Results 5,661-5,680 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: As the Accounting Officer, would Mr. McCarthy be comfortable knowing that public moneys are being given to a private landlord who was providing a one-bedroom apartment to a single mother and three children?
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: This is the issue. As I said, it is my first meeting as a member of this committee and I am still trying to find my feet as to the types of questions we can ask. It was my understanding that the Committee of Public Accounts looks at public money, how it is spent, whether we are getting value for money, controls, processes and accountability and does not really deal with policy issues. We...
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: In my opinion, 25% is not very ambitious. That means that 75% of properties in receipt of public moneys are not inspected and we have no idea of the standard of those properties.
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: Mr. McCarthy is talking there about properties that may not be in receipt of State support.
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: That is where the 25% figure applies. Is that correct?
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: So, in terms of HAP properties, we are trying to reach a position where if such properties have not been inspected within the previous 12 months, they will be inspected within the following nine months. That requirement will apply to every single HAP property. How long will it take to get to that position?
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: Who will carry out the inspections? Can the Department instruct the local authorities on that? Can it give them data on the properties that have not been inspected and set targets for them or do the local authorities set their own targets? Does it depend on how many inspectors the local authorities have? Some local authorities have very few inspectors.
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: I am not familiar with the committee rules so am unsure if I am allowed to ask my next question. I ask the Chairman to stop me if I am out of order.
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: Is the Comptroller and Auditor General comfortable with the knowledge that public moneys are potentially being paid to private landlords who may not be adhering to legislation and best practice in terms of safety and so forth?
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: I appreciate that we have increased it by €100 million but by how much will it be increased this year? What is the figure for 2018?
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: We are doubling it again. Is that correct?
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: So we have gone from €57 million in 2016 to approximately €245 million in 2018.
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: In that period of time have we seen any significant increase in the number of inspections?
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: Does Mr. McCarthy know of any HAP properties that have been withdrawn from the scheme because they have failed an inspection? If so, does he have a number for such properties?
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: It would be appropriate to try to find out how many of those 687 exits from the scheme were because the properties failed inspections.
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: One aspect of this is dealing with the fact that we have landlords who may fail inspections. Inevitably, part of that 687 figure will include people who will just leave a HAP property because it is substandard. In my experience people have come into my constituency office - and I am sure to the offices of other Deputies - and reported that they are living in a HAP property which is...
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: How many of those inspections are being carried out before properties become RAS properties?
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: There is a reason for that which I will come to in a moment. I am just wondering how many inspections of RAS properties are carried out?
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: Does Mr. McCarthy know how the local authorities satisfy themselves of that? Is it by carrying out inspections?
- Public Accounts Committee: Vote 34: Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (8 Mar 2018)
Jonathan O'Brien: Is Mr. McCarthy aware of landlords providing letters of comfort to say that their property is up to standard?