Results 121-140 of 5,974 for speaker:Michael McGrath in 'Dáil debates'

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: We regret any closures. We do not want to see any viable business close down. It is important to recall the context of the reduction in the VAT rate. When it first happened, it was to stimulate demand by reducing prices to drive footfall into businesses. It was continued during Covid. It was also extended in the context of the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living pressures so many are...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: Only Deputy Murphy could come into the House and seek to blame the Government for people burning down buildings. That was an outrageous contribution. He has actually made it more difficult for the Garda and our criminal justice system to secure successful prosecutions of people who are conducting criminal acts. He has not done anyone any service with the contribution he just made in that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I believe the Deputy did essentially blame the Government. He accused us of dancing to the tune of the far right.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: He blamed them for burning the buildings.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: He is drawing a correlation which is completely unjustified and is not defensible. If that is the way the Deputy wants to represent himself and his views in the House, so be it. I am not sure if he is suggesting that the State should provide security at every vacant building in the country. I ask him to bear in mind that some of the buildings that have been burnt down were not earmarked...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: If we adopt Sinn Féin policy, the supply of new homes will fall. At the moment, we need at least €13 billion to €14 billion of capital to build in excess of 30,000 homes a year. The State is providing €4 billion to €5 billion of that. We are likely, over the period ahead, to revise upwards the housing targets in Housing For All. That will mean much more...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The supply numbers are real numbers. Since 2020, more than 100,000 new homes have been built. More homes were delivered in four years than in the previous nine years combined, and that is the reality. Almost 33,000 homes were built in 2023. The RTB has the statutory powers it needs in the enforcement of the rent pressure zone rules. It has the powers of investigation and has been given...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: We are not going to dismiss constructive suggestions, wherever they come from across the House because we recognise that this is a challenge. We believe we are making progress as a Government and as a country in increasing the supply of homes but we have more to do. We are never going to deny that and we are open to constructive ideas and proposals from right across the House. It is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Doherty very much for raising this issue. The report to which the Deputy refers from the RTB is just the second such report it has published. It is the rent index report. It is good to have definitive data from the RTB in relation to rents associated with actual tenancies. That gives us some very valuable information as a Government and Oireachtas in terms of the policy...

Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (7 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: On behalf of the Tánaiste and my Fianna Fáil Party colleagues, I extend our deepest condolences on the passing of former Taoiseach, John Bruton, to his wife, Finola, his son, Matthew, his daughters Juliana, Emily and Mary-Elizabeth, his grandchildren, our parliamentary colleague Richard, John's sister, Mary, and indeed the Fine Gael Party. John Bruton was, by any measure, a...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I will answer that. I thank Deputy Doherty for raising the issue. He has tabled a number of parliamentary questions on this issue, and we have discussed it previously. I reassure him that there is work on the way. My Department is working very closely with the Central Bank of Ireland and Department of Justice. There is legislation emerging at EU level as well, namely, Payment Services...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Government does not have any plans to change the rate of VAT. It is important to put on the record that no political party in this House that I am aware of has called for such a reduction either. The key issue raised by businesses with me consistently is costs, not a lack of demand. It is the accumulation of various costs imposed on them, many by direct Government decisions. That is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. We should acknowledge that collectively we have a role to play because when I dug into this matter a little deeper and looked at the numbers it was clear the overwhelming majority of savings people have are in instant access accounts or current accounts, not in deposit accounts or term notice accounts where the interest rate is much higher. We can help ourselves, in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: When it comes to the level of fees, the Central Bank of Ireland has the key role in terms of legislation and regulation of those fees. The Deputy's points will be taken note of. It is important that individual consumers and businesses have as much choice as possible when it comes to methods of payment. The Deputy will be aware that I brought forward the heads of Bill on the issue of access...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy knows, the 9% VAT rate was due to expire in February 2023 and the Government took a decision, on an exceptional basis, to extend it for a further six months to the end of August 2023. It reverted to the normal rate at that point in time. That was the agreed position of the Government and remains the agreed position of the Government. To be clear in terms of where Ireland...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fiscal Data (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Carthy. The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF, portfolio is constructed within the legislative framework set for it by the Oireachtas. ISIF endeavours to be a responsible investor, actively integrating environmental, social and governance, ESG, factors into its decision-making processes with a view to enhancing the overall outcomes for the fund and ultimately its...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fiscal Data (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The position of the Government is clear in respect of the awful events we are witnessing in the Middle East. There should be an immediate and full ceasefire. Hamas should release all the hostages and humanitarian aid should be allowed in to the people of Gaza immediately. That is the position of the Government and it is what we will continue to advocate for at all the international forums...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fiscal Data (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: It is important any Government response be carefully considered and comprehensive. The Deputy will acknowledge that since his party's legislation was brought forward, the UN has updated its list. I have been engaging directly with my officials and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, and we recognise the role we have to play on this issue. It is important we ensure that Government policy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: Interest rate setting and transaction charges are ultimately matters for banks themselves as commercial entities. The banks in turn are influenced by the general interest rate environment, their own risk appetite and competitive pressures in the market. In the initial months of the ECB's tightening cycle, Irish banks lagged behind euro area banks when passing on interest rate rises on both...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (1 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Deputy's central thesis seems to be that multinationals are not paying enough tax in Ireland but if one looks at the data and the pattern over the past number of years, the amount of tax that we are actually collecting in Ireland on corporation tax has increased dramatically. It increased multifold in recent years, and the Deputy knows that.