Results 521-540 of 1,061 for speaker:Séamus McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (10 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 280. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will be allocating additional funding for the roll-out of public CCTV systems nationally, as while issues around data management seem to be largely addressed, much-needed new CCTV schemes in towns and cities will not be rolled out unless funding is made available for local authorities. [38513/25]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: When does the Minister hope to publish the over the shop incentive scheme that is in the programme for Government? The Minister is well aware of the effectiveness of the tenant in situ scheme in preventing homelessness. Will there be additional funding allocated for the scheme this year, given that many local authorities have financial difficulties? When will the Minister give local...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: One of my colleagues mentioned the Land Development Agency and the new approach the Minister is taking with it. Could he elaborate on where specifically he sees the agency going in terms of increasing the delivery of housing? I am thinking specifically of private sites. They should have a significant role to play in enabling those sites to be developed, not necessarily by the State but by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Agreed. I thank the Minister. I have two final questions. Housing was obviously a major issue during the election, but one of the issues that came up a lot was housing for the elderly and appropriate options being available for people who want to downsize from traditional family homes with three or four bedrooms to something suitable. Many people told me they would be open to it, but the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I do not want to raise anything new. I will raise one issue with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, to reiterate one point. I thank the Minister for his responses in respect of elderly housing options. I totally agree with him that it should be on a voluntary basis. The reality, however, is those options are not there for people. We have to be quite prescriptive as a Government...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Far left, and I know it.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (15 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 23. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [34041/25]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (15 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: In advance of the new housing plan in the coming month or so, I stress again the importance of increasing our affordable housing targets. There must be a rebalancing towards affordable housing in the plan's targets. I have made the point previously to the Taoiseach that there is a growing cohort of individuals and couples who need support but are not receiving any. Their incomes are above...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: 16. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the safeguards that are now in place to ensure large-scale public infrastructure contracts are completed on time and within budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40074/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank the Minister for taking this question. What safeguards are in place to ensure our large infrastructural projects come in on time and on budget? As we are about to embark on an ambitious national development plan review involving significant capital funding, it is timely that we set out the safeguards in place to reassure the public that we are managing the situation as effectively...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I recognise significant work has been done in this area. We are about to embark on the national development plan. The current plan involves €165 billion and there will be additionality on that, which is very welcome. We will be spending significant money on water infrastructure, energy, transport, health, housing and more. It is important we rebuild public trust in our management...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I accept the Minister's point on balancing the process. We cannot become too risk averse. I fully understand that. Delivery of large-scale infrastructural projects is critical but we have seen examples of large-scale projects that were 100% over budget. It is critical we do not repeat that. I sit on the Committee of Public Accounts and listened to the national children's hospital...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: An Post was in the news this week, and thankfully it has clarified that its financial position is better than previously reported. The real issue here is the closure of post offices throughout the country. Since 2015, 34 post offices have closed in Cork county and 257 post offices have closed nationwide. As we know, a post office provides much more than just a service. It is core part of...

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer
Chapter 3 - Vote accounting and budget management (10 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank the witnesses for being here. I will try to use my time as efficiently as I can. I will pick up on housing, as I am the party's housing spokesperson. In the context of the upcoming NDP review, the housing Minister has said he is treating the housing crisis as an emergency. I fully agree with that. Are we prepared in the NDP review to treat it as an emergency with regard to our...

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer
Chapter 3 - Vote accounting and budget management (10 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: The figure currently being bandied about is that we are spending €6.8 billion per annum on housing. It is one of the highest figures in the European Union and that is welcome. However, we have a particular emergency in this country. Are we prepared to significantly upscale that figure in the NDP review?

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer
Chapter 3 - Vote accounting and budget management (10 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Yes, directly and indirectly.

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer
Chapter 3 - Vote accounting and budget management (10 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: However, the overall figure is €6.8 billion.

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer
Chapter 3 - Vote accounting and budget management (10 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I agree with Deputy McAuliffe about the tenant in situ scheme. Some local authorities are not participating in it for funding reasons. Currently, a pipeline of schemes in the Department of housing are stalled because of funding issues. In a crisis, that seems ludicrous. The NDP is coming but I want an assurance that it will be treated as an emergency as the Minister for housing has...

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer
Chapter 3 - Vote accounting and budget management (10 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: It is fair to say - I apologise for interrupting, but we are caught for time - that we have learned a lot of lessons from that debacle.

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer
Chapter 3 - Vote accounting and budget management (10 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Is Mr. Moloney confident that we will not see that scale of overrun in future projects?