Results 6,501-6,520 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I will take that question. I assume the Deputy is referring in particular to the warmer homes scheme which is for the lowest income households.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: We significantly increased the budget for that in 2021, as the Deputy has acknowledged. We also increased the SEAI's operational budget so it has the capacity for a major retrofitting programme which the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is very anxious to deliver, as are all of us in the Government. Any underspends on the capital side can be carried forward subject to a limit. In overall...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: Very briefly, I think the significant delay has been in getting the assessors out to homes. Deputy Canney is right that some people have been waiting for between 12 and 18 months to get this work done. That is why we have provided the extra money and capacity to the SEAI. I do not believe the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, plans to transfer responsibility for those schemes back to the local...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: As part of the review of the national development plan, NDP, we are engaging directly with the commercial State companies on their investment plans and we are supporting them in their plans to transition to sustainable forms of energy. The Deputy will be aware that the borrowing limit for the ESB has increased significantly to enable it to fulfil the huge ambitions it has vis-à-visthe...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I am not at all discounting the possibility that some people may seek to use any particular example as grounds for a pay claim for themselves but to reiterate the point I made earlier, when it comes to this particular grade of Secretary General across the Civil Service, there are no plans or intentions for further increases in any other posts.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank the committee for the invitation to appear before it today and to make a contribution to its deliberations on parliamentary engagement throughout the budget cycle. The interim report of the committee sets out a number of key observations, including in respect of pre-budget and performance scrutiny. I will deal with the issues that are relevant to the expenditure side of these...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I will take this to begin with. I thank the Deputy for those observations and I agree with much of what he said. What I will say, however, is that in recent months, in finding my feet in the Department, I have come to the realisation that there are a lot of very good reports written that do not get the attention they deserve. I would point to the spending review papers, for example. Since...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: There are no plans for any other salary changes in the context of any Secretary General vacancies arising in the months ahead.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Framework for Parliamentary Engagement Throughout the Budgetary Cycle: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: May I respond briefly or does the Chairman wish to move on?

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (4 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: On 18 December 2020 political agreement was reached between the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament on the draft Regulation establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility.  It is expected that the final Regulation will be formally adopted in February. The Department of Public Expenditure & Reform is responsible for preparing Ireland’s National Recovery and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (4 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I note that the recent ESRI/Pathways to Citizenship Through Naturalisation Report in Ireland (ESRI Research Series Number 116, December 2020) found that Ireland has more favourable conditions for acquiring citizenship by naturalisation than many other EU Member States. The report also points to some issues and areas for potential improvement that have been highlighted by some NGOs and in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sustainable Development Goals (4 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: My Department published its Statement of Strategy 2021-2023 on 19 January 2021.  It is available on the gov.ie website at this link:  The Strategy has been informed by my priorities and relevant commitments in the Programme for Government and the overall strategic context in which my Department operates.   The Department’s Mission for 2021-2023 will be to serve...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sustainable Development Goals (4 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Group specifically leads on two specific sub-actions under Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 12. These sub-actions relate to the delivery of resilient and sustainable infrastructure, and promoting of sustainable public procurement practices respectively. The following sections provide an update on the latest...

Finance Act 2004 (section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2020: Motion (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I thank all the Deputies for contributing to the debate on this motion. In substance, it is a technical motion providing for the carrying forward of more than €700 million of the capital budget from 2020 into 2021, in order that those funds will be available for expenditure across a range of areas under the public capital investment programme. It will not be possible for me to...

Finance Act 2004 (section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2020: Motion (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2021, copies of which have been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 12th January, 2021. At the outset I would like to say that despite the extraordinarily difficult circumstances over the past year, we have...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Energy Efficiency (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: Cohesion Policy is an important tool to stimulate economic growth, promote social cohesion and to reduce disparities between the regions of the EU, and EU Structural and Investment Funding is comprised of the following: - European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) - European Social Fund (ESF) - European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) - European Maritime and Fisheries Fund...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: A civil servant who meets a minimum service requirement will be entitled to claim preserved superannuation benefits on reaching minimum (or preserved) pension age. This applies if the individual resigned from the civil service before the minimum pension age without an entitlement to immediate pension benefits, did not opt for actuarially reduced pension benefits, and also did...

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

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 to 219, inclusive, 221 and 222 together. Public procurement in Ireland is governed by EU Procurement Directives and national legislation and guidance. Public bodies are obliged to act in accordance with these rules and accordingly must observe the general principles of EU law including non-discrimination, the free movement of goods and services,...

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

Michael McGrath: Unfortunately the ‘type of company’ data requested in the PQ (ref: 5420/21) is not part of the supplier registration details captured on the national electronic tendering platform (eTenders). Suppliers are asked to indicate whether they are one of the following: - Private Company - Public Limited Company - Sole Trader - Partnership - Charity Details of the type of company...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (3 Feb 2021)

Michael McGrath: My Department has no plans to commission a review the State’s financing of the non-profit sector, including charities.  My Department’s policy in relation to funding for the sector is set out in Circular 13/2015 Management and Accountability for Grants.  A review of funding programmes availed of by charities and not-for-profits would be a matter, in...