Results 5,181-5,200 of 11,632 for speaker:Colm Burke

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Healthcare Policy (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: I raise this matter because concerns have been expressed to me that there may be a need for legislation in the context of this scheme. In that regard, I am concerned about the timeframe we have to pass any such required legislation, with this House only sitting for another three weeks, and likewise with Seanad, which any Bill would also have to go through. The issue here is whether we need...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Healthcare Policy (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, for taking this matter. I ask him to outline the plans by the Department of Health for the introduction of the free contraception scheme for 17- to 25-year-olds, which is due to happen in August. I am seeking clarification as to whether it needs to be done by way of legislation or by means of regulation. If the former, when will we see the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: Deputy Emer Higgins and I published a Private Members’ Bill in regard to the regulation of home care providers. In fairness to the Department of Health, it is progressing with the drafting of legislation and new regulation in this whole area. One of the issues it needs to put in place is an IT system for the HSE in regard to the management of home care because it is currently all...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for being here this morning and for dealing with the questions being raised. My first question relates to the "RTÉ Investigates" programme on 23 March 2022. I will quote two examples they gave about the lack of accountability. The first example was Cavan County Council in 2017 and an allegation of fake invoices. An investigation was initiated but there has been...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: With the case in Cavan the report said there was no Garda investigation.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: That is a great line with regard to "We cannot give you any information". I would like someone from An Garda Síochána to confirm that the file is not closed. Certainly, RTÉ did not get that information.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: Perhaps the Department could give the committee some clarification on this issue. I like it when people can give me the full facts but in this case they are saying that there was no Garda investigation. Now we are being told something different inside here. Will the Department come back to us with clear information that there is still an ongoing Garda file and that it is not closed?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: I will move on to something more recent. I do not see in any of the reports an acknowledgement of the contribution of commercial ratepayers to local authorities. It must be remembered that they pay a substantial sum of money to local authorities. It might be interesting to get a full breakdown of the total amount of commercial rates that are collected from the private sector by all of the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: I apologise for raising something that is very local but I wish to move on to this recent issue, which is the extension of the city boundary in Cork. It is a very welcome development in that there are now two local authorities dealing with planning and all of the other issues in relation to their areas. There is a situation, however, where there are 50 court orders and a dispute with the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: My understanding is that the papers were sent to the Attorney General six months ago. Surely we are talking about-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: -----we are talking about breach of planning, court orders being in place and no action being taken. Rate payers and taxpayers are paying for a service from their local authorities and action is not being taken where people have totally flouted the law. Everyone who has complied with the law is paying up their full amount of taxes and full amount of rates, yet people who have flouted the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: I accept that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: Can we have a timeline by which action will be taken on this?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: I also wish to raise the issue about the collection of rents from local authority housing. Can we get a breakdown from each local authority on the arrears? I understand that it is about €80 million across the entire State. Can we get a breakdown on what is the annual rent collected by each local authority from housing and what are the arrears that have now accumulated? How do we...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: Can we also get a reason there is such a variation? Some local authorities work very closely on this. Obviously there are tenants who do run into difficulties, and this must also be considered, but some local authorities seem to work very effectively while others seem not to be as effective in dealing with the issue.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: I raise a final question regarding taking in charge of properties.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: I will return to the role of local authorities in planning. One of the problems I am coming across, and the Department must have an input in this, is local authorities not implementing the conditions in planning. You come across estates built over 15 or 20 years ago that have still not been taken in charge. I am talking about estates in cities and county areas. What is the Department...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: Over 500 plants in the country have not been taken over by Irish Water. We put in €3.5 billion last year to upgrade those facilities. We have 50 plants in Cork county that are not up to scratch and we are going nowhere with them. I need to know what we intend doing over the next 12 months. What are we doing to make sure local authorities follow through on planning compliance?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: Making sure local authorities do so is within the remit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I know of one estate in Cork city alongside which the Revenue Commissioners have their main office for the southern region. This estate was built 15 years ago but has still not been taken in charge by the local authority.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Colm Burke: It would be helpful for the committee if we could find out the number of estates around the country that have not been taken in charge and what decisive action needs to be taken to make sure there is full compliance with planning and that local authorities are following it up because this is taxpayers' money. It is costing the taxpayer more money to bring these estates up to standard because...