Results 61-80 of 2,167 for speaker:Joe Flaherty

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: I am sorry. I will take that back.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: Can Mr. O'Leary say, hand on heart, that there is not another Peter McVerry Trust lurking in the darkness?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: I have a final question for the moment. The Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority’s final investigation did not focus on anyone individually. Has there been any interaction or has the regulator provided any of its findings to the DPP at this stage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: That is the only engagement there has been. The Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority just directed An Garda Síochána to the website.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: I still think it is an exceptional cost, although I accept what Ms Hayes is saying. What is the vacancy rate across the 1,458 beds at the moment?

Seanad: Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation: Statements (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: I thank the Minister for coming in today. Undoubtedly, one of the biggest challenges facing this State is the scaling of our infrastructure. I appreciate we have record levels of capital investment, but it is only reasonable and fair to say the national development plan 2025 to 2035 will be a defining one against the backdrop of rising population and bullish economic growth. It is vital we...

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: I thank the ombudsman for his very comprehensive report and excellent work over the past 20 years. It is probably a statutory issue but I will raise the 12-month time limit. Given someone is in the military and that it is very structured and leadership-oriented, the 12-month period probably seems very tight for submitting a concern but is that a statutory restriction?

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: Does every serving member get those letters?

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: That is fine for them but not for someone who did not do that, for instance, if I had an issue and the 12 months has passed and I have not engaged with the ombudsman's office.

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: I will defer to the ombudsman's experience on it. He said a lot of his findings - I think it is 96% - are accepted by the-----

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: So the findings are accepted, does the ombudsman see follow-through in subsequent policy? Does he actually see a change in direction?

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: I am just concerned about recommendations as a general rule. If the ombudsman makes a direction or an observation, it has to be followed through.

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: Chair, I have one final question.

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: There is a new position within the Army, which is the head of transformation, Mr. Brian Molloy. It is an important function and he is trying to oversee a lot of changes. Has Mr. Molloy engaged with the ombudsman's office?

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: Mr. Molloy is also a civilian. Given the office of the ombudsman's 20-year volume of work, it has probably seen the nooks and crannies and what was historically wrong in the Defence Forces. It would be very important that the ombudsman would feed into Mr. Molloy's work. He will hopefully guide or provide the pointers for seismic changes in our Defence Forces so it is very important there...

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: Will Mr. O'Connor undertake to make contact with Mr. Molloy and make available to him those findings over the 20 years. I commend the ombudsman on his work. The report was very impressive. It is great to see a 40% reduction on prior years, which we have to take as a positive. Most things are going the other way so we will take the positives out of that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: How often would the Department-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Flaherty: But do they hold themselves personally to account? As the acting head of the affordable housing division, does Ms Behan hold her team personally responsible for delivering those targets?