Results 2,141-2,160 of 3,444 for speaker:Shane Cassells

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems Provision (12 Jun 2018)

Shane Cassells: 470. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the types of community groups and organisations availing of and inquiring with regard to the community CCTV scheme; the issues which are hindering community groups and organisations from progressing their application to installation of CCTV in their communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24431/18]

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Divisional Headquarters (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: In his reply the Minister of State has said, "The Minister for Justice and Equality has been informed by the Garda authorities that the divisional headquarters for the Meath division is based in Navan". There is no divisional headquarters in Navan. This is why I am here. The chief superintendent outlined this fact to the joint policing committee meeting on Monday. I am in the House...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Divisional Headquarters (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: Will the Minister of State comment on the status of the site?

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Divisional Headquarters (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: It is not good enough.

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Divisional Headquarters (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: I have raised the issue of Garda resources in Meath on several occasions with the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, in this Chamber but that was specifically to do with the personnel requirements for our county which still rank as the lowest in the county, a fact confirmed on Monday of this week when the chief superintendent confirmed that resources allocated to Kildare have relegated us to bottom...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Reform: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: I welcome the opportunity to discuss local government reform proposals this morning. I also welcome the Minister of State and his officials and to thank him for the engagement in looking at the deficiencies of the system in place. I have said it many times that what was done five years ago was exceptionally damaging to our democracy, in particular the impact it has had on urban areas....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Reform: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: As regards the powers, the scope and the efficiency of the representation of the municipal districts, the Minister of State alluded in his answers to Deputy O'Dowd that the director of services can do this or engineers over multiple areas can do X, Y, or Z. However, we are missing that special focus. Directors of services are dealing with macro issues. The Minister of State is aware of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Reform: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: On boundaries, I am glad it will no longer be possible to alter a boundary between two local authorities without the consent of both. We have problems as all of us can see in our counties. For example, Drogheda has sprawled into County Meath leading to an attempted land grab. Since then, an attempt has been made to secure city status for the town which would encompass even more areas of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Reform: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: That was not the reason Meath County Council was mired in debt.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Reform: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: Of course.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Reform: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: I thank the Vice Chairman for letting me back in. I would like to ask the Minister of State about the proposals related to local authority boundaries. He said in response to questions asked by another member of the committee that the new statutory joint structures, under option 3, will be placed on a statutory footing. He mentioned that the structures would encompass zoning powers. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Reform: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Reform: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: Okay. If these structures encompass statutory powers, will there be collaboration among senior planners only? When plans for these areas are being compiled, will the affected elected members from the adjoining municipal areas come together in a room to try to reach agreement?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Reform: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: Okay. That is a progressive way of doing business. If we are being honest with one another, we know that there are tensions on both sides in all of the areas mentioned in the report. It all boils down to where resources are being spent and where resources are coming from. That is where this is really being driven. People in Drogheda say people coming across the border from County Meath...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Reform: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: That is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Reform: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: Is it envisaged that someone at departmental level who is independent of both authorities will act as a chairperson to knock heads together?

Committee on Public Petitions: Nursing Home Casebook: Ombudsman, Mr. Peter Tyndall (30 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: I welcome the Ombudsman and his staff. They are here to discuss an issue that is of huge importance to us, as parliamentarians, in terms of our constituency work. The increase in the number of complaints received by the Ombudsman in 2017 is notable. I visit nursing homes in my constituency on a regular basis. I want to acknowledge the level of care being provided by them. The Ombudsman...

Committee on Public Petitions: Nursing Home Casebook: Ombudsman, Mr. Peter Tyndall (30 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: Is the Ombudsman saying that it is like a solicitor charging an hourly rate?

Committee on Public Petitions: Nursing Home Casebook: Ombudsman, Mr. Peter Tyndall (30 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: Has the Ombudsman identified from the evidence available, the cumulative amount of funding that would be required to bridge that gap?

Committee on Public Petitions: Nursing Home Casebook: Ombudsman, Mr. Peter Tyndall (30 May 2018)

Shane Cassells: There is no gaming of the system or gouging. If this is not addressed, however, it will lead to the impoverishment of the approximately 30,000 residents that are in nursing home facilities throughout the country.