Results 181-200 of 498 for speaker:Séamus McGrath

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I appreciate it. I thank Ms Nugent for her response. I can see the passion coming through and I thank her for indulging that. It is important to see that side of the whole project as well.

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I very much look forward to it becoming operational.

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank everyone for staying with us this long. It is appreciated. I will go back to the big picture in terms of the opening of the hospital. Not to put words in Mr. Gunning's mouth, he indicated earlier that he has little or no confidence in the contractor. I am paraphrasing there. The opening date that Ms Nugent has given us of June of next year is predicated on the handover of the...

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I understand. I am caught for time. The update that was received yesterday evening confirmed the September handover-----

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: -----but Mr. Gunning has not interrogated the detail.

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: When was the last update in terms of a date and what was that date? When did the contractor previously indicate a date?

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: As we draw closer, Mr. Gunning will be hoping that there will not be too much movement.

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Agreed.

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I will turn to Ms Nugent regarding the operation and the question of staffing. If the hospital is open in June of next year, will the additionality Ms Nugent referred to be there in June? Will the hospital be 100% operational or are we talking about a phased opening?

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: In terms of additional equipment, I imagine there has to be a lot of equipment procured and sourced, etc. That is well under way.

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Has some of that equipment arrived? Is it in storage? What are the logistics around that?

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: It is in warehouses, in storage and inside of the building.

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: It is waiting to be used. I will make a final point, if I can. On Ronald McDonald House, which is a critical project, the indication is quarter 3 of this year. Did that project come in on budget on time?

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Good.

Public Accounts Committee: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and Children's Health Ireland: Discussion (22 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: And Mr. Gunning is confident we will come in at that.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Appeals (27 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank the Minister of State for taking this Topical Issue. I refer to the long period people have to wait for a social welfare appeal to be decided. As the Minister of State knows, this places huge stress on individuals and families who are waiting for decisions to be made. Invalidity pensions, domiciliary care allowance and carer's allowance are some of the applications subject to very...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Appeals (27 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I welcome some of the reply regarding some of the improvements already in train. I very much welcome that the Minister, Deputy Calleary, has met the appeals team and additional staff are now being employed, bringing the total number of staff to 64. This is certainly welcome. With regard to the new appeals regulations, there are positive...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Challenges Relating to the Delivery of Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (27 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank the witnesses from the Central Bank and the ESRI for their opening statements, which give a good snapshot of their position on the housing situation at present. Both organisations' predictions for delivery in 2025 are similar, at in or around the 35,000 mark. There is a distinction in terms of 2026, with the Central Bank forecasting a figure of 44,000 and the ESRI saying 37,000...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Challenges Relating to the Delivery of Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (27 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I must ask Dr. O'Toole to speed up as my time is limited.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Challenges Relating to the Delivery of Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (27 May 2025)

Séamus McGrath: The ESRI is making allowances for the high number of commencements in 2023-24.