Results 39,681-39,700 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (16 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: 563. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of fire and safety inspections carried out on new builds in each local authority area by date in tabular form; and if these inspections have passed approved regulations. [17404/19]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (16 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: 564. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps his Department takes to ensure that fire safety certificates issued by the building control authority prior to construction work beginning comply with the requirements of Part B of the second schedule to the building regulations 1997 once construction is complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations Compliance (16 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: 565. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to ensure compliance with obligations under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2014; the sanctions available to address non-compliant bodies; the number of complaints made to his Department about failure to comply with the Acts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17406/19]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations Compliance (16 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: 566. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of legal proceedings instigated by local authorities as a result of breaches in building regulations by date and local authority in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17407/19]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (16 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: 567. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of staff appointed to the office of the planning regulator; the location of the offices of same; the budget allocated to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17408/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Costs (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: 41. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans for insurance reforms in view of the fact that the issue of rising insurance costs and high compensation has created a market distortion that is now causing persons to lose their jobs across many small businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17869/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Costs (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: Is the Minister aware that small and medium sized businesses around the country are being threatened with job losses and closures because of rising insurance costs which are only advised to them at the last minute but are not documented and detailed?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Costs (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: I have heard about the different measures that are being taken, announced and re-announced and discussed at various committees. At the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach we had the privilege of meeting Ms Linda Murray who operates a play centre. It is one of many which, despite no claims, now face huge increases in their premiums. There is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Costs (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: We have had discussions about the Garda Síochána perhaps having a dedicated fraud unit. We have seen extraordinary cases repeatedly detailed in the newspapers where many insurance claims made in respect of relatively minor car crashes have failed. Does the Minister know, following his conversations with the Minister for Justice and Equality whether anyone has been charged with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: 45. To ask the Minister for Finance if he has examined the recent report by the Committee on Budgetary Oversight in relation to tax expenditures and the estimated cost that revenue forgone could be as much as €10 billion to €15 billion per annum; his plans to implement the recommendations of the committee in respect of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17826/19]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: I hope the Minister will convey the good wishes he conveyed to Deputy Wallace with other Deputies and parties who may be contesting the European and local elections. My question relates to the recently published report by the Committee on Budgetary Oversight. Evidence given by Professor Micheál Collins from UCD suggested that tax expenditures could be costing the State between...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: The essence of a tax expenditure, tax incentive, a tax break or whatever one wants to call it is that it is provided to incentivise individual taxpayers, companies or others to do certain things, create certain activities and generate economic activity. It is genuinely shocking that there are no sunset clauses. At a minimum, we should try to address an approach this where as companies grow...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: That is information that the Minister and his Department did not communicate to the Committee on Budgetary Oversight. The essence of the problem is that these kinds of tax breaks, where merited, can be extremely useful in generating economic activity and employment, especially in regions or parts of the country that need employment. We know many parts of the country are not getting the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: It was not.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: Permanent TSB is getting ready, in April and May, to transfer its mortgages to a vehicle that it has sold them to. Like the circumstances that Deputy Durkan is outlining, many families are terrified that they will be forced out of the home on which they are paying three quarters or more of the old mortgage, when it was taken out in 2003 or 2005, at the height of the boom, at very high cost...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Brexit Preparations (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: 3. To ask the Taoiseach the role his Department is playing in preparing for a hard Brexit. [16347/19]

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Brexit Preparations (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: In a way, Ireland has been a little lucky that a potentially hard, disastrous Brexit has been averted, at least for a period. As a country, we now have breathing space to confirm changes that are coming in any event and to get the island more ready for the fact that, one way or another, the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union is changing. It is important for ports...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Communications (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: 14. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his most recent conversations with the Prime Minister of New Zealand; and the issues that were discussed. [15147/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Communications (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: I thank the Taoiseach for the reply. Prime Minister Arden's approach in the aftermath of the horrific shooting and murders in Christchurch set an example globally of statesmanship of which everybody involved in politics, women and men, can be proud. Following on from the Taoiseach's comments regarding the introduction of further gun control in New Zealand, will he consider the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Oireachtas Select Committee Recommendations (17 Apr 2019)

Joan Burton: 70. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the recommendation in the recent report by the Oireachtas Select Committee on Budgetary Oversight on tax expenditures requesting that his Department prepares a report giving detailed reasons as to the reason sunset clauses are not attached to forgone tax expenditures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17827/19]