Results 10,381-10,400 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Economic Growth Rate (11 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: 100. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on whether there is a risk that contract manufacturing will have a similar effect on 2018 GDP figures as with 2017 GDP figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30926/18]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (11 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: 446. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to improve the legislative framework for animal welfare and to ensure better enforcement of existing legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31391/18]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dog Breeding Industry (11 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: 527. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to carry out a review of the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 to assess its effectiveness and to consider if it needs to be strengthened further; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31392/18]

Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (10 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: I would like to share time with Deputy Michael Moynihan.

Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (10 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this Second Stage debate. I am pleased that this Bill has finally been introduced. Now that we have a chance to discuss it, its progress through the legislative process can commence in a meaningful way. It has to be acknowledged that over two years have passed since the review of the motor insurance compensation framework and over four years have...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (10 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: 166. To ask the Minister for Finance when the next quarterly update is being published by the cost of insurance working group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30052/18]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (10 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: 171. To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 188 of 29 May 2018, if the loan was not given to an employee or former employee at a preferential interest rate, then for the purposes of a write-down or debt forgiveness, the Revenue Commissioners will not seek to apply section 122 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Parental Leave (10 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: 282. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to introduce reforms to the parental leave regime including changes to the qualifying age of the child and to the length of the leave; if an increase in leave and in the qualifying age will apply in respect of children that have already reached eight years of age and in circumstances in which the parents have...

Home Building Finance Ireland Bill 2018: Second Stage (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: The Minister has said it cannot. Therefore, the finding is only for the construction. Those who bring forward schemes will still have to find 100% of the acquisition costs elsewhere. Stage payments were abolished some years ago. That has been to the benefit of the consumers but it has created funding difficulties for those who are developing schemes because they do not get any money...

Home Building Finance Ireland Bill 2018: Second Stage (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: I need to start my contribution on Second Stage of the Bill by criticising the delay in bringing it forward. It was announced on budget day last October. It was one of the main elements of a set of measures the Government heralded to tackle the housing crisis. It rightly identified the lack of finance for the construction sector as a key issue, but nine months later we are only commencing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector in Ireland (Resumed): Bank of Ireland (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: I welcome Ms McDonagh and her colleagues. I will start by asking for the witnesses' perspectives on the housing market and what Bank of Ireland's expectations and forecasts are on housing because it has quite a good overview of the market, is dealing with builders and developers on the supply side and dealing with home buyers. We have seen significant house price growth in recent times, so...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector in Ireland (Resumed): Bank of Ireland (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: Does Ms McDonagh think that supply is coming when that mismatch of 25,000 units of a shortfall year on year is looked at? Supply is increasing but the demand is very strong so does that provide for continuing house price growth for the foreseeable future until supply comes somewhere close to meeting demand?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector in Ireland (Resumed): Bank of Ireland (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: In regard to the mortgage market, Bank of Ireland's core offering is centred on fixed rates and cashbacks. In the table of rates provided, the lowest rate offered by Bank of Ireland is 3%, fixed across a number of loan-to-value bands for between one and five years. In the past few days, Ulster Bank has announced a new, two-year fixed rate of 2.3%, which is 70 basis points lower than Bank of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector in Ireland (Resumed): Bank of Ireland (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: We have discussed the cashback issue previously and I have a different view on it. I am not a great fan of cashbacks as I feel they serve to camouflage high mortgage rates and it is very difficult for consumers to weigh up where the best long-term value lies as the picture can be quite confusing. Can the bank provide us with apro forma, or an anonymised version, of the information it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector in Ireland (Resumed): Bank of Ireland (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: Did the bank have to amend or withdraw some advertisements relating to these incentives, following the Central Bank review?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector in Ireland (Resumed): Bank of Ireland (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: Can Mr. O'Beirne also provide anonymised examples of what the bank provides to consumers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector in Ireland (Resumed): Bank of Ireland (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: I see from the questionnaire that there are still 53,000 mortgage accounts on standard variable rates, SVRs. Given what Ms McDonagh said about nine out of ten new mortgage drawdowns starting on a fixed rate these are, in effect, legacy accounts. The bank's variable rates are high because they are not its core offering, at 3.9%, 4.2% and 4.5%. I am concerned that a lot of the bank's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector in Ireland (Resumed): Bank of Ireland (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: I wish to clarify one point. The figure I quoted was for the number of accounts - 53,000 - whereas the number of customers is 43,600.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector in Ireland (Resumed): Bank of Ireland (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: I have a couple of quick questions. Are the bank's plans to re-enter the broker market proceeding?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector in Ireland (Resumed): Bank of Ireland (5 Jul 2018)

Michael McGrath: Will this complement Bank of Ireland's branch network or will it be focused on areas where it does not have a branch?