Results 11,341-11,360 of 15,090 for speaker:Eoin Ó Broin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Affecting the Quality of Water: Discussion (5 Nov 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: Does Irish Water have the same self-selecting methodology for vulnerable customers for bottled water as it does for the text messages, or is there some criterion a person must meet?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Affecting the Quality of Water: Discussion (5 Nov 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: What would be vulnerable? The public will be watching this. Who should be ringing Irish Water?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: I thank Mr. Lemass for the information so far. I am interested to know more of the thinking behind how the Bill is framed at the moment. I suggest that Mr. Lemass might think through some of the issues between now and when amendments are tabled because I am not so sure technical amendments will deal with some of them. We talked the last time about section 38 and in particular the issues...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: Yes, in terms of the RTB but not so much with the Department and the local authorities. That is the question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: Let me rephrase the question. This is quite important. The Government sets the policy for legislation. The local authorities are the direct contact with the AHBs in terms of the schemes and so on, but the regulator will have a function around tenancy management, nominations and allocations. What will the regulator do with regard to these functions? For example, if there is an AHB in any...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: As I said to Mr. Lemass on the previous occasion, it would be useful if members were given a briefing note on that matter. Mr. Lemass has just stated that the regulator would set policies. It is my understanding that the Government sets policies. The regulator's job-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: I am just trying to be clear on-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: This is really important. There is no threat to small AHBs in this but what if a situation arises where, in the view of the regulator, an AHB is no longer able to operate, for example if the stock is not being maintained and there are issues? These are real things.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: It is in respect of those cases where the regulator takes a view that there is a problem with an AHB and certain of its stock; the funds that are available may not cover the cost of that. I only say this because I had a live case in my own constituency a number of years ago of approximately 100 units. I am not saying it should be as complex as the credit unions but a resolution process and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: We can follow the answers in the Official Report.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: My point is a different one, because I accept that. The issue is what is the threshold against which the regulator is allowed to take those various steps, particularly in terms of the investigations etc.? To simply use language, as it does in another section of the Bill, to the effect that the regulator is "of the opinion" is very broad. Surely, if the regulator is going to instigate an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: I am not arguing that third-party complaints would be specified. I am suggesting "reasonable suspicion" would be a better formula for the legislation than "of the opinion".

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: Does that then mean the Minister is not legally obliged to go through the Public Appointments Service because it is not specified in the legislation? Is that the impact of that decision?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: I accept that but if the use of the Public Appointments Service is not stipulated in the legislation, does that not allow the Minister to legally make appointments outside of the Public Appointments Service process? The answer is "Yes" is it not?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: I accept that but I am saying that notwithstanding the general practice, because we have had cases in the previous Oireachtas where the general practice was not adhered to in another Department and it caused some controversy if Mr. Lemass remembers, if it is not stipulated the Public Appointments Service must be used, a Minister is then free to appoint somebody outside of that if he or she so...

Developments in Spain: Statements (22 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: In October 2017, I had the great privilege of observing the Catalan independence referendum first hand. I was one of a large group of parliamentarians from across Europe who travelled to Barcelona and the surrounding districts to witness the vote. Some of us, myself included, were clearly sympathetic to the cause of Catalan self-determination but others in that delegation were not, yet...

Latent Defects Redress Bill 2019: First Stage (22 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Latent Defects Redress Bill 2019: First Stage (22 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to establish a Latent Defects Redress Board, the functions of which shall be,inter alia, to provide resolution to ordinary owners who purchased homes in good faith, in order that such owners have an opportunity to seek mediation or adjudication in relation to non-compliance with building regulations. As Members of this...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: EU Funding (22 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: 164. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if an investment package will be sought from the European Commission and additionally funded by the British and Irish Governments for the north-west city region of counties Donegal, Derry and west Tyrone in a post-Brexit scenario. [43523/19]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (22 Oct 2019)

Eoin Ó Broin: 193. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 539 of 24 July 2019, the proposals developed by his Department in relation to the training of school staff in the use of EpiPens following the publication of the comprehensive review of the special needs assistant scheme. [43055/19]