Results 13,441-13,460 of 15,379 for speaker:Eoin Ó Broin
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: I have allowed us to go way off topic so my reputation as a chair is in tatters. However, the issue of land is very important. I thank all the witnesses for their presentations and they are welcome to stay for the second session, if they so wish. We will suspend briefly.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: At the request of the broadcasting and recording services, members and visitors in the Public Gallery are requested to ensure that, for the duration of the meeting, their mobile phones are turned off completely or switched to aeroplane, safe or flight mode depending on their device. It is not sufficient to put phones on silent mode as that will maintain a level of interference with the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: I thank Mr. Morrin and call Mr. Smith.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: I thank Mr. Smith. I now call Mr. McCarthy. We are expecting great things from him today.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: If we were confused beforehand, that graph has us even more confused now-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: -----but I thank Mr. McCarthy for showing it to us anyway.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: Mr. Morrin said EUROSTAT has indicated to the CSO that it intends to support its recommendation. Has it done that in writing? He also said the CSO expects EUROSTAT to confirm that publicly in the coming weeks. Can he confirm that? The approved housing bodies mentioned some inconsistencies between the CSO's recommendation and, for example, the similar recommendations in regard to the UK,...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: As I understood it from the approved housing bodies, when the CSO recommendations refer to the contractual arrangements, one of the issues of concern is that the local authorities nominate potential tenants through the approved housing bodies. While those approved housing bodies can refuse any nomination, it would be replaced by another nomination. The approved housing bodies are saying...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: I understand that, but that was not my question. That is one of the points the CSO lists in its contractual arrangement concerns. I was referring to point E on the PowerPoint which states that risk exposure can be seen to exist as the Government is meeting its obligations to persons assessed as entitled. Will Ms Roche explain that part?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: That is clear. How does that relate to the use of the phrase "risk exposure of Government"? For clarity purposes, where is the risk in that?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: To clarify, that €250 million is not Government expenditure in the budget that was announced in October because it is not coming from tax revenues. It will come from a variety of borrowings, some from the Housing Finance Agency and some from private banking institutions. My understanding is that if there was no redesignation in March, the €250 million would not be included...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: Before we get to the reclassification, my understanding is that the expenditure by the approved housing bodies of the money they are going to borrow this year to build and buy units is not currently taken account of within the fiscal space. Am I correct?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: However, the expenditure is not within the fiscal space.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: The crucial thing from our point of view is that if EUROSTAT does as we expect in a matter of weeks and says that this is now on the balance sheet, the fundamental change is that the expenditure of €250 million must now be factored into the Government's calculations on the fiscal space for this year. I am trying to work out how that operates.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: I apologise for focusing on this but it is the nub of the dilemma and I am anxious to understand it. From the point when redesignation happens all of that expenditure is on-balance sheet. Suddenly, an expenditure of €250 million that was not part of the original calculations of the Government in its agreement with the European Commission for this year is now going to be part of...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: That is my point. Perhaps the witness does not understand the question or perhaps I am not explaining it right. If there is €250 million of additional expenditure out of nowhere and it was not calculated in the original budget agreement, fiscal space has to be found for that somewhere this year. How is that done?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: Is that because it is reclassified retrospectively?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: Okay. There is no problem.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: It is only a net increase above the €250 million.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Reclassification of Approved Housing Bodies: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)
Eoin Ó Broin: It is over four years.