Results 5,541-5,560 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank all the Senators for their contributions to the debate. I will be back in the Chamber tomorrow on Committee Stage. I look forward to discussing the issues in some more detail then. I have heard what everyone has had to say about staff generally in the Oireachtas. I fully concur with all those sentiments. We are very fortunate in the way we are looked after and served by all...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (8 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: Circular E103/3/83 – Special leave for Sporting Purposes, provides that special leave with pay may be granted to officers representing Ireland at: (1) The Olympic Games (2) World Championship Events (3) European Championship Events (4) Pre-Olympic Qualifying Competitions Written confirmation from the National Governing Body of the Sport is required in order to be eligible for leave...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Measures (7 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: Directive (EU) 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law ("the Whistleblowing Directive") was adopted in October 2019 and the deadline for transposition into Irish law is 17 December 2021. Ireland already has comprehensive whistleblower protection legislation in place in the form of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. Transposition of the Directive will require...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Industrial Relations (7 Dec 2021)

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: Public Sector Staff (7 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015-2024(CES) recommends the phased increase of the current statutory target of 3% of employees with disabilities in the public sector to 6% by 2024. Increasing the minimum statutory employment target to 6% is also a commitment under the Programme for Government 2020. The Civil Service is fully committed to equality of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (7 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: Officials from my Department have raised the case with the National Shared Services Office (NSSO), which is responsible for the administration of Civil Service pensions. I understand that following further correspondence between the NSSO and the former employing department (the Department of Justice) the NSSO has recently been provided with all the documentation needed to process the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (7 Dec 2021)

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. I and my Department are responsible for the civil service...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures (7 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that I have not received any Protected Disclosures concerning my Department or the bodies under its aegis during the period specified, or to date in 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Social Enterprise Sector (7 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: Due to the nature of my Department's role, funding for the promotion and support of the social enterprise sector is not provided from its Votes. However, the Deputy may wish to note that by supporting the administration of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and technical assistance costs for the SEUPB and the Regional Assemblies, my Department is indirectly supporting social enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (7 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the independent recruiter for appointments to the civil service.PAS undertakes competitions on behalf of the civil service to establish panels that may be drawn upon as vacancies arise in Government Departments or Offices. PAS has advised that no candidates were assigned from the Executive Officer with Irish panels to...

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: Hopefully not, a Cheann Comhairle. I assure Deputy Smith that I am not going anywhere. I am never going to be far away from the House or Members. I can be held to account at any time and am happy to be held to account and to attend committees and plenary sessions as well. The Deputy should not underestimate the value of this debate. My officials are here while other officials are...

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: They are listening very carefully to all the contributions being made. There is an process ongoing at the moment. The amendment I am being asked to accept includes a report covering engagement the Minister has had with union representatives of political staff in respect of their pay claim. In fairness, that is not my role. It is not my role to engage directly with the unions. The...

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank all of my colleagues for their contributions on this amendment and on Second Stage. I acknowledge the points they have all made about the role of our secretarial assistants. They do extraordinary work. In the 30 or 35 minutes we have been in the Chamber we can be sure that the phones in our offices have rung more than once, many e-mails have arrived into our inboxes, messages have...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I have referred this query to the National Lottery Regulator, who will respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables below, with one table for my Department and another for the Office of Government Procurement (OGP), which is also part of my Department. Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Year Costs 2021 (to date) €122,488 2020 €176,370 ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Properties (2 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: My Department continues to implement measures to improve ventilation across its office buildings. The measures to improve the natural ventilation of buildings include the opening of windows, a reduced onsite workforce facilitated through working from home and the revision of the maximum occupational capacity of offices to ensure a safe physical distancing of staff. Additionally, all forms...

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I do not need to make any concluding remarks.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Public Sector Pay (1 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank Senator Craughwell for raising this issue and I thank the Cathaoirleach for giving me the opportunity to address it in the House. As a Member of the Oireachtas for more than 14 years, I am deeply conscious and appreciative of the extraordinary work carried out by all of our support staff. I see this work up close day in, day out, and know that I, for one, could not do the job I do...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Public Sector Pay (1 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Senator. I also acknowledge the Cathaoirleach's comments. I should have said that this issue has been raised with me by him and many of his colleagues from across the floor of the Seanad in recent times. My understanding is that both parties, that is, the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission and SIPTU, have written to the WRC and want to go back to the WRC for negotiations....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2021)

Michael McGrath: Special leave with pay for COVID-19 only applies when a Public Service employee is required to self-isolate as they are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 and/or had a positive PCR test for COVID-19. Certain employees may be eligible for premium payments whilst availing of Special Leave with Pay, providing they satisfy the specific conditions for inclusion of these...