Results 2,241-2,260 of 2,964 for speaker:James O'Connor

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (17 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: Is there not an opportunity to kick out the middleman, as such, in terms of getting the councils directly in contact with smaller builders rather than having to work with a developer? To many, a developer might appear to be a large conglomerate or a multimillionaire, but in many cases there are people throughout the country who may just own land that is zoned, who can create a company and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (17 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: I welcome the people who have come in to the committee today from Irish Rail. I acknowledge that throughout the pandemic it has been extremely difficult for many people working within public transport. I thank Irish Rail for coming through what has been an horrendous two years. I hope we are out of the worst of it. I wish Irish Rail well with the recovery of passenger traffic. My...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (17 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: I completely understand the premise of the question I am asking and how big a challenge it is. I am asking because there is a drive at European level for increased investment in rail. The latter will require completely new infrastructure because of the electrification requirements. We probably cannot use ancient rail bridges and all of that. Irish infrastructure went through a renaissance...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (17 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: If a European fund every became available to co-fund projects for electrified high-speed rail, would Irish Rail consider it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (17 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: I have another question I want to ask and I ask the Chair for a little leniency because it is a difficult question to answer. It is very important for Irish Rail to give its feedback to the Oireachtas. On the planning process for the implementation of new rail lines and the reinstatement of pre-existing rail lines that are now closed down, could Mr. Meade speak about any difficulties or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (17 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: I would encourage Mr. Meade to feed into that process, if he could seek a meeting to do so. It is imperative for that to happen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (17 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: It is representatives of Irish Rail who, primarily, need to be making the case about how to make things more efficient. My final question relates to the new greenway. There is obviously a historical aspect to the rail line in Youghal. We would be delighted if there was a chance to get a historic train to Youghal as a focal point for the greenway. If that is something our guests could...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (17 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: I thank our guests.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disabilities Assessments (15 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: 160. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the backlog of assessment of needs for children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5446/22]

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters (10 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: I welcome the representatives from NBI and thank them for appearing before the committee. For the purposes of full disclosure, I have met all of them previously through the other Oireachtas committee. I was also on one of the field trips. I found it was helpful to go and see the work being done. It helped me develop a better understanding of what NBI is doing. However, the job of the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters (10 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: Is it correct that NBI and its shareholders are not making any profit from approximately €2.6 billion in public money approved under EU state aid rules or is it part of the overall set-up of the organisation?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters (10 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: Is Mr. Hendrick in a position to outline how much it costs NBI on average to install broadband in a home? How many homes are in the intervention areas? I think it is approximately 500,000.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters (10 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: That is interesting. I thank Mr. Hendrick. A very good investigation was carried out into the NBI deal by The Currency. I give the people there credit for the work they have done. One of the issues they raised is that when this was originally proposed, approximately €220 million was promised in equity to NBI by shareholders, which, I think, has turned into about €100 million...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters (10 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: How much of that €175 million has been put in so far?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters (10 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: The killer question is: where is the other €55 million?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters (10 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: That is interesting to hear. I thank Mr. Hendrick. What consultancy firms does NBI employ to do its auditing and the ongoing analysis that needs to be done to ensure it is on target and on track?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters (10 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: Is Mr. Hendrick aware if the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications using either of those for its consultancy work?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters (10 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: How much money has NBI spent on consultancy since its contract began?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters (10 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: Would Mr. Kelly be in a position to answer that question?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters (10 Feb 2022)

James O'Connor: This is a pretty important question. The representatives of NBI should have brought that information this morning. I ask them to check it out and revert to me, immediately after the meeting if possible.