Results 2,461-2,480 of 4,399 for speaker:Martin Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Turf Cutting (22 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: 278. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will reissue correspondence to a person (details supplied) on the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme with a larger picture to identify the land in question as referred to. [57375/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Schemes (22 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: 296. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if works as provided for under the built heritage investment scheme for Tipperary County Council to mitigate issues of damp in the structure of Knocklofty House, Clonmel, County Tipperary, as referenced in HPLG-MoSN-00491-2021 are scheduled to proceed; the reason that work has not commenced to-date; if engagement with all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: 377. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department's school transport scheme has engaged with local private operators to provide a school transport service for persons (details supplied) who have been left without a bus service from Tipperary town to a school (details supplied); if she will consider acquiring the services of any of the private transport services to address...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scrúduithe Stáit (22 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: 394. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills i gceist a tuairimí ar an bhaint dén scrúdú béil ón Teastas Sóisearach, ina tuairim an bhfuil bhagairt do leibhéil Ghaeilge labhartha na mac léinn ón mbeart seo’. [57595/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scrúduithe Stáit (22 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: 395. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills i gceist an bhfuil aon phleananna ó an Rionn Oideachais ar scrúdú ard teist níos deacra ag na daltaí sna Gaelcholáistí agus daltaí Gaeltachta gan aon phointí bónais. [57596/22]

Toll Charge Increases: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (29 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I thank Deputy O'Rourke for tabling the motion before the House. This Government needs to start standing up for the people who are in need of help. People are sick and tired of seeing a Government watch while others take advantage of the people. The Government only responds in the interests of the public when pressure from the Opposition or elsewhere becomes too much to bear. We have seen...

Committee on Public Petitions:  Business of Joint Committee (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I welcome all present to the meeting. Apologies have been received from Senator Buttimer. All those present in the committee room are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19. The first item on the agenda is the approval of minutes of the previous meetings. Are the minutes of the private and public meetings held...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: Our next business is our engagement with the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Fleming, who has responsibility for financial services, credit unions and insurance, and the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Noonan, who has responsibility for heritage and electoral reform, in respect of petition No. 00036/21 from Ms Katie...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I forgot to welcome officials from the Departments. As Deputy Buckley has to leave soon, I will allow him to contribute first and then move on to Deputy Devlin.

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I have a few questions. If one looks at the Public Gallery there are families who are struggling to get insurance now. Ms McNelis's mother had to close her business and Mr. Darby cannot move into his house. It is all well and good talking about surveys and more reports. I am quite sure there are files of reports on this. I came through Adare last week and Holycross in Tipperary is only a...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I appreciate what the Minister of State is saying and I appreciate we cannot lose business because the cottages in Adare bring business to the town and it is the same in Holycross as they are holiday homes. We are talking about families who have had to close businesses and who cannot move into houses, in particular. Mr. Darby went to the trouble of doing up the whole house, including taking...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: Is there a limit on the grant that can be applied for?

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I am sorry; maintenance and repair is small work compared to a person having to redo a house or take out a fireplace and the whole lot. Are there substantial grants if I have a thatched house, and one of the conditions before I can get insurance on it is that I need to take out my fireplace? What kinds of grants are there for families who are caught in that situation?

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: We are told the action plan contains 66 actions and it is right across five Government Departments. How will the implementation of these actions be monitored? Is there a timeframe on them? The timeframe is all-important to families. Will these 66 actions be ranked by importance? Have we a timeframe? Mr. Sinnott referred to the end of the month. Is it definite that this report will be...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: In his opening statement, the Minister of State advised that "the Government is determined to deliver a stable domestic insurance market by taking decisive action on the home-grown inputs that shape some elements of insurance premiums." How is that going to be delivered, seeing as it has not been done so far?

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: This comes back to what I said earlier, that insurance companies do as they please. Do we have any indication of the percentages of claims that are deemed fraudulent?

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I have more questions, but I will let Deputy Higgins in.

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I will come back to what the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, said regarding the Department's suggestion of potential group insurance to owners. Will he expand a little further on that? For example, how many members are needed in such a group? Is there a set limit? If owners cannot reach that required number, what happens? I will also come back to the figure for the number of thatched...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: One of the other suggestions that came up in the Department's negotiations with stakeholders, and came up at this committee in September, was that flood cover schemes be more widely available as part of home insurance. Could a similar scheme be introduced for thatched properties? Has it even been investigated? Has the Department even considered that?

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: What do the Ministers of State expect the report to address specifically? The owners have been left in limbo. What assurance can the Ministers of State give the owners that this will be resolved as soon as possible and that the report will give a clear indication of what they need to do to get insurance cover? If there are further reports or delays, Mr. Darby will not be able to build his...