Results 2,761-2,780 of 6,905 for speaker:Cian O'Callaghan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank the witnesses for attending. Following on from what we have heard, I think it is reasonable to say that if there is a directly elected mayor for Dublin, the most basic interpretation of this would be the Limerick model that has been discussed, whereby the NTA would effectively stay as is in terms of what it is doing, but it would have a reporting-in function to a directly elected...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Let us take contracting and tendering processes and the kind of staff resources that would be allocated to that as an example. How many people are we talking about in that area? If some of those people were taken away and given to a directly elected mayor what would happen? Is half of the staff complement working on transport in Dublin or in the greater Dublin area or how does it work?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: On that, if that competency was given to a directly elected mayor in Dublin, in order for that to work would staff and resources have to be shifted with that in full or could it be that the responsibility lies with a directly elected mayor and their office but all the work is done through the NTA, which is then simply reporting in? Would that be unworkable or unfeasible? It might work in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: The concerns around inefficiencies are on two levels. There are risks that an additional and unnecessary layer could be introduced that does not necessarily add a huge amount, though it could be argued that it is an addition in democratic accountability and strategic oversight. That alone would be valuable. There could also be a duplication or dilution of expertise, as opposed to having it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: That touches on another matter. I refer to democratic accountability for the NTA and the work it does in Dublin. On a statutory basis, what does that democratic accountability look like? Is it-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: There is no formal way for the local authorities to engage. They can talk to the NTA and invite it to meetings but there is no formal statutory role for the local authorities at all, is there?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: That is a massive gap or deficit. I am not criticising anyone in that. There are three other Dublin local authorities and there are elected councillors. Public transport policy in the Dublin area is hugely strategically significant so to have accountability to the Oireachtas and not to the local authorities is a huge gap.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: It happens in my constituency all the time currently. It is not just the Senator's experience.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: This will sound parochial but I will use an example I am aware of with respect to protected cycle lanes. In my constituency, the main roads of Howth, Sutton and Baldoyle in the Fingal County Council area have all had protected cycle lanes for the past couple of years. Where there are not cycle lanes, there is, by and large, dedicated off-road cycling infrastructure in place on the main...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: The answers touch on something important. If a directly elected mayor is going to make a difference, not only does he or she need powers and competencies but he or she will also need to have access to funding. If a mayor is going to add value on active travel, it has got to be because someone runs for election as mayor, says that active travel is going to be a priority and is then able to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I have a question on electric charging points. Does the NTA have a role in their provision?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Okay. It is related to this. I meet people who are frequently very annoyed about the lack of provision. It is not just the general public provision but there is that key issue in areas where there is newer housing. It is dense, people do not have driveways, and they cannot put in the charging points. There is also older housing that is densely built and designed, where they cannot put it...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Data (19 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: 330. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide the population of each CHO area as of the 2022 census, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45894/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (19 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank all the witnesses who have come in. I add my voice in complimenting the very valuable work the four Dublin local authorities do in communities. I see at every day and every week. There is huge commitment from all the staff. I have a separate question for each chief executive and it would be useful if Ms Feeney wished to comment after that. Ms Farrelly spoke about the need to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (19 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I want to ask a question on that very point. I appreciate what the witnesses said that they will work with what they are given but we very much want their views on what would be the best framework to be given. Looking at the report, the key part of the recommendations is the devolved powers. That is the really important part. There is a lack of detail in that even for the Electoral...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (19 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: So budget and oversight, with a directly-elected mayor?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Consideration of the Citizens' Assembly Report on a Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin: Discussion (19 Oct 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Mr. Ward made an interesting point that transportation is quite far down that list yet for those of us who have been closer to or involved in local government, transportation seems like a very obvious area. One can understand it is not necessarily the highest priority for the general public at the moment. Housing is of course the highest priority, but are there areas like that which jump...