Results 19,741-19,760 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath
- Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Administration (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: 269. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding an individual mortgage-to-rent case in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Cork; the next steps in the process; the estimated timeframe for its completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10980/15]
- Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Administration (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: 274. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of mortgage-to-rent transactions that have been fully completed to date; the number currently at an advanced stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11021/15]
- Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Administration (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: 275. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on raising the maximum house values attaching to the mortgage-to-rent schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11022/15]
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: I welcome Dr. Byrne. What does she believe motivates people who make donations to political parties? I am not talking about members buying a ticket in a national draw or supporting a church gate collection, but non-members of parties who make donations to individuals or parties. Is it to support an individual candidate in whom they believe, to support the policies of the party or to...
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: To extend that question, Dr. Byrne said earlier that it was all about proximity to power. I believe she was inferring that those in power will invariably get more donations. Does that lead her to a conclusion that those who are making the donations are seeking to influence those who hold the reins of power?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: More donations are going to those in power, irrespective of who it is.
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: Does that not answer the first question in a way? As those in power get more donations, for at least some of the people making donations the motivation behind making the donation is to influence policy.
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: May I clarify the rankings Dr. Byrne has outlined in Table 1? The first column is Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, and Ireland has the figure 16. On the scale, one is the least corrupt and 166 is the most corrupt. Is that correct?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: Is this perception or is it some type of measure of actual corruption? How is that arrived at and what does it measure?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: Where does Ireland rank in terms of developed countries?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: There is a figure of 16 for Ireland, and Dr. Byrne has given some comparisons there.
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: No, I misinterpreted the numbers. Dr. Byrne says the 16 figure for Ireland means that Ireland ranked 16th-----
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: -----not that Ireland had a figure of 16 on the spectrum of one to 166 in terms of corruption. It is a ranking.
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: Finally, Dr. Byrne asks some quite big questions on page 5 of her statement: "Did donors from the property sector have a vested interest in the formulation of policy?" and "Was the decision-making capacity of political parties eroded by a conflict of interest?" and so forth. She says one cannot reach conclusions without evidence, but she must have formed an opinion. Has she formed an...
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: Thank you, Chairman. Mr. McDonald is very welcome and I thank him for coming in to us. May I start by asking him about the Kenny report of 1974, which was the committee on the price of building land? Mr. McDonald refers to it in his book, The Builders, co-authored with Kathy Sheridan. Can he advise the committee what the central recommendation of the Kenny report was, and what impact does...
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: By the local authority?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: Okay.
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: Would the local authority have commissioned builders to build on the land or would the council have sold the land?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: Is the key thing there that the land would have been rezoned first, before it is brought to the market-----
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (12 Mar 2015)
Michael McGrath: -----rather than buying land speculatively and then trying to get it rezoned?