Results 1,001-1,020 of 1,321 for speaker:Áine Collins
- Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Special Protection Areas Designation (17 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important issue. I represent the constituency of Cork North-West. It is a rural constituency and I am concerned about the impact that European directives are having on the livelihoods of small land-holders and family owned farms in this area. Most of the area of western Duhallow was considered a disadvantaged area for many years. It was also...
- Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Special Protection Areas Designation (17 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: I thank the Minister of State for her reply. While I accept what she said, with all due respect, the GLAS scheme does not provide the necessary compensation for these families. A farm with a hen harrier on it can be farmed to only 0.6 of its capacity, which is not viable. I know a young man in Ballydesmond who has a 100 acre farm and who has invested heavily. He is left with a huge debt...
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: I apologise for my non-attendance yesterday. I was not aware the meeting had gone ahead. Before the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, comes in today, I ask that the committee consider bringing in some developers who have exited NAMA to discuss their experience and see the value or loss to the economy it has caused. I am not naming anybody in particular; several developers have exited...
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: The timing is right. People have exited and it would be interesting to hear what they have to say.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: Many of them have gone through the system and come out the other end, and they are not all legal actions.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: That would be great, thank you.
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: I welcome the witnesses. Mr. McDonagh said NAMA is two years ahead of schedule. What percentage of the original portfolio remains to be sold?
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: So NAMA is two years ahead of schedule and 50% remains. In 2012, NAMA had 224 staff and it currently has 370. Can Mr. McDonagh explain why there has been such an increase in staff, given that 50% of the portfolio has been sold?
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: What percentage of the 600 small debtors are with receivers?
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: Mr. McDonagh said 59 of the 370 members of his staff left this year, so the staff turnover this year was 16%. How would he say the culture of NAMA is to work in?
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: With a staff turnover of 16%, does Mr. McDonagh not think there may be an issue with staff being unhappy or that there are issues?
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: Statistics show that higher wages account for only 40% of staff leaving. It does not seem to measure up with the norms. I accept that NAMA was never going to be established forever and has a ten-year cycle.
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: I appreciate that. How would Mr. McDonagh define a "developer"?
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: When Mr. McDonagh talks about the SDZ and the Dublin Docklands area, and says he is not a developer, is NAMA not involved in the planning, development and sale of the asset?
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: Who is building the asset?
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: Could Mr. McDonagh explain the process? NAMA owns 70% of the land available for development and is in a joint venture. While I appreciate that NAMA is not physically building it, it can take on contractors and pay for them out of the process. Is NAMA going into partnership with developers?
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: I accept this, but many developers are not involved in bricks and mortar or building actual houses because they subcontract this. I do not have an issue with whether NAMA is doing it or not. I have an issue with the fact Mr. McDonagh states NAMA is not a developer, but NAMA appointed the receiver to Bolands Mills and this receiver will build. This is absolutely fine and it makes proper...
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: That is not what all developers do.
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: With regard to the development of residential houses, there was huge interest in a site being sold by Savills in Bishopstown, Cork, but I understand it has been taken off the market and NAMA itself will build there. Is Mr. McDonagh aware of this?
- Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency Financial Statements 2013 (18 Dec 2014)
Áine Collins: I would be grateful? I certainly do not want to see NAMA being the building force behind much of the residential property. We need competition and we need to have developers back in the marketplace.