Results 6,601-6,620 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I have made four appointments to the Public Appointments Service (PAS) Advisory Board, which is an independent Scheduled Body under the aegis of my Department, since the Government took office. There are nine members of this Advisory Board. As set out in the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004, at least two members should have either or both relevant civil...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Bodies (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: Two Advisory Boards are in place within bodies under the aegis of my Department - the Public Appointments Service (PAS) and the National Shared Service Office (NSSO). Both organisations are independent Scheduled Bodies, funded by voted moneys from the Exchequer - Vote 17 (PAS) and Vote 18 (NSSO). Details regarding the purpose, function, membership, appointments process and conditions of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: Public sector employees on unpaid leave (e.g. parental leave etc.) are not eligible to claim the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Although school closures are in effect across the country due to COVID-19, it should be noted that childcare services, including childminders, and other existing childcare arrangements remain open and can continue for children of essential workers and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I refer the Deputy to the document attached (TAB A) which details the current Secretary General posts at Level I, II and III, listed by Government Department. The salaries for Secretary General Level I, II and III are as outlined in Circular 12 of 2020 which is available here: I would highlight the following: - The salary for the 3 Secretary General Level I posts is €211,742 - above...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 266 together. The distribution of the €710 million capital carryover has already been detailed in the Appropriation Act 2020 and by subhead in the Revised Estimates Volume 2021. A table setting out the overall carryover request by Vote is set out. It may be helpful to the Deputy if I outline the carryover procedure and the transparent...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: Amendments have not been made to the Public Sector Sick Leave Scheme or to occupational injury schemes as a result of COVID as public sector employees absent from work due to COVID-19 get Special Leave With Pay (SLWP) rather than sick pay. The arrangements for pay of public servants who fall ill with COVID-19 was set out clearly by DPER at the outset of the crisis to protect public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 270 together. Since the beginning of the pandemic, my Department has neither allocated nor spent any funding on a Covid-19 communications strategy from its own Votes, which are Vote 11 (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform), Vote 39 (Office of Government Procurement) and Vote 43 (Office of the Government Chief Information Officer). The Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I note that the Deputy has submitted this question to all Departments and that each Minister will be replying in respect of their own Department and the bodies under their aegis. As a result of its business continuity plans, investment in (and effective use of) technology and the commitment of its staff, the work of my Department has been able to continue since the pandemic began. This has...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Disability Act Employment Targets (27 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of my Department and the Office of Government Procurement, which is also part of my Department, is set out in the following tables. I wish to advise the Deputy that the number of staff with a disability noted only reflect employees that have declared a disability, given that the declaration of a disability is voluntary. While all posts in...

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

Michael McGrath: I refer the Deputy to the document (TAB A) which details the current levels of Secretary General posts, listed by Government Department. TAB A - Secretary General Posts Level Secretary General Posts I Secretary General, Finance Secretary General, Taoiseach / Secretary General to the Government ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Appointments Service (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together. The position of Secretary General for the Department of Health was advertised on 8 January 2021 by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) at the request of the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC). The Government has a policy of open recruitment and the role of TLAC, as an independent body, is to support that and ensure that the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: The process of unwinding the Financial Emergency (FEMPI) legislation commenced under the Lansdowne Road Agreement 2016 – 2018 and was largely completed under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018 – 2020 (PSSA). To date, salary rates up to €70,000, which accounts for over 90% of the public service, have been fully restored. While the Agreement expired at the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: "Building Momentum: A New Public Service Agreement, 2021 - 2022", is a 2 year agreement and will cost an estimated €906m spread over three calendar years - 2021, 2022, and 2023. This is the equivalent of under 4% of the estimated 2021 public service pay bill, in respect of 367,300 public service staff. The text of the Agreement can be found at the following link: The principal...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that no members of staff from my Department (including the Office of Government Procurement) have received a Covid-19 vaccine due to their role in the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Circulars (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: Section 17 of the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956, in conjunction with s.9 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011, empowers the Minister for PER to regulate the terms and conditions of civil servants by way of administrative acts such as circulars. Section 17 of the 1956 Act has not been repealed, and the power given to the Minister under that section remains in effect....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Standards in Public Office Commission (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: There are currently no vacancies on the Standards in Public Office Commission. The Commission is responsible for the oversight of five separate acts: the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 (together known as the Ethics Acts), the Electoral Act 1997, the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Act 2014, and the Regulation of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Deputy will appreciate that I am not in a position to comment on the specific details of the HSE pension scheme, which comes under the responsibility of the Minister for Health. However, I can advise that it is a condition of the majority of public service occupational pension schemes, including the HSE scheme, that the member make a pension contribution towards the cost of retirement...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Services Provision (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174, 178 and 184 together. Over the last number of years, a range of reforms has been implemented in order to enhance Ireland’s budgetary framework and ensure that expenditure is managed in an efficient and effective way. The intention of these reforms is to increase transparency around the budgetary process and to facilitate meaningful dialogue around...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Services Provision (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy is aware, my Department has instituted a number of ambitious Public Service Reform programmes since 2011. These reform programmes have served to make the work of the public service more transparent, decision-making more accountable and service delivery more effective and efficient. The most recent reform plan- Our Public Service 2020 (launched in December 2017)- is designed to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176, 177 and 182 together. I should first explain that as Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at a Departmental level. Responsibility for the management and delivery of the individual investment projects, within the...