Results 381-400 of 1,352 for speaker:Mary Fitzpatrick

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: This is an incredibly important issue. I look forward to the Minister's response. I believe he values our local authority members and is doing all he can to give them more powers. It is an incremental process. This is being limited to lands being zoned for housing between not being developed. It will not apply to any other lands. I see that as an improvement. The Fianna Fáil...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: That is not what he said. The Senator should withdraw that.

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Hear, Hear.

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Hear, hear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Mortality in Single Homeless Population 2020: Engagement with HSE (24 Jun 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank Dr. O'Carroll for his report and all the work he does. I thank everybody who works with him as well. Their work is incredible. We are all humbled by it. I acknowledge that in his report Dr. O'Carroll says Ireland can be very proud of our response to Covid-19. He and everybody who works with him can be very proud too. It has been a tremendous response and is one we need to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Mortality in Single Homeless Population 2020: Engagement with HSE (24 Jun 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I will be very brief. In the interim, what is Dr. O'Carroll's view on our taking long-term leases to provide suitable accommodation for a secure period such as 25 years? The city council has done this, and I would be interested in his view on that as well. I thank Dr. O'Carroll for coming before the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Mortality in Single Homeless Population 2020: Engagement with HSE (24 Jun 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: He is not. On PEAs, I take Dr. O'Carroll's point that the numbers being accommodated in PEAs has significantly increased and has doubled. It now accounts for two thirds of the spend on emergency accommodation. As stated by Dr. O'Carroll the mortality rate is also increasing and almost on a par. We need to be concerned about that. The committee raised this issue with Brendan Kenny of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Local Government (Directly Elected Mayor with Executive Functions in Limerick City and County) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I am in Leinster House. I thank Ms Ryan, Mr. Moran and Professor Ó Broin. I appreciate their contributions. I commend them on their ambitions for Limerick and for the people they are representing. It is great. They are articulating a real ambition. I am a big fan of strong local government. I agree with our guests that we do not have strong local government. I have soldiered in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Local Government (Directly Elected Mayor with Executive Functions in Limerick City and County) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: It is not just Waterford as in Dublin we have ambitions for our own directly elected mayor as well. Ms Ryan may think we have everything here but we certainly do not. Mr. Moran was trying to come in and I apologise as I did not mean to cut across him.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Local Government (Directly Elected Mayor with Executive Functions in Limerick City and County) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I agree with Mr. Moran. My fear is that if we do not get it right for Limerick, not only will that then be a failure for Limerick but also for other cities into the future and a failure by us all to strengthen local government and local democracy. We will work hard, review those recommendations and look to challenge their inclusion in the ultimate legislation. I thank the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Proposed Changes to Local Property Tax: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I apologise for being late. I thank the witnesses for the opening statement, which I have read. When reviewing this tax, and a proposed change was long overdue, the principles of fairness and limiting increases or trying to achieve no increase for homeowners were very important. To address the fairness, it was important that the new homes that had been exempted be brought in. That was a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Proposed Changes to Local Property Tax: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Obviously, this has to be legislated for. Is it anticipated by the Department that the changes will be introduced in 2023? I presume the increases in the deferral income thresholds are being benchmarked against social welfare income payments. Is that the case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Proposed Changes to Local Property Tax: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I completely agree, as, I think, the rest of the committee would. I appreciate that Dr. Walsh indicated that the Department has considered this but it is a big issue that restricts the capacity of local authorities.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Proposed Changes to Local Property Tax: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Before our guests respond to Deputy Gould, I have a related question. LPT, as the Deputy noted, has in some respects been manipulated for a certain advantage. Has consideration been given to adding a multiplier to act as a penalty on certain residential properties being left vacant? There is a particular issue in Dublin city whereby newly built properties, built for rental purposes and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Proposed Changes to Local Property Tax: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: What is the rationale for the Department not considering a vacancy tax?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Proposed Changes to Local Property Tax: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank Dr. Walsh. I do not see any other members indicating. Ms Walshe's connection has failed and, as a result, she will be unable to answer the questions that have been posed. I suggest to Deputy Gould and Senator Cummins that we might talk to the Chairman and agree that the committee raise the issues relating to the timing relating to the information it is necessary for local...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (9 Feb 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank Mr. Quinlan and his team for all of the work they have done on this Bill. It is most important legislation and I am delighted we have an opportunity to scrutinise it. A major chunk of affordable housing will obviously come from the new builds that will be delivered by the local authorities, the LDA and the approved housing bodies, AHBs. That is most welcome. I am fully...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (9 Feb 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I will be brief because Deputy McAuliffe is coming in after me. My question is on behalf of Deputy Flaherty, who has recently joined the committee. He has asked me to thank the Department for the work it has done. He is particularly interested in hearing feedback from the witnesses on how the shared equity scheme will work to stimulate the provision of affordable homes in rural counties...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development (Amendment) (LSRD) Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (7 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank Mr. Hogan and everybody in the Department for the work they have done on the new large-scale residential development Bill. It is very welcome. When I was a public representative at local level I complained loudly about the strategic housing development process. I hope this new Bill will address many of the issues that created great concern for communities. I was concerned with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development (Amendment) (LSRD) Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (7 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank Mr. Hogan. The proposed vacant land tax is very welcome. Regarding the statutory meeting, my point, and I absolutely recognise the-----