Results 6,701-6,720 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. Covid-19 has had a profound effect on our citizens and the Government has taken significant steps to cushion the impact of the crisis on households and businesses. Expenditure Report 2021 outlined the significant additional resources allocated to Departments in response to Covid-19. At that time, gross voted expenditure of €87.1 billion was estimated for 2020....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. Moving to level 5 has had a significant impact on the public finances. The number of people on the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment has increased by more than 100,000 in that period and currently stands at 350,000. The weekly payment rate has gone from approximately €66 million per week at level 3 to €104 million per week under level 5. Some of that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. As he has rightly said, the impact on various sectors of the domestic economy has been acute. A breakdown of the profiles of recipients of the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment shows that the largest number of workers comes from the accommodation and food service sector, which accounts for approximately 103,000 people. It is followed by wholesale and retail trade,...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: In order to ensure programme for Government priorities are achieved and to respond to the unprecedented impact of Covid-19, it is timely now for the Government to bring forward the previously planned review of the NDP and to consider the most important challenges facing us, including climate action, housing, balanced regional development, healthcare, social welfare policy, transport,...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: The key objective is to introduce a degree of external assurance for major projects. As part of the review of the NDP, we are producing a range of research and technical papers, which will be published before the end of this year or early next year. That will feed into the process of adopting a revised NDP in the second quarter of next year. In essence, we are proposing an independent peer...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: There will be a specific paper on this issue, which will be one of the outputs from phase 1 of the review of the NDP. In broad terms, I am a strong believer that time spent at the project preparation stage is time well spent, by ensuring the project has been comprehensively appraised and assessed, that the potential pitfalls have been identified in advance and that the design work is...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Lobbying Regulation (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: I have read all of that material already and I am of course going to take it into account. I have been looking at what the record has been in the context of how many people have been applying to SIPO for exemptions from section 22. The numbers are quite low, but that does not mean they are insignificant. They relate primarily to special advisers. In 2020, there were six applications. In...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Lobbying Regulation (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: I look forward to reading the legislation the Deputies intend to bring forward. Two statutory reviews of the 2015 Act have been conducted. A decision was made not to bring forward any legislative amendments in response to those reviews. In reviewing this particular issue, it is important to look back at the statutory reviews and the other information in the public domain, as well as the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: The State is a good employer, and the State has been a good employer during the Covid-19 pandemic. That is, of course, a reflection of the work our public servants have been doing. We now have a public service with around 346,000 people working within it. As part of the budget which we brought forward last month, we have provided for an increase in the number of people employed across the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Lobbying Regulation (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputies Nash and Mairéad Farrell for their questions. I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 89 together. Section 22 of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 provides that certain designated public officials, the lobbied, are restricted from being engaged in lobbying in certain circumstances for a year after they leave their employment or office, unless they have obtained...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Lobbying Regulation (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Nash for those points. The direct issue which has been raised in these priority questions concerns section 22 and the fact that a breach of that section is a breach of a statutory provision in the Act, but it is not currently sanctionable. I believe that is an issue which requires change. In working on this issue in recent weeks, I have gone back to look at why there was no...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: The current system of collective agreements has been in place in the public service since the Croke Park agreement was negotiated back in 2010. These collective agreements have helped to ensure that public pay is managed in a sustainable, affordable and orderly manner. These agreements have also enabled significant reform of public services and changes to work practices. The current...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: What I can commit to is that the Government will do all it can to reach agreement. There are significant discussions under way and I am describing them as exploratory in nature. As the Deputy knows from experience, the way these things work is that if the parties feel there is a possible landing zone, they will enter into a more formal set of negotiations. I hope we can get there quite...

Appointment of Chairperson of Standards in Public Office Commission: Motion (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: I move: That, pursuant to subsection (2A) (inserted by section 2 of the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 (No. 31 of 2001)), of section 21 of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 (No. 22 of 1995), Dáil Éireann recommends the appointment of Mr. Justice Garrett Sheehan, a former Judge of the High Court and the Court of Appeal, by the President on the advice of the Government to be...

Appointment of Ordinary Member of Standards in Public Office Commission: Motion (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: I move: That, pursuant to subsection (2)(b)(v) (inserted by section 2 of the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 (No. 31 of 2001)), of section 21 of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 (No. 22 of 1995), Dáil Éireann approves the proposed appointment by the Government of Ms. Geraldine Feeney (being a former member of Seanad Éireann and not being a member of the European...

Finance Bill 2020: Motion (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, proceedings in the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach on the Finance Bill 2020, where not previously concluded, may be brought to a conclusion by one Question, which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Preparations (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: Regardless of the outcome of the ongoing negotiations on the future relationship, the UK will leave the Single Market and the Customs Union on 1 January 2021.  This will have significant implications for Ireland. A whole of Government approach is being adopted to addressing the challenges posed by Brexit, and my Department is playing its full part in responding to those challenges. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: On the 22nd of October I announced that the Regional Assemblies will act as Managing Authorities for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Operational Programmes for the 2021 – 2027 programming period. Ireland is likely to receive a total of €350m in ERDF funding, over the seven year period 2021-2027. Reflecting the two different EU classifications of the development...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (17 Nov 2020)

Michael McGrath: Expenditure on the key front line areas of Health, Social Protection and Education makes up the majority of public expenditure each year. These sectors have also been a crucial part of the response to Covid-19 and as such, have been allocated significant additional resources in order to support the State’s response to the pandemic. The Economic and Fiscal Outlook, published by...

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

Michael McGrath: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not incurred any expenditure on private recruitment agencies for the years in question.  My Department avails of the services of the Public Appointments Service, which provides a central recruitment service to the Civil Service and a range of other public bodies.  A number of the bodies under the aegis of my Department have...