Results 41-60 of 67 for speaker:Maria McCormack

Seanad: Situation in Gaza: Statements (29 May 2025)

Maria McCormack: I acknowledge the Tánaiste’s opening speech on this. I find this a very difficult topic to talk about - 19 months of genocide, 55,000 dead, 50,000 children killed or injured, and if the bombs do not kill them, starvation will. They have no food, no water and no medicine. The word "horrific" does not even feel adequate as it is just so awful. We must play our part in doing what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Challenges Relating to the Delivery of Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (27 May 2025)

Maria McCormack: Absolutely. How do we get more developers to move into these areas? We have land. We are a very rural county. We have zoned land ready to go but small builders cannot get the contracts. How can we look at this with a solution to the problem? How can we get these investors to come into County Laois and other counties like Laois?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I rise today furious about the "RTÉ Investigates" programme into Emeis nursing homes, one of which is in my hometown of Portlaoise. Since the broadcast aired, I have been contacted by many families of loved ones who are resident there at present and residents who have passed away. They have no answers. They are devastated and retraumatised. They are demanding answers, as they should....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Report of Housing Commission: Housing Commission (10 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I am sorry; I missed a piece in the middle. Like Deputy Butterly, a lot of my questions have already been answered. Again like Deputy Butterly, I live in a small county, Laois, but our population is growing very significantly. Since the last census, we have grown by 8.5%. Being a commuter town causes serious problems. We have had a very significant influx of people coming into the town...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Report of Housing Commission: Housing Commission (10 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: That is definitely the case, and we have the missing middle because of the housing crisis. Being a commuter town, Portlaoise did not always have this problem but now there is such demand, we are not getting the houses built to keep up with it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Report of Housing Commission: Housing Commission (10 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I understand that but if we are looking at viability, there is land available to be zoned but we do not have developers who are willing to build in these areas. We have a growing population so the demand and need for housing are there but we just do not have the houses to meet it. It is not that we do not have valid areas for this; we have them but we just need investment in the area.

Seanad: Report of the Farrelly Commission: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I will start with Grace in mind. One of the things that defines us as human beings and sets us apart from all other creatures is our ability to communicate and give voice to our experiences, fears, suffering and hopes. The very act of being heard is central to our humanity. For those who cannot speak or whose voices are not heard, they are utterly dependent on all of us, including the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I am seeking an update on the new site for the Portlaoise courthouse building. The ongoing situation with Portlaoise courthouse is absolutely unacceptable. As a facility, it is one major incident away from closure. Judge Johnson has described the condition of the building in stark terms, citing serious concerns around health and safety and basic functionality. Yet, despite Laois County...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: Where do I start with this Bill? When I got my head around it, there is more confusion than anything else. I understand the pressures the Minister is under. We know housing is an emergency. When I went through it, I felt like this was some kind of a sick joke. The Government has failed so badly on housing that we are running out of ways to explain to it how badly it is doing. Record...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: "Amendment of section 19 of Principal Act 2. Section 19(4)(b) of the Principal Act is amended, in the definition of "relevant percentage"— (a) in paragraph (a), by the substitution of "0 per cent" for "2 per cent", and (b) by the deletion of paragraph (b).". The amendments seek to defer...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I cannot share the analysis now but I can get it for Senator Fitzpatrick. We do have analysis. Our housing spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin, has the full analysis. I do not have it with me here now.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I move amendment No. 2: In page 3, line 25, to delete "28 February 2026" and substitute "23 June 2028".

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I move amendment No. 3: In page 3, line 27, to delete "28 February 2026" and substitute "23 June 2028".

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I move amendment No. 4: In page 4, line 11, to delete "28 February 2026" and substitute "23 June 2028".

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I move amendment No. 5: In page 4, line 14, to delete "28 February 2026" and substitute "23 June 2028".

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I move amendment No. 6: In page 4, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: "Report on ban on rent increases 5. Within a week of the passing of this Act the Minister for Housing will publish a report on the introduction of an emergency ban on rent increases for all private rental tenants, including existing tenancies, new tenancies in existing rental stock and new tenancies in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Challenges Relating to the Delivery of Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: My question is for the LDA and plans to accelerate public land transfers in places like Laois. Despite the fact that roughly 2,500 homes were built in the last number of years in the county, we still have 1,164 people or families on the social housing list for Laois. Four years ago, in 2021, that figure was pretty much the same so all of the building that has gone on has not met the need...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Challenges Relating to the Delivery of Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I welcome that news. The report also states the 28 ha site is classed as moderately constrained for housing but has the potential to yield 680 to 960 homes. What does "moderately constrained" mean?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Challenges Relating to the Delivery of Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: Given that Ms Lawson mentioned Laois County Council, has there been any engagement on other possibilities for land? If the site in question is moderately constrained and we have to wait for ten to 15 years, and considering that I receive calls daily on homelessness and the lack of housing, what does Ms Lawson suggest we consider more urgently for Laois? Is there an opportunity for more...