Results 601-620 of 1,061 for speaker:Séamus McGrath

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Issues Facing the Residential Rental Sector: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Is that number reducing as a result of the RTB campaign?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Issues Facing the Residential Rental Sector: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Would it be fair to say that those 25,000 are not paying tax on their rental incomes? Would the RTB be able to pick up on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Issues Facing the Residential Rental Sector: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: If someone is paying tax on his or her rental income, is there a way for the RTB to pick up on the tenancy?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Issues Facing the Residential Rental Sector: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Right now, though, there is no link between the RTB and the Revenue Commissioners.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Issues Facing the Residential Rental Sector: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Therefore, the RTB cannot pick up on a landlord who is not registered with it but may be paying tax. My final question is a blunt question but goes back to my earlier question about how long it takes to resolve disputes. If a tenant stops paying rent today and the landlord makes a complaint to the RTB, what is the estimated timeframe for dealing with that and getting the house back for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Issues Facing the Residential Rental Sector: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: It is an early stage-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Issues Facing the Residential Rental Sector: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: -----negotiation attempt. That is good.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Issues Facing the Residential Rental Sector: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I know we are caught for time. I will pick up on the issue of resources again. I asked about them at the outset. It is critically important that additional resources are provided. It is an issue that the RTB is properly resourced in terms of landlords staying in the rental market. It is equally important from a tenant's point of view that the RTB is properly resourced. The committee...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2025: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (15 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I welcome this. It is very important that we give the businesses involved certainty up until 30 September 2026. That is very welcome. One of the positive outcomes from Covid is the fact that businesses started to utilise outdoor spaces to a far greater extent. It is welcome that they are now able to provide those facilities without incurring a licence fee. On regulation and enforcement,...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Information and Quality Authority (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank all the witnesses for being here. I do not want to repeat everything that has been said but there will be some repetition, for which I apologise. I recognise the difficult job HIQA has. It is not easy to be in a policing role. There may be many successes but it is the failures that are highlighted and I do understand this. HIQA's role is not only policing, as it also has a lot of...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Information and Quality Authority (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Does that amount to approximately 100 out of a staff of 450?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Information and Quality Authority (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Out of a staff of 450, approximately 120 are actively involved in inspections. This is a small number of the overall staff count, given the role HIQA has and the importance of inspections in fulfilling this role. Do the witnesses agree?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Information and Quality Authority (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Some of these are in administration support, as opposed to inspections.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Information and Quality Authority (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: What percentage of HIQA's overall budget is involved in the inspection role?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Information and Quality Authority (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank Mr. Hynes. I believe it was said earlier that more than 80% of HIQA's visits are unannounced. Is this correct? Will the witnesses briefly walk us through what happens when HIQA makes an unannounced visit to a nursing home? The inspectors walk into a reception and state they are from HIQA. What happens then?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Information and Quality Authority (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: This is what I am getting at. Do the inspectors wait at reception for five minutes while somebody comes to meet them or do they get straight into it? Word will spread faster than the speed of light, I would say, that there are inspectors from HIQA. How the process is carried out is very important.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Information and Quality Authority (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: This brings me to my next point. "RTÉ Investigates" uncovered what it did through undercover tactics. Is this something HIQA has ever deployed?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Information and Quality Authority (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Is Ms Cliffe saying that HIQA is legally not allowed to carry out undercover work?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Information and Quality Authority (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: This is the crux of the issue. RTÉ uncovered what it did because the reporters were undercover. Nobody knew who they were and they witnessed first-hand the behaviour towards residents in these nursing homes. For HIQA to really fulfil its role, it has to carry out the same type of tactics as RTÉ. What needs to happen for HIQA to be able to go in undercover and witness first-hand...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Information and Quality Authority (17 Jul 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Sorry for interrupting but it was not only about documents. It was the absolutely inhumane treatment from human to human. HIQA will never see this unless people do not know it is there. This is the reality. HIQA can make unannounced visits and, as Ms Cliffe said, the phones are pinging as the inspectors are walking down the corridor. Nobody will treat a resident in that manner in front...