Results 8,601-8,620 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services Provision (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: 140. To ask the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is on a waiting list for a residential placement; if so, the position on the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24658/19]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Care Packages (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: 141. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to ensure that families, including the child being cared for with a paediatric home care package, are able to travel abroad for special occasions with the support of that home care package; when the plans will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24659/19]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: 232. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if, under the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme, the underwriter can take account of an imminent pay rise that an applicant is due to receive as a public servant on a pay scale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24656/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials. Just as the meeting started, an email landed in our inboxes from the Alliance for Insurance Reform with the results of a survey of its members. There were 494 respondents to the survey and the headline result was that the cost of insurance for small businesses and charities has increased by an average of more than 200% in five years. Some...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: The Minister of State does not know if it is unrepresentative either.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: These figures show that we are at a crisis point with premiums. The position is not sustainable. It is closing businesses and threatening festivals, voluntary bodies, charities and community groups throughout the country. The Minister of State has the full backing of the committee to do what is required to address the issue once and for all because those figures are not sustainable.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: I will take the Minister of State through the nuts and bolts of this, if I may. Senator Kieran O'Donnell teased out the process under way with the Judicial Council Bill. That legislation will lead to the establishment of a personal injuries guidelines committee. The Minister of State is saying that when that Bill is passed the matter will move into the judicial realm and be out of his hands.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: He expressed hope that the new guidelines for award levels will be in place before the end of the year. Do we have an assurance or indication from those who will be involved in doing this that the timeline will be met? On what is the Minister of State's hope based?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: How is the Minister of State reaching the conclusion that the new award levels will be set and in place by the end of the year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: That is the Minister of State's view but, for clarity, he has not received any information or reassurance from the Judiciary or those who will be involved in the committee that this work will actually be done by the end of 2019.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: If it is passed, as I imagine it will be, who will be responsible for driving the process from there?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: Apart from passing that key Bill, what else can the Oireachtas achieve on insurance before the summer recess?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: The committee decided earlier to invite representatives of the major companies to appear to discuss the issues arising in the insurance industry, the reforms they want and what the industry can give in return to policyholders and customers. We hope to do that before the Dáil rises in mid-July.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: We expect representatives of the insurance companies to appear before us because of the importance of these issues for society, the economy, consumers, motorists, businesses, voluntary bodies, charities and so on. We expect the big companies, once they have received invitations, to appear before the committee to explain their case, give their perspective on the industry at this time and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: That is very recent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: What I am asking about - I am sure the Department is doing this - is the level of engagement with the Courts Service. We want the data for the numbers of cases brought under the 2004 Act. How many prosecutions have been brought and how many convictions have been secured? Is it too much to ask that we be given that data? Will the Minister of State write to the committee with what he has...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Central Bank of Ireland Staff (12 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: 84. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to continue with the appointment of a person (details supplied) as Governor of the Central Bank in advance of the conclusion of the investigation he is party to in New Zealand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24461/19]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Central Bank of Ireland Staff (12 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: 85. To ask the Minister for Finance if the State has entered into a contractual commitment at this stage relating to the appointment of a person (details supplied) as Governor of the Central Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24462/19]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Lending (12 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: 86. To ask the Minister for Finance the reason the Central Bank deems a returning emigrant who never owned a residential property here but did abroad for a period of time as a non-first-time buyer; his views on whether this classification is unfair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24466/19]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Data (12 Jun 2019)

Michael McGrath: 87. To ask the Minister for Finance if mortgage arrears statistics of the Central Bank include instances in which commercial loans include either BTL properties or PDH properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24523/19]