Results 781-800 of 1,061 for speaker:Séamus McGrath
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Séamus McGrath: Resolved and not settled, okay. I thank the witnesses again.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Séamus McGrath: Okay.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Séamus McGrath: I thank everybody for being here today. If I may, I will start with the Department. In its opening statement there is a reference to February 2025 when it was agreed to appoint independent experts to oversee corrective actions taken by the trust. Why was it necessary to do that in February of this year?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Séamus McGrath: Just to clarify, in Ms Tobin's opinion, were there still governance concerns earlier this year?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Séamus McGrath: So it was still a work in progress.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Séamus McGrath: If I may, I will turn to Mr. O'Leary. My time is very limited so I will try to be as punchy as I can. In July of this year AHBRA issued a non-compliance determination. That is only a couple of months ago. Could he just explain that to us?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Séamus McGrath: I thank Mr. O'Leary. For me, the crux of this issue is ultimately the oversight that is there and who is responsible. We have three different bodies before us today and there is also the Charities Regulator. In AHBRA's statement there is a reference to the joined-up approach being a good one. I am not sure I fully agree with that. Where does the responsibility lie in terms of regulation,...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Séamus McGrath: I am sorry for interrupting Mr. O'Leary, but I am caught for time. He says it is the trust's responsibility to be compliant - of course it is - but as the regulatory authority, is it not AHBRA's responsibility to spot non-compliance and to uncover it? In this case, that did not happen until it got very late in the day. What assurances can he give us that we will not get to the same point...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Séamus McGrath: This is my final point. I do not underestimate the challenge for AHBRA given the 436 AHBs. Does Mr. O'Leary feel he has enough resources to be an effective regulatory authority?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Séamus McGrath: I thank Mr. O'Leary very much.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Peter McVerry Trust: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Séamus McGrath: I have a question on the number of AHBs nationwide. We have discussed at length the governance issues with the Peter McVerry Trust and the difficulties in overseeing and regulating 436 bodies. In the opinion of the Department and the regulatory authority, do we have too many approved housing bodies nationwide?
- Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Cards (2 Oct 2025)
Séamus McGrath: 173. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the medical card scheme does not cover the cost of providing a GP medical cert, which is a requirement for over 70-year-old applicants to a renew a driving licence (details supplied). [52388/25]
- Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Exemptions (2 Oct 2025)
Séamus McGrath: 263. To ask the Minister for Finance the percentage of new residential properties which were exempt from stamp duty; the total number of residential properties where stamp duty was paid; and the average amount paid and the total amount collected by the State in 2024, in tabular form. [52685/25]
- Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (2 Oct 2025)
Séamus McGrath: 328. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the living alone allowance will be increased in budget 2026 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52686/25]
- Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Tusla - the Child and Family Agency (2 Oct 2025)
Séamus McGrath: I thank everybody for being here this morning. I thank them for the work they do. I appreciate the heavy burden that is on them in Tusla. There were over 100,000 referrals last year, which was a significant number. We are discussing issues of concern but I am sure that the witnesses make very many positive interventions on a day-to-day basis and that must be acknowledged. I thank them...
- Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Tusla - the Child and Family Agency (2 Oct 2025)
Séamus McGrath: Those are children that we effectively have no background on in terms of family connections.
- Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Tusla - the Child and Family Agency (2 Oct 2025)
Séamus McGrath: What is the age range?
- Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Tusla - the Child and Family Agency (2 Oct 2025)
Séamus McGrath: That means approximately 20% are potentially under the age of 16.
- Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Tusla - the Child and Family Agency (2 Oct 2025)
Séamus McGrath: That is still a high number. We have no traceability in terms of-----
- Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2024: Tusla - the Child and Family Agency (2 Oct 2025)
Séamus McGrath: How many are reunited? What kind of success rate does Tusla have in reuniting minors with their families?