Results 1-20 of 67 for speaker:Maria McCormack

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Jul 2025)

Maria McCormack: There is a lack of GPs in Laois. We have had a large population growth but do not have services, especially GPs, to match this. The national average GP ratio is 1:1,000 but in Laois at the moment the ratio is about 1:1,600. There are large areas in Laois that have no GP. To use the town of Ballickmoyler as an example, it has a population of approximately 1,100 people and hundreds of new...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Housing Delivery, Service and Supply: Discussion (1 Jul 2025)

Maria McCormack: I will pick one issue and explain and give an overview of it. I mention Hollybrook, a developer in County Laois. I feel like piggy in the middle in this situation. Eighty houses have been sold to families, some of whom have reached out to me. They were originally supposed to move into the houses in February 2025. The date was pushed back to April or May 2025 and then again to October...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Housing Delivery, Service and Supply: Discussion (1 Jul 2025)

Maria McCormack: Before Mr. Rossiter comes in, can he provide me with some kind of date for these 80 families? We can imagine how stressful it is for them.

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...

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...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: I am from Laois and live in Portlaoise. Unfortunately, when I was watching the programme I recognised some of the residents and workers. It is very difficult for them. I have a lot of questions so I will go through them and I request brief answers. I have to correct the record by noting that The Residence, Portlaoise opened in October or November of 2023, not in 2024. There have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: That is okay. I want to move on. Of the 17 reports of serious injury that resulted in hospital admission or death, when was the first of them reported?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

Maria McCormack: Was there a death related to abuse in the nursing home?

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...