Results 5,581-5,600 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. In terms of day-to-day operations, the Public Appointments Service operates independently and the level of interaction I have with it on a day-to-day basis is limited. The Supplementary Estimate, in particular, arose as a result of the additional recruitment of medical and clerical staff, especially in the health area. The majority of the Supplementary Estimate relates...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. I hope she is hearing me okay. I welcome the report. I am still working my way through it because it is a lengthy report which gives a lot of food for thought. I have looked at the 14 recommendations that were provided by the committee. Those recommendations will be given serious consideration. I have had an initial discussion about the recommendations with my...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: We have the Top-Level Appointments Committee, TLAC. I know this committee commented on the role of TLAC in its report. I have informed the Government that I intend to review the role and composition of TLAC. If the committee has any detailed proposals or suggestions for the role of TLAC, I would be more than happy to engage. Until recently, TLAC had 13 members. A lot of work is going...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. Management of the payroll bill is an issue for the Accounting Officer in charge of the HSE Vote. It is not something that I have day-to-day involvement in. The Estimates we are discussing today relate to the Public Appointments Service, PAS, and do not involve direct payments to employees outside of its own body. Of course, the issue of pensions relates to the Vote on...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I am aware of the issue. My understanding is that the change arises from a ruling by the Information Commissioner following a freedom of information process that ultimately made its way to his desk for a decision. It is a decision that was made by him and one that we have to comply with and be consistent with. I should make the point that we are doing a review of the freedom of information...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: Undoubtedly, it has been a challenge to recruit the number of staff that we have provided the budget for. Having said that, a lot of progress has been made. Last year, over 6,300 additional staff were recruited, which included over 1,700 nurses and midwives. This year, so far, just under 4,500 additional staff have been recruited. Therefore, between last year and this year, approximately...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I assure the Deputy that we value and recognise the extraordinary role of out front-line healthcare workers. We are continuing to work on this issue because we need to get it right. If we do not get it right it could result in unnecessary divisions being opened up and we should seek to avoid that. There are a number of elements to it, as the Deputy knows, and many of them have been...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Chairman. He will have to forgive me for not being familiar with report No. 42 of 2007 from the review body. I believe it relates to orthodontics. Is that correct?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I am happy to undertake to follow up and investigate this and make sure there is, at a minimum, communication with the people concerned. If there was a Labour Court hearing, it is the practice of the State, where the State is a party to a Labour Court hearing and a recommendation is made, to honour and implement that recommendation. I will, therefore, take that away. We have noted report...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I take the point that the system can be and needs to be improved. We should also acknowledge that in many instances the PAS is finding it difficult to get the candidates. The average figure that the Deputy quotes of over 500 days is not solely down to the system. I acknowledge that there is a need to streamline and improve the system and that is an area of work that the HSE is focused on...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: No, it is not a number of months away. What I will not do is give half an answer. We will give the full answer when we are ready and when we have all this fully worked through. It is being actively worked on right across Government and a number of Departments are directly contributing to this work. It does not sit within any single Department. As the Deputy indicated, I have said...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Durkan very much for his question regarding the public finance position within the current year. As the Deputy knows, on budget day we published our updated budgetary forecasts and also our updated macroeconomic forecasts for the next number of years. It is fair to say that we have witnessed a strong rebound in the Irish economy in recent months. That has resulted in very...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I have an open mind on it. It is not something that I have given a great deal of thought to because we have that ruling from the Information Commissioner. It is not a decision point for me at this moment in time. It is an issue that we should consider in the context of the legislation. In his comments, the Deputy drew a distinction between elected officials and unelected officials. We...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (23 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 and 256 together. My Department developed Guidance and FAQs on working arrangements and temporary assignments during COVID-19 for civil and public service employers. This Guidance and FAQs document has been continually updated to reflect public health and Government policy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The FAQs have been prepared to assist employees...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flexible Work Practices (18 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: You will be aware that the Government has committed in the Programme for Government to mandating public sector employers to move to 20% home and remote working. In July, 2021, the Government approved a Policy Statement on Blended Working in the Civil Service, which was developed by the Civil Service Management Board. The Policy Statement commits the Civil Service to implementing a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (17 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 78 together. In relation to the request that the current panel in place from the 2019 Executive Officer with Irish fluency competition be further extended beyond 31 December 2021, I would refer the Deputy to PQ 54814/21 of 10 November. Candidates for this competition were advised that vacancies many not arise in all regional locations while the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Private Partnerships (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. It is important to say that the PPP method should only be used where value for money can be demonstrated. It is one option in terms of the possible financing of a range of projects. There are currently 11 higher education projects in the pipeline for delivery by way of PPP. They are split into two bundles. The Deputy probably has all the details, but I am happy to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Private Partnerships (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I want to assure the Deputy that the appraisal process is rigorous. It is worth putting the figures in context. The annual cost of the unitary payment charges in respect of operational PPPs was approximately €320 million in 2020, at a time when the State's public capital investment programme was in the order of €10 billion. The contracted capital value of all PPPs in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Private Partnerships (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. My Department's role in public private partnerships is to maintain and develop the general policy framework, including, where necessary, the legal framework, within which PPPs operate. It also provides central guidance to other Departments and State authorities in that context. My Department has no direct involvement in the procurement or delivery...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Aviation Industry (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. It is ultimately about services and routes for us, as an island nation, as we continue to grapple with Covid and as we seek to rebuild our international connectivity. It will be very important that we continue to provide extensive support to our airports. This is why we have made an intervention of the magnitude we have in the context of the budget for 2022. As the...