Results 2,661-2,680 of 6,949 for speaker:Cian O'Callaghan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: If a review of the Electoral Act 1997 is started early in the new year, the hope would be that it comes to completion during the year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Mr. Ryan talked about work to reach groups that do not have as high a level of participation in the democratic processes as others. Is the hope that work will be completed during the year and some of that work will impact the work the commission does during the upcoming electoral cycles, or at least the general election?

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (28 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: 332. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when he will announce the completion of the public consultation on the review of Part B (fire safety) of the Building Regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52226/23]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (28 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: 497. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will reverse the funding cuts that an organisation (details supplied) have received; if he will ensure that they are adequately resourced to continue their vital work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52042/23]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (28 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: 545. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of small, independent pre-schools that are struggling to meet the chart of accounts requirement in their core funding application due to high accountancy costs and limited time to complete their application by February 2024; the reason these accounts are needed; if late submissions will be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (28 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: 624. To ask the Minister for Health if he is aware of a problem that some psychotherapists and psychologists are facing whereby they cannot get appropriate rooms or space to run their services to meet the demand (details supplied); if he will address this issue to aid the reduction of waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52290/23]

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: This is a very important and serious area. I know it has caused many issues and concerns for people who have run for public office and who have considered running for public office and decided against it on safety grounds. All sorts of things have happened, such as people being stalked, as a result of information being publicly available. It is a particular issue in terms of trying to...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I seek a clarification. Deputy Bacik's amendment talks about the abolition of constituencies returning three Members. The commission's hands are tied in that sense, in terms of the existing legislation. Is it the Minister's understanding of the research the commission is doing that the commission is not tied by the existing legislation and that everything is on the table or is it otherwise?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Yes. The commission is not tied to what is in the electoral Bill-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: -----in terms of the number of constituencies. That is the Minister's view and it is fair for us to say that.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Sometimes, when people are researching areas, they feel they have to research within the bounds of existing legislation.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: The Minister, in his view, believes they do not have to operate under constraints.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: This clarification is very useful.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary Estimate) (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: My questions are in a similar vein. Under subhead A3, local authority housing, last year the underspend was €237 million in the Supplementary Estimate.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary Estimate) (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: That is no problem. Under subhead A3, local authority housing, last year the underspend was €237 million in the Supplementary Estimate. This year, my read of it is that it is €220 million. Is that correct?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary Estimate) (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Does it not say €220 million?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary Estimate) (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I understand. It is an estimate.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary Estimate) (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: It is worth saying that the Estimates last year were relatively accurate in this regard, were they not? The €237 million underspend last year, when these Estimates came in, was held to, was it not? It was accurate, so there is no reason-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary Estimate) (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Exactly, but the Estimates have been relatively accurate so there is no reason to expect otherwise. Between the two years, that is almost €500 million in underspend under subhead A3, local authority housing, at a time of unprecedented numbers of homeless people living in emergency accommodation and record numbers of children growing up without a home. Why is here such a high level of...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary Estimate) (23 Nov 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I have a question on CAS, the Housing Agency land acquisition fund and the budgetary process on the housing budget. Last year’s Supplementary Estimate was €125 million for the land acquisition fund. This year, am I correct there was no allocation in the budget for that fund?