Results 5,161-5,180 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Issues (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: My Department continues to monitor and respond to the impact of Brexit, in particular the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland.  Successive budgets since the UK referendum on EU membership have seen around €1 billion committed to preparing for Brexit, including supports...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Policies (1 Mar 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...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Priorities (1 Mar 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Government has set out a number of commitments in the Programme for Government in relation to public procurement including evaluating and managing the environmental, economic and social impacts of procurement strategies within the State, developing and implementing a sustainable procurement policy and tasking the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) to update all procurement frameworks...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Meetings (24 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. Date(s) of engagement Format of engagement Attended by Purpose of engagement 2021 12/03/202120/07/2021 19/11/2021 Online meetings Officials Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group 06/10/2021 ...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is a serious one for the people who are impacted. Those who qualify for a driving licence should have access to one in a timely manner within a reasonable period of time. It is important that there is good quality customer service in all of our State organisations and across the wider public sector. I will ask the Minister for Transport to...

Estimates for Public Services 2022 (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I move the following Revised Estimates: Vote 1 — President's Establishment (Revised Estimate)That a sum not exceeding €4,750,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2022, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Secretary General to the President, for certain other expenses of the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Smith for raising what is a very important issue for so many school secretaries and caretakers throughout the country. As she knows, there is to be a further hearing of the WRC on Thursday of this week. There have been intensive discussions in the lead-up to that. There was a WRC hearing last September at which much progress was made on a public service pay scale, with the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Collins. Fair play to him for managing to mention very many of the coastal communities of Cork South-West in his contribution. I will raise the issue he brought up today with the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and he will revert to the Deputy directly.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Cahill. Again, I very much welcome the Supreme Court decision on the Glanbia plant. It is very good news for the region, farmers and country. I will ask the Minister to come back to the Deputy directly with an update on the Banagher meat plant in County Offaly.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Higgins for raising this issue, which I know is so important for so many pregnant women all over the country. I am aware the matter has been raised with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, on a number of occasions. He and his officials in the Department have been working with the HSE to bring about a solution. I believe he is optimistic a solution can be implemented. I...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I acknowledge there is an issue here that needs to be addressed. The Deputy referred to the work that has been ongoing for some time now, but that is being intensified. The Department of Health and the HSE have invited the Irish Dental Association to further consultations beginning on 28 February and are currently awaiting a response. As the Deputy knows, the Department of Health in recent...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Ó Murchú. I am not familiar with the specific development in question. The Deputy referred to the group heating scheme and the role of the CRU. I suggest the issue might be taken up with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, in the context of housing.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Carroll MacNeill. What I can confirm is we as a Government, in the course of the Estimates process for the previous two budgets, have significantly increased the level of resources for special education services across our education system, as is right and proper, including further increases in the number of special needs assistants, SNAs, much-needed increases in the number...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy McGrath raising this issue. It is something we are all experiencing and all of us are being contacted by employers who are struggling to recruit staff as well as to bring staff in from abroad. We have an internal market within the EU of approximately 450 million people. Even within such a large pool, it is proving very difficult to attract people with the requisite...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the IDG report on offline services for post offices. I am aware of the work of the IDG and I discussed it recently with the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, as well as with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys. I expect the Minister of State will publish the report shortly. I do not believe it will provide an immediate quick-fix solution to the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: The allocation from the URDF to Carlow town was particularly welcome. What I am hearing from the Deputy is a frustration about the process and the time it is taking to advance it. Perhaps it is an issue about which we can have a direct discussion. I would be happy to take this up with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to see what we can do to bring about a faster...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I have heard the Deputy raise this issue on a number of occasions, along with others. It is being actively worked on. I know that because I am a member of the Cabinet committee on housing, where it has been an agenda item. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has presented on it. I will ask him to respond directly to the Deputy with an update on the timeframe for the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: Undoubtedly, there will be a look-back at our experience over the past two years and how the pandemic was handled by the Government, State bodies and others. The Deputy will be aware that the Minister for Health recently announced the establishment of a public health reform expert advisory group that will initially focus on identifying the lessons to be learned from the public health...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I can only imagine the recent storms presented a huge amount of extra anxiety for people living with mica in their homes. This is a top priority for Government. We want to deal with this as quickly as possible. We have announced a new scheme with an overall value of €2.2 billion with a number of important improvements and changes from the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. My understanding is 116 plaintiffs sued the Medical Missionaries of Mary, the congregation, and the HSE arising from damages from Dr. Shine's abusive activities. In the period, December 2019 to March 2020, the 116 plaintiffs formally discontinued their claims against the HSE by serving notices of discontinuance. The plaintiffs continue to pursue...