Results 5,601-5,620 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 110 together. My role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has involved setting the allocations for capital expenditure across a number of Department's relevant to this national strategic outcome. National strategic outcome No. 3 seeks to strengthen rural economies and communities. This applies in terms of the traditional pillars of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Crowe. I join with him in acknowledging the good work of Councillor Murphy and others in Kilkee. I agree with his point that one of the fall-outs from Covid has been that it has opened up opportunities for rural towns and villages throughout Ireland because remote working is here to stay to some extent. We will see a blended form of working in future. This means more people...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. It is important to underline the point that the national development plan is not a comprehensive list of every project that will happen over the coming ten years. It is fundamentally a high-level document that sets out the overall strategic priorities for the Government and the financial framework available to support capital investment over the period. The fact an...

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

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. At the outset, it should be noted that my Department, in carrying out its role in co-ordinating the NDP review, does not consider the merit of individual projects or sectoral policy strategies, as this is primarily a matter for individual Departments and agencies. With that point noted, I would be glad to give the Deputy an overview of the NSO 6,...

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

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. I fully agree with his sentiment on the importance of Shannon Airport to the mid-west region. I acknowledge his continued support for, and his regular advocacy in respect of, the continued development of Shannon Airport. As the Deputy is aware, on budget day we announced a €126 million aviation funding package, of which €90 million will be made available...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Funding (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy and acknowledge his strong support for the Cork area commuter rail programme, which he has been advocating to the Government for some time. It is a very exciting programme. Its total cost is €185 million over the five-year period from 2021 to 2026. It involves significant enhancement and development of the rail network over approximately 62 km from Mallow through...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Funding (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: We are expected to receive €915 million in grants in 2021 and 2022, with a further set to be allocated in 2023 under the recovery and resilience facility. Since this is EU funding, there is a significant amount of compliance required and we have to ensure we act in a manner that is consistent with the regulations. The instrument is performance based. Ireland will make its first...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for his question and his ongoing interest in the Brexit issue. The full implications of the UK's departure from the EU remain to be seen but they will be significant. We need to remember that the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement does not replicate the status quo. Seamless trade no longer exists. This is why the Government has been working to prepare for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I acknowledge and welcome the Deputy's comments on this. When it comes to the selection of individual projects, it is a matter for the line Minister and line Department but, as part of the NDP, we have agreed to multi-annual capital ceilings. For example, the Department of Transport now knows what it will have by way of a capital budget for each year until 2025. Indeed, it has its total...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. He has made some important points. The deployment of the Brexit adjustment reserve will be so important for our country. We are getting the lion's share among member states because we are undoubtedly the country that is most impacted by Brexit. What we have to do is match those resources with the sectors that require additional support to counter the adverse...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Funding (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. The European Union’s €800 billion NextGenerationEU recovery instrument, along with its €1.2 trillion seven-year budget, is central to the Union’s response to the global pandemic. The aim of NextGenerationEU is to help repair the immediate economic and social damage brought about by the pandemic and to prepare for a post-Covid Europe that is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Spending Code (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: It is important to say that the recently published national development plan, NDP, contains a comprehensive set of climate methodologies, against which all major capital investment projects will be assessed. My Department and that of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, worked very closely and collaboratively in the preparation of the NDP in that regard. As I set out in the original reply to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Spending Code (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I reassure the Deputy that this matter is a priority for my Department. Work on this is ongoing and I anticipate that it will be completed shortly. As the Deputy is aware, a shadow price of carbon is the value that we place on these projected future emissions from projects. I reassure the Deputy as well that when he looks at the national development plan, he will see that we have given an...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Policies (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: Open government is a culture of governance that promotes the principles of transparency, integrity, accountability and stakeholder participation in support of democracy and inclusive growth. Ireland is fully committed to upholding the Open Government Partnership principles of open and transparent government. Significant progress has been made in progressing the programme for Government...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Policies (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I point to the work streams we have under way in this space, because it can seem quite abstract when we talk about it in respect of what it means in practice. For me, it means transposing the EU whistleblowing directive and strengthening the protected disclosure legislation. The Deputy is aware that I will shortly be bringing forward legislation in that regard. We have commenced a review...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Policies (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: I acknowledge the work that the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach has been doing on the pre-legislative scrutiny of the proposed protected disclosures (amendment) Bill because, as the Deputy is aware, we are obliged to transpose that EU directive by the end of this year. I look forward to receiving the committee's report. It was a comprehensive...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Spending Code (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: The public spending code is the tool the Government uses to evaluate the consequences of capital investment decisions. Every public investment project with a value above €20 million must conduct an analysis of the potential costs and benefits associated with that project, using rules set out by my Department. It is critical, therefore, that the public spending code provide a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flexible Work Practices (16 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. The Policy Statement commits the Civil Service to implementing a policy of blended working for the future that can provide...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Proposed Legislation (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy is aware, the Taoiseach announced a review of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 (the Act) in September 2020. My Department’s comprehensive review of the Act concluded in early summer 2021 and the Government approved the preparation of the heads of a General Scheme to amend the Act in July. The Heads are close to finalisation and will be brought to Government for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (16 Nov 2021)

Michael McGrath: At the outset it should be noted that my Department, in carrying out its role in coordinating the NDP Review, does not consider the merit of individual projects or sectoral policy strategies as this is primarily a matter for individual Departments and Agencies. With that point noted, I would be glad to give a summary of the NSO 8 which seeks the Transition to a Climate-Neutral and...