Results 421-440 of 3,374 for speaker:Shane Cassells

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: My question was about central funding. We had central funding for county councils to provide services. The people are now effectively paying the funding for that aspect and the general purpose grant was taken away. I ask the witness to address that point for me. If that sleight of hand had not taken place, we would have had local surplus. Most of the things we discuss here are in terms...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: I hear what Mr. McCarthy is saying but he is not addressing my central point. If the general purpose grant had stayed in place, county councils across the country would have been able to achieve a higher level of services and made a meaningful difference to people's lives as they would have had those strands of funding available to do what people expect. That is as opposed to the nuts and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: I know that, but as the Chairman has pointed out, €399 million has gone from the operational subvention of the local government fund to Irish Water.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: On the commercial rates issue, a man came to my office on Monday who is not much older than me and who operates a new business. In one hand he had a bill for €5,000 for his business rates, which he received in January, while in the other hand he had a court order for an appearance in approximately three weeks. It was served on him by the county council because of his rates arrears....

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: I am well aware of that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: This goes back to how we view local government. We are placing this pressure on small businesses in this country and councillors are forced into a position because of the terrible lack of central funding. The small businesses are picking up the bill for the provision of services in this country. Ordinary householders have paid a local property tax and thought they would get a better...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: What is happening within the Department in terms of expediting housing schemes from councils, from concept to design to delivery?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: Mr. McCarthy said in respect of the local government fund that in effect the €399 million for the operation and subvention of Irish Water was moved from one column to another in that it existed for the funding of water services in the county council system. When the county councils were operating the water services, was €399 million being put into the operational costs across...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: Did the €439 million take account of everything in respect of the operational costs of water services for local authorities? I presume that included the staff wages within the local authorities for those assigned to that work.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: Was the €439 million payroll when it was in the county councils?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: The 2013 figure of €721 million is the gross figure.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: Is €439 million the figure after commercial water rates?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: I know Deputy Connolly wants to get in. Mr. McCarthy mentioned that in 2017 the Department hopes to progress land acquisition and land banks for councils. What are the criteria of suitability? I refer again to the 28 acres that Meath County Council owns, which is land locked. The council bought 28 acres for €22 million and it is landlocked. In terms of accessing that land, a...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: I might talk to Mr. McCarthy about it again rather than waste the committee's time. Mr. McCarthy mentioned sustainable communities. What help is available from the Department directly to local authorities in respect of implementing that as a reality for sustainable communities? There is an area in my town of Navan called Johnstown where there are 3,000 homes and no facilities. It is a...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: I would appreciate that. Was there a scheme before? We accessed money to the tune of €1 million for a community facility elsewhere.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: It was separate from the RAPID programme.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: Will the new scheme be similar to the previous one?

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Application (7 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: 166. To ask the Minister for Finance the progress of his plan, which he announced as part of his 2017 budget speech, to extend mortgage interest relief; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11860/17]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Leader Programmes (7 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: 378. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will review the policy in her Department of excluding equine-based or equine-related projects from assistance or financial support through the Leader programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11325/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (7 Mar 2017)

Shane Cassells: 458. To ask the Minister for Health if he will schedule a person (details supplied) for a procedure without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11198/17]