Results 5,401-5,420 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: I have acknowledged that the price pressures are impacting on people negatively. It is not just energy prices although the headline inflation rate has been driven up substantially by energy prices. We are also seeing it coming through in rising food prices in our supermarkets. Of course that is a concern. However, we have to look at what the Government is doing in the round. I spoke...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: Information on expenditure is published each month in the Fiscal Monitor, with the provisional end-December 2021 gross capital expenditure position recorded as €9.9 billion. A breakdown of both current and capital expenditure for each Department is set out on pages 19 and 20 of the Fiscal Monitor, published on 5 January this year. The provisional data in the Fiscal Monitor...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Reform Review (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: If we get to that point, and this matter is subject to a Government decision yet to be taken, because I must consider the report in the round and then bring a recommendation to Government, which I will do, and if changes are to be implemented, then it will be a matter for the individual sectors to determine how those changes are to be implemented. All sectors have been aware since late 2020...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: 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...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Reform Review (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy very much. The Haddington Road agreement provided for a range of significant reform and productivity measures including the introduction of the additional working hours for public servants the Deputy has referred to from 1 July 2013. She will be familiar with the details of those additional working hours. Chapter 4 of Building Momentum - A New Public Service Agreement...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Reform Review (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy very much. It is fair to say that the Haddington Road hours have real value, especially in areas such as healthcare. These are hours in which really important work is carried out. There is a cost to replacing those hours. The work of assessing exactly what that cost will be is ongoing. My Department has, of course, carried out its own assessment over time but the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Government acknowledges the contribution of our front-line healthcare workers and all workers across the economy during the Covid-19 pandemic. They have faced difficult challenges and have risen to the task. As a Government, we have on many occasions stated our commitment to recognise these efforts. There were a number of issues that had to be taken into consideration before we could...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Government and I are enormously appreciative of the extraordinary work of the many thousands of carers throughout the country at all times and, in particular, over the course of the pandemic. As the Deputy will know, last year we increased the carer's support grant to €1,850. That was paid in June 2021. She will also know that in the budget, we made changes for the first time in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: The truth is that if the Government were to seek to meet all the legitimate calls that have been made to extend this pandemic payment, the cost of it would become very large. One could potentially be talking about €500 million or more. That is the truth if we were to include the full range of workers that have been suggested the Government include. Unfortunately, that is simply not...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Deputy will be aware that I launched Civil Service Renewal 2030, a ten-year strategy for Civil Service Renewal, in May of last year along with the Taoiseach. This strategy was driven by the need to develop a clear direction for the future of the Civil Service, while also responding to today’s challenging environment. The strategy provides a ten-year framework focused on three core...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: The Government acknowledges the contribution of our frontline healthcare workers and all workers across the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have faced difficult challenges and have risen to the task. As a Government, we have, on many occasions, stated our commitment to recognise these efforts. There were a number of issues which needed to be taken in to consideration before we...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cybersecurity Policy (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: In November 2021, the Public Sector Cyber Security Baseline Standard was published by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications. This was a commitment in the National Cyber Security Strategy 2019-2024 and sets out a range of guidance for civil and public service bodies as they continue to work to mitigate the risk of cyber crime and improve resilience of their ICT and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: Significant direct expenditure supports have been put in place by Government since early 2020 to respond to the impacts of Covid-19. This funding has been critical in supporting our people and businesses impacted by the pandemic and in providing the necessary funding to allow our key public services respond effectively to the crisis. Some €30 billion in additional funding was made...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at Departmental level. The responsibility for the management and delivery of the individual investment projects, within the allocations agreed under the National Development Plan (NDP), rests with the individual sponsoring...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: There is not currently a specific internal workplace policy on domestic and sexual violence and abuse in the Civil Service, however, the Civil Service does have a policy covering unpaid leave for domestic reasons of up to two months (Circular 05/2010: Force Majeure and Other Urgent Family Reasons Leave) circulars.gov.ie/pdf/circular/finance/2010/05.pdf A commitment has been made in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: The salary rates for Secretary General posts at Level I, II and III are published by my Department at www.gov.ie/en/circulars/. From the 1st of January 2021 to the 30th of September 2021, the salary rate for Secretary General Level I and Level II was €211,742, and the rate for Secretary General Level III was €200,598. Section 3.1.3 of Building Momentum - A New Public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: The National Public Procurement Policy Framework (NPPPF) consists of five strands: 1. Legislation (Directives, Regulations) 2. Government Policy (Circulars etc.) 3. The Capital Works Management Framework for Public Works and Construction related Services 4. General Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services 5. More detailed technical guidelines, template documentation...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: It is a key responsibility of every Department and Minister to manage expenditure within their respective allocations. This is the case for all public expenditure, including core expenditure, as well as additional expenditure allocated as part of the response to Covid-19. The response to the Covid-19 crisis was swift, with many Civil and Public Servants transitioning to working from home...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: Supporting society and the economy has been a Government priority since the onset of the pandemic. Supports were introduced swiftly in 2020, with a range of schemes introduced to support incomes, employment and key public services. Over €16½ billion in funding was made available for measures to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic during 2020, which provided for essential economic...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Crime Prevention (20 Jan 2022)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy is aware, last year, the Minister for Justice and I jointly announced our agreement to establish a new fund to further support community safety in recognition of the success of An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in depriving criminal gangs of the proceeds of crime.   Accordingly a provision of €2 million was allocated to the...