Results 2,261-2,280 of 26,006 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (13 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: At what age?

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (13 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: My God, he is a lesson to anyone.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (13 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Yes. I will outline the current position. The Senator raises an important point. In my role, the issue of providing housing for older people in an area has come up over the years. Under action 6.3 of Housing for All, local authorities have been mandated to consider the housing needs of older people through the housing need and demand assessment, HNDA, framework and to feed this into their...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (13 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Senator for raising this important matter and I see her genuine personal interest in it. it is very much in her local community. The annual summary of social housing assessments also provides valuable data as it counts the numbers of persons aged over 60 and 70, which the Senator referred to, who have been assessed as eligible for social housing supports. The summary further...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (13 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Where are they from?

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Parking Provision (13 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome Sasha and Zara, who are visiting with Senator Conway. It is great to see them both. I think Sasha is continuing her mother's tradition, so well done. I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this important issue. Before I go into the substance of the response, I agree with her on it being appalling that people who are not disabled are parking in disabled parking spots. The...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Parking Provision (13 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I again thank the Senator for raising this important issue. The Department of Transport, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and I are fully aware of the distress associated with the complex and everyday challenges faced by people with dementia and their families and carers. The Minister fully appreciates that a dementia diagnosis requires a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Eligibility (13 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. She mentioned carers, who provide phenomenal work for society and, more particularly, for their families and loved ones. I will give some background. I am going to read from the conclusion of my notes and work backwards. As the Senator has highlighted, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, has asked her officials to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Eligibility (13 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I again thank Senator Maria Byrne for raising this very important point. As she is probably aware, the Department reviews and changes means tests on an ongoing basis. Over the last three budgets, changes have been introduced to the means test for the fuel allowance, disability allowance, working family payment, farm assist, carer's allowance, blind pension and the one-parent family payment....

Planning and Development (Fees for Certain Applications) Regulations 2023: Motion (12 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Fees for Certain Applications) Regulations 2023, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 30th June, 2023.

Planning and Development (Fees for Certain Applications) Regulations 2023: Motion (12 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: No. I will move the first two motions and I will make a comment on the third motion.

Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. XX) Regulations 2023: (12 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. XX) Regulations 2023, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 23rd June, 2023.

Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023: (12 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 30th June, 2023. The Deputies who are members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage have already made comments. At...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The decision on the timing of the referendum is one for Cabinet. The issues the Deputy raises in respect of Irish Water would cause us concern. We will take up those matters directly with Irish Water. We want it to provide a service that is efficient and timely for the public. If Deputy Cahill has specific instances, he might bring them to my attention and I will take them up directly...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: A memo for Government and the legislation is going for the Cabinet's consideration this week. It will have to consider both. The timing of the election is entirely a decision for the Cabinet. 1 o’clock We are honouring our commitment to the people of Limerick. A plebiscite was held. The legislation and the amendment has gone to Cabinet this week.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Septic Tanks (11 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Senator Cummins for raising this important matter and giving me the opportunity to address it. As he will be aware, the Department provides funding for water services in areas of rural Ireland where no Uisce Éireann water services are available. The Department's rural water programme uses Exchequer funding to deliver improvements to water services throughout the rural water...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Septic Tanks (11 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I again thank Senator Cummins for raising this important matter. The Department is very conscious of all the issues he raises, including the level of the grant and the exclusion of certain categories on the basis of data registration. We want to have a comprehensive review. I accept that timing is of the essence. The EPA report more particularly puts it further in context. I assure...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Government Reform (11 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Senator Hoey for raising the important matter of the retirement gratuity payable to local authorities. It is a matter of which I am acutely aware. It came up when I was taking part in a session on local government on Wednesday, 28 June. More particularly, I have spoken at length with the AILG, the Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA, and councillors nationwide. I travel to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Government Reform (11 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I again thank the Senator for raising the important matter of councillors' retirement gratuity. I will make a couple of points. I have been in this role for a relatively short time. I have given priority to councillors' security costs and there are also the issues of the gratuity for councillors and getting maternity leave for women councillors embedded. The views Senator Hoey expressed...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Planning Issues (11 Jul 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Senator Currie for raising this matter. I want to give a bit of context because she is going in on a planning issue. The national planning framework 2018 recognises the importance of the provision of childcare facilities, specifying that: the continued provision and enhancement of facilities and amenities for children and young people, such as childcare, schools, playgrounds,...