Results 1,481-1,500 of 5,601 for speaker:Paul McAuliffe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed). (26 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: Would anybody else like to deal with those pressing issues?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed). (26 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: The assembly recommended, for example, that responsibility for water would go to a directly elected mayor. I do not know how that would work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed). (26 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: The solution is just to declare independence. We will see each other down in the GPO in half an hour.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed). (26 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: That gives me the opportunity on behalf of all the members to thank all of our guests for the work they do outside of here because that civic voice is very important in any democratic structure. The geographic-specific elements of it are important. I was very struck by what Mr. Geissel said regarding that community and local identity. I represent Santry and Finglas and we are almost in the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (25 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: 32. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when a passport will be issued for a person (details supplied). [46804/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (25 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: 170. To ask the Minister for Health the status of a primary care appointment for psychology for emotional regulation and socio-emotional communication for a child (details supplied). [47027/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: Both questions relate to the carer's allowance and means-testing. I am dealing with a huge number of reviews for the carer's allowance and they are being done in an incredibly intrusive way, with people being asked to submit bank statements. Instead of it being a qualification just on income grounds, they are being asked to produce bank statements, which are being returned with transactions...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: I think Questions Nos. 60 to 62, inclusive, relate to the same issue. The Minister has discussed it in detail in the context of the straw man and the Green Paper, so I am happy to allow colleagues to use the time.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Payments (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: That is just because the Minister was present.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Citizens Information Services (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: One CIB, eight CIS and 90 CICs have closed - all the acronyms would make one's head hurt. In essence one of the difficulties with the system is that the Minister cannot direct them because they are separate companies, but it was not any one of those companies that decided this, it was us. It was the Oireachtas that decided to have independent companies. The community and voluntary sector...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Citizens Information Services (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: I join the Minister in encouraging people to come forward. From speaking to many volunteers I know it is a very rewarding service. As we in this House all know, to be able to impart information to people, which they otherwise would not be aware of, is a very rewarding experience. It certainly is for me any time I am in my clinic. There is, however, more that can be done. This issue...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Citizens Information Services (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: I am asking this question on behalf of Deputy Cahill. I think this is the first opportunity I have had to congratulate the Minister on the negotiations in regard to the budget. For the second year in a row, the combination of once-off payments and increases in core rates has led the ESRI to state that these changes have kept people ahead of inflation. Given international rates of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: 65. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection how many reviews of State (non-contributory) pensions have been carried out in 2023; and how many pensions have been stopped as a result. [46228/23]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: 100. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to address the current backlog in processing applications for child benefit. [46180/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: I thank members and witnesses for being here today to consider the report of the citizens' assembly on a directly elected mayor of Dublin. I note that an invitation was extended to the National Transport Authority, the HSE, the Department of Health and the Department of Education. I welcome from the National Transport Authority, Ms Anne Graham, CEO, and Mr. Hugh Creegan, deputy CEO. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: Based on the experience of last week, and because we are not dealing with specific legislation or holding the NTA to account on a particular set of accounts, we will be asking for the witnesses' expertise and whatever answers they give will be considered in that way. That gives them some latitude.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: There must have been comparisons of different cities. There must be even anecdotal interactions with those around different systems. If there is any that strikes Ms Graham, the Senator would benefit from that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: I might take my slot. I am a strong believer that our current system of local government is so broken, fragmented and weak in power that even the addition of a figurehead that only champions and has no power would be an improvement. Everybody is in agreement that that alone would not be sufficient. However, people who advocate for a directly-elected mayor say there would be a benefit in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: Although in hindsight, the decision to cancel it may have meant a much more expensive project in the long run.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: We have spoken many times about how the NTA provides the fleet and private operators like Go Ahead are using that fleet. We have talked about a similar system for e-bikes, for example, in the city. One of the challenges we have discussed is for the NTA to be able to co-ordinate that response across the four Dublin local authorities with existing schemes in place. There would be a challenge...