Results 61,721-61,740 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Capital Investment: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (1 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: How do you determine when a project is over cost? What does the Department require to come to that conclusion? The second question is on the construction sector and the urgency of the house building programme. I have said many times, we should abolish the phrase "social housing". It is housing that is in that particular area, as well as the affordable area. It is about the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Capital Investment: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (1 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: Mr. Downes is breaking up.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Capital Investment: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (1 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: We cannot hear what Mr. Downes is saying most of the time. A written reply will do.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Double Taxation Agreements: Minister for Finance (14 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: To follow up on Deputy Barry's last point regarding the summer economic statement, as the Minister will well know, I have long promoted the view that we need a serious injection for delivery in the housing sector spanning a two to three-year period, the first year being the crucial one. The requirement is not 35,000 or 38,000 houses but in the region of 70,000 to 75,000 houses in the first...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Double Taxation Agreements: Minister for Finance (14 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I agree in general on the point that we are members of the European Union. Mind you, we do not always get the same benefits in terms of various issues as some of our colleagues across the European Union. That is why I raised the issue in the first place. In the 1980s the construction sector had what was called a certificate of reasonable value. That was dreaded by those in the construction...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Double Taxation Agreements: Minister for Finance (14 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I have a further question arising from the discussions between the Minister and his colleagues in Europe during the past week. In the context of all issues discussed, can the Minister deduce from what happened that the relative position of Ireland is as near as possible to what it was heretofore given that any disadvantage arising therefrom would have serious consequences for Ireland? Is it...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Double Taxation Agreements: Minister for Finance (14 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: In the event of the revised thinking being agreed all around, will the level agreed be universally applied, that is, that there will not be issues around, say, writing off research and development, and we will not find ourselves at a disadvantage? Will the Minister comment on the benefits accruing from one or other method of collection of taxes, whether in the country of manufacture or the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I apologise for being absent at the start of the meeting. I was upstairs in the Chamber raising another issue. I am thankful the Minister is available to take these proceedings. I have a number of quick questions. Is the Minister satisfied that adequate protections are in place to ensure the best use of the tax, which is very useful to local authorities to address issues of local...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister. I listened to previous speakers in the debate refer to vacant houses and their future role in contributions and their potential to resolve the housing crisis. From my knowledge, and this is my opinion, if there is an expectancy to resolve the housing crisis or make any serious impact on it through the medium of vacant houses throughout the country I have to say we will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister. I was interested in the discussion I heard at the outset on the need for continued spending in the aftermath of Covid and, as far as this country is concerned, of Brexit. I strongly support the concept of prudent spending. This does not mean it is not necessary to spend more than would be advised at other times. I noted in the course of the conversation there is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (7 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I thank our guests. I congratulate the representatives on their input during the past 17 difficult months in their efforts to continue with their programme and sticking to their objective, and not being pushed off their objective. I congratulate the workers also on the work that has progressed during this difficult time. I turn to the quality of services expected and proposed and I will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (7 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I apologise for the bell in the background.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (7 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: There is a need for emergency measures to deal with these issues right now. We cannot wait for another six months. I recognise and accept the points made by Ms Hardiman but the situation is now so bad for those suffering from psychiatric conditions and their parents, particularly those with eating disorders, and it is almost impossible to find a place for young adults. If they have an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (7 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I acknowledge what Ms Hardiman said and I acknowledge there are plans afoot. However, my point is that these are emergencies now. In the past few weeks, we have dealt in our offices with people who are in prison now because there is no other place to put them. They have psychiatric difficulties and are under psychiatric care. It is not sufficient to meet their requirements. That is the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (7 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: Even where there is early intervention, as the situation progresses there is a need to place the child or young adult in a particular location suitable to meeting their requirements as a matter of urgency. How can CHI address that in the shortest possible time, by which I mean in the next two or three months?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on the Roll-out of the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate (21 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee this morning. Like everybody else, I recognise the enormity of the job they have in hand. We should acknowledge and compliment them on taking on the job, notwithstanding that there were a number of glitches, as that was to be expected. We acknowledge the magnitude of their task. It is not that we want to deliberately poke holes in what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on the Roll-out of the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate (21 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: How then can we prevent a repetition? Is it possible to identify countries well in advance so that a tourist from Ireland intending to travel to some other country can see at a glance that there are problems here and that it is not the same and he or she can go to another country?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on the Roll-out of the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate (21 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: Is it possible to update and streamline the helpline? When we get to a situation where the helpline becomes a need, in so far as the traveller is concerned, can we separate out the ones that require to be dealt with instantly or refer them to a position where they can be dealt with? We hear stories of people waiting for between half an hour and three or four hours. That should not happen....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on the Roll-out of the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate (21 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: We heard that the system information and system problem areas are updated on a on a six-hourly basis. Can that be improved upon? I would think that six hours is at the outer extremity of the tolerance of what would be expected in a situation like this. Six hours could quickly become 12, depending on the time of day in which the update took place. Instead of an update occurring every six...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on the Roll-out of the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate (21 Jul 2021)

Bernard Durkan: One of one of the witnesses mentioned that updates occur every six hours.