Results 2,501-2,520 of 2,631 for speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan

Seanad: Response to Storm Éowyn: Statements (26 Feb 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I also welcome Deputy Devlin and assure his Ukrainian guests that they are in good hands today. Our thoughts are with them on the third anniversary. I thank Senators for their kind words of welcome. This is my first time addressing the Seanad and I really appreciate the kind welcome. I have listened to the debate and engagement which has been really interesting, particularly the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Grant Payments (4 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Senator Byrne. I welcome the fact she has raised this issue because she is quite right to point out it has raised its head throughout the country. People are in homes that are probably not suitable for heat pumps as they have to be at a certain building energy rating, BER, for the heat pump to work and many older homes just do not have this option. I appreciate the point. I do not...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Grant Payments (4 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I appreciate the Senator's points. We are all encountering this problem in our constituency offices across Ireland, in that people could once apply for these grants but cannot now. Obviously, there is a point to it, in that we have to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, but I will take the Senator's suggestion back to the Minister. The Minister for climate action and the environment will...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Gaeltacht Policy (4 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Senator Ryan. It is a really important issue. I am lucky enough to have a bit of Gaeltacht in my constituency in, for example, places like Cape Clear. I appreciate that this is an issue. The Senator backed up what she had to say with statistics on the number of Irish speakers. What I will outline here are the immediate plans in respect of tying in with the recent planning...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Gaeltacht Policy (4 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Senator. I appreciate that her matter relates to trying to reduce red tape. That does seem like another layer of red tape, but it really is important that we protect these Gaeltacht areas and ensure that there is some level of Irish spoken in them. On the red tape in general, the Senator raised a very good point. There needs to be a bespoke approach to Gaeltacht areas - and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rental Sector (4 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. If there is a situation where there are 55 vacant homes in one town in Kerry that is not good enough and it is something we absolutely need to address.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rental Sector (4 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: That is only on one road. It is something we need to tackle. We have the Croí Conaithe grant. That was an effort to bring more of those properties back into the rental market, but clearly we need to do more. My answer covers many of the situations where a house can be taken back from a tenant and covers some of the taxation, but obviously a lot of the tax matters the Deputy mentioned...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rental Sector (4 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Healy-Rae. He made some good suggestions and they have to be taken on board, especially his point on partaking in any reviews. There has to be a question of balance, in particular of tenants' rights. We cannot overdo it and take away tenants' rights. They are entitled to have a right of tenure so they are not in precarious situations. The regulation of landlords has to be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Services (6 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: 418. To ask the Minister for Health the updated timelines on primary care psychology waiting list for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10374/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (6 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: 419. To ask the Minister for Health the updated timelines on the autism diagnostic assessment waiting list for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10375/25]

Social Housing Tenant In Situ Scheme: Motion [Private Members] (19 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: notes that: — increasing the overall housing supply is key to addressing the housing challenge and preventing and ultimately eliminating long-term homelessness, and the clear focus of Government must therefore remain on increasing the supply of new build social and affordable...

Social Housing Tenant In Situ Scheme: Motion [Private Members] (19 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: It is not being scrapped.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Derelict Sites (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Senator. In fairness to him, he has laid out his points in a structured manner and has covered all of the areas. I wish to say at the outset that I agree with him. It is an issue that we need to address. I am going to set out the existing legislation and the powers that local authorities have, but I will come back to his points later in terms of what we can do going forward. ...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Derelict Sites (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Again, Tramore is a stunning spot with which I am very familiar. He is right that it is a shame to see many of our beautiful coastal towns, which are important for tourism, impacted by dereliction. It should not be happening. As I mentioned, there are schemes to incentivise property owners to bring properties back into use. That also helps to solve the housing crisis, which is key. That...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I know housing delivery in particular is something he is very passionate about and that he has always been dedicated to. As part of the programme for Government, the Government committed to launching a new, comprehensive starter home programme across the public, private and approved housing body, AHB, sector. This promotes home ownership and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Deputy is right. The trends relating to the cost of purchasing properties is concerning but we firmly believe the best way to address that is by delivery. That is why we are committed to delivering 300,000 homes from 2025 to 2030. Since Housing for All started we have delivered 10,000 affordable solutions and that is gathering momentum. Keys for many of the affordable housing schemes...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Deputy raised a relevant point about the first home scheme. It is increasing in popularity as reflected by the numbers of people choosing to avail of it. If the goalposts seem to be moving in respect of the cost of houses and many properties are falling outside the scheme, the Minister has made a commitment to be flexible and agile in reviewing the schemes if that is needed. That will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I know from our time shared on Cork County Council the delivery of affordable housing was something on which the Deputy was insistent and I am glad that much of this is coming to fruition. The Government is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver affordable housing at scale and to continue accelerating housing supply across all tenures. The Government’s ambition...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I am very familiar with his passion for affordable housing. He was always an advocate for social housing of all sorts and in Cork county in particular, he has been one of the key voices in ramping up the delivery of different affordable housing solutions. There is a project to deliver 60 cost-rental homes in Kilnagleary, Carrigaline, which is very close to the Deputy's home area and is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Before Housing for All, there were no affordable housing schemes. Many of these schemes are in the process of being designed or built, or keys are being handed over for the first time. There is momentum and we expect acceleration in terms of scaling up and the number of affordable housing schemes that will be available. I have to give credit to Cork County Council officials in particular....