal interest in this issue. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, will come back to her directly on this matter. I am not familiar with the granular detail of this case or the position in respect of bonds or matters of that nature. It is important that there is engagement and discussion on the issue, and I know the Minister will also...