Results 6,621-6,640 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: The Procurement Reform Programme has had considerable success to date. Governance arrangements have been established to foster collaboration and cooperation across the OGP and the main sectors of Health, Local Government, Education and Defence. Through the development of a suite of centralised arrangements, the Government’s purchasing power has been leveraged by speaking to 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 Services Provision (20 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: COVID-19 has been an unprecedented public health emergency with implications across the economy and society. For that reason, there has been a whole-of-government response led by the Department of the Taoiseach and involving all Departments and public bodies, including my own Department. Government Departments and Offices have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated public...

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

Michael McGrath: The Exchequer public service pay bill for 2021 is estimated at €21.8billion with an estimate 367,000 public servants. The role of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is to manage this expenditure at a sustainable level, which allows for the recruitment and retention of appropriately skilled staff. Important measures are in place to ensure that our expenditure and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Strategies (14 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: In line with the requirements of the Public Service Management Act, 1997, I have recently agreed a new Statement of Strategy for my Department for the period 2021-2023, which reflects my priorities and the commitments in the Programme for Government relevant to my Department.  I will submit this to Government shortly, following which it will be published on the gov.ie...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (14 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85, 86 and 89 together. I refer the Deputy to the document attached (TAB A) which details the current Secretary General posts, listed by Government Department. The salaries that apply to Secretary General posts are as outlined in Circular 12 of 2020 which is available here: I understand the Deputy is also referring to the Top Level Appointments Committee...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Issues (13 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: The EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) contains provisions ensuring access to the public procurement markets of both parties. The EU and UK have agreed to create a free trade area with zero tariffs and zero quotas on products that comply with the appropriate rules of origin, regulatory and customs cooperation mechanisms, as well as provisions ensuring a level playing field for open...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Defence Forces (13 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: The process of unwinding the Financial Emergency (FEMPI) legislation commenced under the Lansdowne Road Agreement 2016 – 2018 and has largely been completed under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018 – 2020 (PSSA). The PSSA, which was negotiated in 2017, and the provisions of which were statutorily provided for under the terms of the Public Service Pay and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Defence Forces (13 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: Under Section 2(3) of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act Number 2 of 2009, fixed periodic allowances in the public service were reduced by either 5% or 8% depending on the level of annualised basic salary. This section was repealed on the 1st of October 2020 under Section 24(1) of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017.  These allowances have now returned...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (13 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I am taking it that the Deputy is referring to the rules regarding supplementary pensions as set out in paragraph 18 of Circular 6 of 1995 (Revised Social Insurance Status and Conditions of Service of Certain Civil Servants). This circular notified changes made by Government to extend full social welfare cover to all newly appointed civil servants and to provide that these civil servants...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (13 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that neither my Department nor any of the bodies under the aegis of my Department have awarded a contract to the company in question.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (13 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy is aware, my Department does not have a direct role in overseeing construction projects implemented by other Departments.  That responsibility rests with the appropriate Minister responsible for the Sanctioning Authority who approved the project, under the policy of delegated sanction that operates in relation to capital expenditure within the capital budgets...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Review (13 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: Government policy continues to be that starting pay on recruitment from open competition for all posts within the public service should be at the minimum of the relevant salary scale and should not be subject to negotiation. These arrangements are set out in the Department of Finance letter 23 December 2010 ref. E100/8/82 and cover, inter alia, appointments to the civil service, the defence...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (13 Jan 2021)

Michael McGrath: The details requested by the Deputy for my Department and the Office of Government Procurement, which is also part of my Department, are set out in the tables below. Name of Consultants Purpose of Consultancy Cost of Consultancy to date Byrne Wallace Solicitors Employment Law (Covid matters) €6,445 Office of...

Appropriation Bill 2020: Second and Subsequent Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Michael McGrath: I have already given my closing remarks, but I will work with Deputies Michael Collins and O'Dowd on the issues they raised. I encourage them to participate in the national development plan review. For our Departments to be of assistance, we need specific projects. A point was rightly made about projects being shovel ready. Some are, but many are not and there are various bottlenecks in...

Appropriation Bill 2020: Second and Subsequent Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Michael McGrath: I appreciate the contributions of all Deputies across the House. I will just make some brief remarks in response. It will not be possible to cover the very wide range of points that have been made by colleagues. I thank colleagues for their support for this vital legislation, which is to provide a sound legal basis for the expenditure incurred in 2020. It also allows for the continuation...

Appropriation Bill 2020: Second and Subsequent Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Michael McGrath: I move: “That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The Appropriation Bill represents the final fiscal action of the year to be taken by the Oireachtas. This year has been like no other. The arrival of Covid-19 on our shores in March represented a major challenge for the people of this country and us, as their representatives, in this Oireachtas. People have been cut off from...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pensions Reform (17 Dec 2020)

Michael McGrath: I am assuming the deputy is referring to the public service pension reduction (PSPR) - a reduction imposed on the public service occupational pensions of retired public servants. It came into effect on 1 January 2011 on foot of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2010, as part of the Government’s programme of financial emergency measures. PSPR was designed in a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Functions (17 Dec 2020)

Michael McGrath: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was established under the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011. As part of the establishment of the Department, a broad range of functions connected with expenditure, including the Secret Service Vote, were transferred from the Minister for Finance to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform under the Act.

Estimates for Public Services 2020: Referral to Select Committee (16 Dec 2020)

Michael McGrath: I move: That Revised Estimates for the Public Services for the year ending 31st December, 2021, be presented to the Dáil and circulated to members and be referred to Select Committees, as appropriate, pursuant to Standing Orders 95(1)(a) and 215(3).