Results 6,901-6,920 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ministerial Advisers (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: Yes, absolutely. The Deputy has put that on the record and acknowledged that fact. I assume they provided a good service and were valuable to the Deputy. I shall now turn to the numbers. Once the process has been completed - and it has not been completed at this point, even on the numbers the Deputy has speculated on - all details will be published in an open and transparent way.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The Public Service Pay and Pension Act 2017 provides for the restoration of reductions made to public service pay and pensions by the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2010 to 2013. That process of restoration began on 1 January 2018 and is due to conclude by 1 July 2022. In that regard, on 1 October 2020, public servants will receive a 2% pay increase by way of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for her question. As she points out, the capital expenditure levels for 2021, as originally set out in the Revised Estimates Volume of December 2019, amounted to €9.1 billion. This figure, which was set out in advance of the Covid-19 pandemic, was almost €1 billion, or 12%, higher than the corresponding 2020 allocation. As part of the July stimulus, the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: First, we should not understate the significance of the State committing to a capital investment programme of more than €9 billion at a time when we are forecasting a deficit in the current year of somewhere in the region of €25 billion to €30 billion. Ten years ago, in very different times and when different circumstances applied, capital expenditure was slashed by some...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: I strongly support investment in capital expenditure projects. Now is the right time to make that investment because we can borrow at historically low levels of interests. There are many unmet infrastructure needs throughout the country. We have an opportunity now that should be taken and it falls to me to be the advocate within Government for doing so. To be fair, the prioritisation...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ministerial Advisers (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The appointment of special advisers by Government to assist Ministers and Ministers of State is provided for under section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997.   Special adviser appointments were initially considered by my Cabinet colleagues and me at the Government meeting of 4 August last. At that meeting, the Government approved the proposed guidelines setting out the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Data (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 128 together. The overall Budgetary Strategy for 2021 will focus on prioritising crisis management measures to address the challenges posed by Covid-19 and Brexit while preserving and maintaining existing levels of service within core expenditure programmes. Ensuring the provision of the necessary funding to support our citizens and key public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy is aware, I have instructed my officials to engage in exploratory talks with public services committee of ICTU to see if there is a basis for a successor agreement to the Public Service Stability Agreement to ensure pay stability, industrial peace and the delivery of quality public services. To date there has been constructive engagement between the public service management and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 137 together. My Department does not hold details of the number or value of non-compliant tenders requested by the Deputy. Individual Accounting Officers are responsible for ensuring that their public procurement functions are discharged in line with the standard accounting and procurement rules and procedures and that contract prices are fair and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The Public Service Pay and Pension Act 2017 provides for the restoration of reductions made to public service pay and pensions by the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2010-2013. That process of restoration began on 1st January 2018 and is due to conclude by 1st July 2022. In that regard, on 1st October 2020, public servants will receive a 2% pay increase. This...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Advisers (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware on the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The appointment of Special Advisers is subject to Section 11 of the Public Services Management Act 1997. The Guidelines for the appointment of Ministerial Appointments for the 33rd Dáil...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Directives (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The EU formally adopted Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law ("the Whistleblowing Directive") on 23 October 2019. All Member States, including Ireland, have until 17 December 2021 to transpose the Directive into national law. Ireland is one of just 10 EU Member States to already have comprehensive whistleblower protection laws in place in the form...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: Government Departments and Offices have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated public health requirements by introducing new measures of flexibility in working arrangements. Civil Service Departments and Offices have been advised by my Department, as standard practice across the public service during COVID-19, to consider all forms of flexible working including: - working...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: The jobs stimulus plan announced in July contained a €500 million package for accelerated capital works and other capital supports across a range of areas in support of employment-intensive economic activity in 2020. The projects and programmes announced as part of the stimulus cover a broad geographic and sectoral scope, including housing, education, transport, justice, environment...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: Work is underway on a successor to the 2014 Civil Service Renewal Plan. This strategy will outline an ambitious programme of reform for the Irish Civil Service over a 10 year period. There is no doubt that the changes in how we work and where we work that have come about as a result of the pandemic will inform the next Renewal Plan. The public health requirements brought about by the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Data (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 150 together. Budgetary policy has responded quickly in order to counter the worst effects of the pandemic. It is estimated that approximately €16 billion will be provided over the course of the year to respond to Covid-19 across a wide range of sectors, including; - the additional funding provided for labour market supports that will...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Preparations (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: Ireland continues to support the closest possible future relationship between the EU and the UK. Nevertheless we recognise that, regardless of the outcome of the 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 us. As the Deputy will be aware, a whole of Government approach...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Expenditure Policy (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 124, 141 and 144 together. In his pre-Budget letter to the Minister for Finance, Governor Makhlouf sets out three key areas on which policy should focus. These are: - Supporting the productive capacity of the economy; - Eventually setting a path to a lower and more sustainable debt and deficit ratios; and - Building resilience to future shocks. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the independent, statutory body which provides professional recruitment and selection services for appointments to the Civil Service. Irish language usage is a core Government policy objective as stated in the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 and its associated 5-Year Action Plan for the period 2018 to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (29 Sep 2020)

Michael McGrath: It is important that Ireland’s statutory National Minimum Wage and the Living Wage concept are not confused. The Living Wage has no legislative basis and is therefore not a statutory entitlement. It currently stands at €12.30 per hour according to the Living Wage Technical Group document 2020. The National Minimum Wage is a statutory entitlement and has a legislative basis....