Results 6,241-6,260 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to thank the Deputy for his continued engagement and interest in this issue. As I stated in my previous responses to similar Parliamentary Questions from Deputy Richmond, on the 21st October and 17th November last year any proposal to ring fence funding allocations would contravene a general principle of public financial management that earmarking revenues for a specific expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: In line with our commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (2015-2024) (“CES”), the Programme for Government commits to an increase from 3% to 6% in the number of people with disabilities in employment in the civil and public service. Responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy correctly identifies, the past year has seen the policy landscape dominated by the double impact of Covid and Brexit, their impact on society and the economy, as well as the consequences this has had for public expenditure. As part of Budget 2021, core current expenditure will grow by €3.8 billion, or just over just over 6%, compared to the allocation in 2020. This...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I am committed to openness and transparency. My department produces an online Databank, which includes a comprehensive set of data on voted public expenditure in Ireland. I am responsible for the annual Estimates of Expenditure, and for the multi-year capital envelopes, which set the overall capital allocations across Departments; and for the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: There are two primary measures for public capital expenditure. The first is public Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF). This is the measurement which is generally used for making international comparisons of public capital investment. This is a broad measure of public capital investment in the sense that it includes central and local government expenditure. The second measurement...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: Over the course of 2020 and 2021, over €28 billion has been provided for additional expenditure to respond to Covid-19, with €12 billion of this amount included in the overall Government Expenditure Ceiling of €87.8 billion for 2021. This is a substantial additional allocation in addition to core public spending, and allows for measures to support our people, businesses...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Remote Working (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Government has committed, in the Programme for Government, to mandating public sector employers to move to 20% home and remote working in 2021. In this context, my Department is now, as a matter of priority, working with employers across the Civil Service to develop the longer term approach to remote working in the sector. My officials are also working closely with the wider Public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 111 together. Budget 2021 provided for an overall expenditure ceiling €87.8 billion this year. Of this funding, €75¾ billion relates to allocations for core expenditure programmes. In addition to this, up to an additional €12 billion was provided as part of Budget 2021 to enable the Government to respond to the evolving...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Secretaries General (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have statutory responsibility for the terms and conditions of service, including remuneration, of civil servants, as set out in the Civil Service Regulation Acts. In meeting these responsibilities as regards the terms to apply for recruitment to the post of Secretary General in the Department of Health, I engaged with the Taoiseach, the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Planning Framework (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: For the information of the Deputy, the National Planning Framework is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The requirements to review the National Planning Framework are set out in legislation, and my Department have been informed by colleagues from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage that this is due to take place in 2024. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: Beginning with a pilot programme introduced for the 2018 budgetary cycle, Equality Budgeting is a way of approaching and understanding the budget as a process that embodies long-standing societal choices about how resources are used, rather than simply a neutral process of resource allocation. In practice, this means that equality budgeting attempts to provide greater information on how...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Earcaíocht san Earnáil Phoiblí (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: Níl aon spriocanna ann maidir le líon na státseirbhíseach nua atá le hearcú a bhfuil líofacht acu sa Ghaeilge agus/nó sa Bhéarla. Tá sé mar phríomhfhreagracht ar gach Aire agus Roinn caiteachas a bhainistiú laistigh dá leithdháiltí comhaontaithe agus, d’fhonn raon feidhme feabhsaithe a sholáthar do...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: The existing NDP identifies the strategic priorities for public capital investment for all sectors, ranging from major infrastructure projects in transport, to enterprise supports, to social housing developments throughout the country. Within the Health sector the existing NDP includes the commitment to support the capital programme for people with disabilities, which consists of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: Ireland’s Stability Programme Update (SPU), published last week, is to be submitted to the European Commission before the end of April. The SPU sets out macroeconomic and fiscal projections for the period to 2025. Given the high degree of uncertainty with the virus, the draft SPU has been prepared on a technical basis. In light of this, from an expenditure perspective, the amount of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 86 together. Significant progress has already been made in delivering a range of both large and small infrastructure projects across the country. The review of the National Development Plan was brought forward in order to ensure alignment with the new Programme for Government. High quality public investment will play an important role in supporting the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: Action plans linked to the reform agenda outlined in Chapter 1 of the new public service agreement - Building Momentum- are currently in preparation. The plans will identify objectives and deliverables consistent with the overall reform framework set out in the Agreement. At this stage sectoral management have developed draft action plans and are commencing or about to commence engagement...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: I should first explain that as Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform I am responsible for setting the overall multi-annual capital expenditure ceilings for each Ministerial Vote Group as set out in the National Development Plan and Project Ireland 2040. My Department is also responsible for maintaining the national frameworks within which Departments operate to ensure appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to Covid-19-related payments by my Department and the Office of Government Procurement, which is also part of my Department, is set out in the tables below. Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Category 2020 2021 (to March) ICT * €621,050 €30,020 ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Children's Hospital (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Minister for Health and his Department have oversight responsibility in relation to the National Children’s Hospital. An update on this matter is, I understand, due to be provided to the Government in the near future.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Data (21 Apr 2021)

Michael McGrath: In 2019, the OECD published its report Financial Reporting in Ireland. The report was a wide ranging review of the present system of financial reporting in Ireland. It made a number of recommendations for wide ranging reform over a number of years. The main focus was to reform the accounting framework for central Government to align with an international standards-based accruals system. The...