Results 2,541-2,560 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: I accept what the Chairman has outlined. Given what the clerk has stated about it not being the date they have a problem with, though, there may be a degree of backsliding. I note the presence of Mr. Goulding's consultant in the Gallery. Mr. Goulding chose to go on the national airwaves via RTE Radio 1. It was his first time publicly commenting after failing to engage with this committee,...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: He did not. The clerk or Chairman can correct me if I am wrong, but we have written to Mr. Goulding seeking documentation. That is my understanding. We were certainly meant to write.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: It is not a judgment. I will be very careful in what I say.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: Just to be correct, we corresponded with Mr. Goulding and requested the documentation that he publicly promised.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: But we did not get it.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: I shall begin by welcoming Mr. John McCarthy and congratulating him on his appointment as Secretary General. I look forward to having a productive engagement with him, just as we had with his predecessor, Ms Tallon. I also welcome his officials here today. I would like to discuss a range of the topics that the Secretary General mentioned in his opening statement and that the Comptroller...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: I will drill down through that for specifics. Does the Department have statistics on the total social housing stock in the country today?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: Mr. McCarthy estimates there is approximately 3,000 or 4,000 vacant units at any one time, that is, boarded up units or-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: Does Mr. McCarthy have performance indicators in place to show how one council compares with another in terms of vacant stock, supply, which is good and which is bad?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: Is there a target? Nothing annoys a family in need of a home more than seeing a house boarded up two streets away from where it is currently renting. In my county, a house can be boarded up for a significant length of time. Is there a target in terms of the turnaround of vacant property at a national level?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: I will move on to the issue of the Mahon tribunal. I note from Mr. McCarthy's comments in his opening statement and the documentation he provided to the committee that there is a reduction in the estimated cost. When will this be over? When will the total cost of the legacy of what was the Mahon tribunal be finalised?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: Mr. McCarthy referred to the issue of land remediation and illegal dumping in his opening statement. Obviously, this is something that I presume his Department has been very busy with over the past number of years and I think there is a potential liability of approximately €66 million. Will he bring us up to speed in terms of how many convictions have been secured in Ireland for...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: I wish to cover two more areas, the first being the issue of oversight and the Department's relationship with local authorities and the second, the issue of water. On local authorities, we have seen substantial local government reform although some of that process, particularly with regard to new structures, is still ongoing. Is it possible to explain in lay man's terms exactly where the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: The second issue relating to oversight is one which I brought up with Mr. McCarthy's predecessor at this committee. I have also raised it on numerous occasions through parliamentary questions and my predecessor, the former Labour Party Deputy for Wicklow, Ms Liz McManus also raised it in the Dáil as far back as February 2010. I do not want Mr. McCarthy to get into the political...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: Finally, I wish to touch on the issue of water, which we have discussed with some of Mr. McCarthy's colleagues, including Ms Graham, at this committee previously. I ask for an update on the Department's linkage with Irish Water. We have seen a significant change in the delivery of water. I understand the taxpayer is giving a subvention of €486 million from the local government fund...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: Is Mr. McCarthy in a position to comment on the media speculation about the level of repairs required to the network that would, according to reports, subsume all the revenue raised in year one?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (26 Jun 2014)

Simon Harris: Do I take it from Ms Graham's reply that until the regulator has made such determinations it is impossible to come down firmly on one side or the other?

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Availability (1 Jul 2014)

Simon Harris: 141. To ask the Minister for Finance whether there is any relief available on vehicle registration tax for wheelchair-adapted vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28297/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (1 Jul 2014)

Simon Harris: 244. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) may expect a decision on their carer's allowance appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28313/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Election Management System (1 Jul 2014)

Simon Harris: 344. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if any consideration has been given to locating polling stations in public buildings and council buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28496/14]