Results 141-160 of 33,953 for speaker:Pearse Doherty
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: What is the proposal then? The Minister has heard this. I have raised it with him numerous times. If he were to turn around to Mr. Rafferty and say, "Mr. Rafferty, please develop a scheme that would help with upfront payments", Mr. Rafferty would respond. He is here as the face of the Department, so I am not personally making the claims against him, but I have to represent my constituents...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: Under the proposal the Department will bring forward in a couple of weeks' time, there will be no upfront working capital for homeowners. Is that correct?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: To clarify, professional fees are not working capital. We can all agree on that. Therefore, there will be no upfront working capital for homeowners under the amendments the Department is bringing forward. Is that correct?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: I know the scheme does not allow-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: And under the amendment the Department is bringing forward, there will still be none. Is that what Mr. Rafferty is saying?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: I understand that, but will there be any advance working capital for homeowners under the amendments the Department is bringing forward to the scheme?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: Many of the people rebuilding their homes are dealing with small contractors. We are not dealing with Sisk or large contractors in this case. One of the challenges those people have is working capital. How do these families get off the ground in those circumstances if they cannot go to a financial institution and borrow money to assist?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: Yes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: Under the scheme, at what stage can a family building their home in part of Donegal, say, draw down the first funding?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: Yes. I am referring to professional fees for the contractor.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: Does there have to be a certain amount of work carried out before that can be-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: What have the local authorities done?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: Moving on to Mr. Rafferty's comment that the scheme is working well and the Minister "is satisfied with the progress being made", what happens to the 64-year-old woman in my county who has defective blocks? She has been accepted onto the scheme. To rebuild her home will personally cost her in the region of €80,000 more than what would be available under the scheme. She is 64 years...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: But Mr. Rafferty says the grant covers 100% of the work.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: But it does not really, does it? To rebuild that house completely, if that were to cost €350,000, Mr. Rafferty is saying they would be fully €100,000-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: Exactly. Therefore, even though the cost of the house would actually be less than €420,000, could we not have a situation in which somebody has to put their hand in their pocket and try to find €80,000 to rebuild their home? Would that not be the case?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: I am sure Mr. Rafferty is familiar with many examples of different ranges where people have to find tens of thousands of euro. It is common, is it not?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: Would it change the Department's mind if we were to give it the contractors' quotes and show it what was available from the grants? Would the Department really provide 100% redress if that were the case, and if we could show the Department what is happening on the ground?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)
Pearse Doherty: The reason I say this - it may be a small thing - is that when somebody comes before a committee and says there is 100% funding, that really annoys many people because the likes of that woman are sitting at home knowing they will not be able to rebuild their homes. It is €80,000. She is not going to get that money. There is no finance available from banks. It really annoys people....