Results 6,401-6,420 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (3 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that the procurement processes for all contracts in my Department were carried out in accordance with the Office of Government Procurement’s (OGP) Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services which aim to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers the best value for money. The following table sets out...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: The details requested by the Deputy concerning the group specified are set out in the following table. As the matters raised relate to public health policy, the correspondence was referred to the Department of Health. Date Type of engagement Purpose Action 03/12/2020 Email to Minister Letter to the Taoiseach attached...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Government Procurement (3 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: In May 2012, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform engaged Accenture to undertake a capacity and capability review of the central procurement function and to identify the actions required to realise savings in public procurement in the short and medium term. The final report on this review was published on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform website in September 2012. It...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 to 243, inclusive, together. The Departmental Estimates for 2021 presented to the Dáil in December included expenditure on Covid-19 related measures and supports of €6½ billion, within the overall gross voted expenditure amount of €82.4 billion. In addition there was €5.4 billion held back in Contingency Funds to be made...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (3 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: The arrangements for paid sick leave in the Public Service are set out in the Public Service Sick Leave Regulationsand the administration of the Scheme is managed on a sectoral level by each public service employer. The access to paid sick leave as provided for in the Scheme is as follows. Ordinary Sick Leave Under the Scheme, public servants have access to the following paid sick leave: - a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (3 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: The civil service is strongly committed to equality of opportunity for all in terms of its recruitment and employment practices. Our commitment is demonstrated and documented with key actions in the Civil Service People Strategy and the Our Public Service Renewal Strategy, both of which are to be renewed this year. As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Appointments Services (PAS), which is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (3 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: From inception, a strong public consultation process was a fundamental part of the process underway to deliver the revised National Development Plan (NDP) and a range of events, platforms and strategies were used to engender dialogue and encourage feedback. Review to Renew, the consultation process, ran from 3 November 2020 to 19 February 2021 and sought to allow all relevant stakeholders an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Broadband Plan (3 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I met with representatives of National Broadband Ireland on Friday, 26th February 2021, when the company gave me a presentation on the progress being made in rolling out the National Broadband Plan and their future plans in this regard.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I am pleased to be before the committee to present the 2021 Revised Estimates for my Department's group of Votes. I am joined by the Minister of State with responsibility for public procurement and eGovernment, Deputy Ossian Smyth, and a number of our officials. The group comprises a significant number of Votes, as the Chairman outlined, including: Vote 11 - the Office of the Minister for...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I acknowledge the significant public concern as a result of the Bank of Ireland announcement. None of us want to see bank branches closing because we realise just how important they are for the communities they serve, for personal customers and for business customers. On the role of the Government, as the Deputy has pointed out, the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for his comments. They are points he has made on many occasions. I was a member of this committee for many years and took part in many of the hearings it had with the banks. We had many robust exchanges. We made progress on some issues and did not make progress on others. However, it is true that the Government is not directly involved in running the banks, even those...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: It is important to acknowledge that there is competition in the Irish market. We have the pillar banks, obviously, but Permanent TSB is playing an increasing role in the SME market. It has significant ambition in that space. On the personal banking side, we have a foreign-owned bank, KBC Bank, in the Irish market. It has restated its commitment to remaining in this market, which is...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: Will I respond?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for his questions and the Chairman for his remarks on this issue. The Chairman has always been consistent and forceful in raising these issues related to the banking sector. He has also been very effective as Chairman of this committee for some time. The issue of the staff of the banks was mentioned. First and foremost, they are the people we think of at this time....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I am happy to. SBCI loans are not just administered through the pillar banks. We extended the range of platforms for the administration of those loans to include non-bank lenders, and there are plans for the SBCI to extend that further. The credit unions are being considered as part of that. We can come back to the Deputy with a precise update on that point. That offers very significant...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will know, there was a report previously on public banking. There is no current plan at this time for the Government to set up new banks here.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I will deal with the national children's hospital and the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, might deal with the capital works management framework and construction procurement

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Doherty for his questions. I will take the question on the national children’s hospital. As the Deputy is aware, a specific board, namely, the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, is responsible for the delivery of that project under the Department of Health. Obviously, my Department has a central role in the overall expenditure position. It is important to...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: We have the official figures and they remain unchanged. There is no updated figure on the cost of the development of the hospital at this time.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (Revised) (2 Mar 2021)

Michael McGrath: My understanding is that it is €1.7 billion, including the tertiary sites. I do not have a file on the children's hospital to hand but that is the figure which has not changed in relation to the overall development. However, as I said, a written report is expected from the hospital development board. There have been problems, as the Deputy knows, with this contract on site. We are...