Results 6,181-6,200 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (11 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: I would like to thank Deputy for the question. The Deputy will be aware that a large programme of reform has been under way since the establishment of this Department in 2011. Reform of public services will continue to play an integral role in this Department's function as we recover our economy and society from the ongoing, pervasive impacts of the Covid19 pandemic. The Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Legal Cases (11 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: I will not be commenting on any individual cases as requested by the Deputy as it would be inappropriate to do so. In addition, it should be noted that this policy area primarily comes under the remit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. In line with the increase in economic activity and the resultant increase in planning applications for large scale...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (11 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: My Department funded two non-governmental organisations in 2020, as set out in the table below. Organisation Funding in 2020 Transparency International Ireland €220,000 Benefacts €950,000 My Department funded Transparency International Ireland in 2020 to support the Department’s role in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff (11 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: The information requested by the Deputy for my Department and the Office of Government Procurement, which is also part of my Department, is set out in the table below. Current Number of Staff 2021 Pay Bill (Revised Estimates) Department of Public Expenditure and Reform 456 €33,088,000* Office of Government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (11 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that neither my Department nor the Office of Government Procurement, which is also part of my Department, engages external firms or agencies for this purpose. One of the responsibilities of my Department's Press Office is to communicate in a strategic and effective manner my Department’s messages and goals to all stakeholders. The Press Office organises...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Appointments Service (11 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: I am informed by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) that they use a variety of assessments across the range of roles for which it recruits. Each selection process is designed to assess the particular skills, competencies and experience required for the specific role, informed by a detailed Job Analysis. Some examples of the assessments used by PAS include pre-recorded Video Interviews,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Government Procurement (6 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) provides a broad range of procurement services to public bodies and to bidders for public contracts. These include procurement websites, policy information, and relevant Departmental Circulars, guidance documents, information notes, template documentation, helpdesk services, framework agreements and procurement support services. There are an...

Presentation of Further Revised Estimates 2021: Motion (5 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: I move: That, notwithstanding Standing Order 215 of the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann relative to Public Business or the Resolution of the Dáil of 16th December, 2020, the following Further Revised Estimates for the Public Services for the year ending 31st December, 2021, be presented to the Dáil and circulated to members on 5th May, 2021, being a date later than that...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (5 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: I encourage as many people as possible to take up their COVID-19 vaccinations when offered. Where an employee in the public service has an appointment to attend a COVID-19 vaccination during working hours, they will be facilitated to attend based on the health/medical appointment arrangements which apply in each sector. Where there may be a reaction to a COVID-19 vaccination and the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (5 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: The issues raised in the correspondence provided by the Deputy relate to PRSI cover as well as pension scheme rules. Firstly, in relation to PRSI class, the Government decided in 1995 that full social welfare cover should be extended to all newly appointed Civil and Public servants and that they should pay the full Class A social insurance contribution. The change was introduced by the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Investigations (5 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: In reply to the Deputy’s question, I wish to inform the Deputy that no staff in my department have had access to files or email restricted or revoked on the grounds listed in the specified time frame.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (5 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Expenditure Report 2021 set out overall expenditure for 2021 of €87.8 billion. In addition to the substantial funding of almost €12 billion for expenditure to respond to Covid-19, Budget 2021 increased overall core expenditure by 7.7%. Taking into account the significant level of funding allocated to Departments for 2021, Government agreed in February that the sectors...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Issues (5 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: Public procurement is governed by EU and national rules and must comply with relevant EU, World Trade Organisation (WTO) and national legal requirements and obligations. Under EU rules, public contracts above certain values must be advertised EU-wide and awarded in competitive tendering in an open and transparent process. National rules provide for similar processes. The aim of these rules...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Legal Costs (5 May 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that details of the consultancy and legal fees spend for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is regularly updated and published on gov.ie. In this context, details of this spend since the Department’s establishment in 2011 up to the end of December 2020 can be found at the following link:

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (29 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: The 2014 Act consolidated and modernised the FOI system in Ireland, brought a large number of additional bodies in to FOI, and has continued to bed in successfully in the intervening years.  The Central Policy Unit for Freedom of Information at my Department continues to monitor the operation of the FOI system, including by regular engagement with the network of FOI Officers throughout...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (29 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: Estimating the cost of FOI for public bodies is something that has proven difficult in all jurisdictions that have attempted it.  A project seeking detailed information on FOI requests processed in the state was commenced in 2016, in terms of the time taken by officials at various grades, however this project was discontinued in early 2017 as it was found to be unduly...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Open Government Partnership (29 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: Ireland became a full member of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in July 2014 when the Government adopted Ireland’s first National Action Plan 2014-2016 (developed in tandem with civil society). To date 79 countries have signed the OGP declaration and participate in its processes to advance the principles of transparency, integrity, accountability, and stakeholder...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff (28 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy is aware, the role of Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is pivotal in terms of budgetary and expenditure policy and central to the overall Government reform agenda. I intend to fill the position of Secretary General in my Department via an open competition to be undertaken by the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) with the assistance of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pensions Data (28 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: I and my Department are responsible for the civil service pension schemes, which cover staff in established and unestablished civil service positions and State Industrial posts It would be a matter for those sectoral authorities, including relevant Ministers, to supply such information as may be available in respect of the wider public service. With respect to the civil service...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Directives (28 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: The EU formally adopted Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law ("the Whistleblowing Directive") on 23 October 2019. All Member States, including Ireland, have until 17 December 2021 to transpose the Directive into national law. Ireland is one of just 10 EU Member States to already have comprehensive whistleblowing laws in place, in the form of the...