Results 3,541-3,560 of 7,176 for speaker:Cian O'Callaghan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Is Ms Stapleton confident that voids were being counted as new-build in 2008? I know that arose as an issue in more recent years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Okay. I think the issue with voids arose when funding came from the Department to turn around voids under Rebuilding Ireland and they started getting counted as so-called new social homes when they were not, but that was much later than 2008. I do not think there was any funding from the Department for turning around voids before Rebuilding Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Has anyone ever suggested that voids were counted as new-builds in 2008? Has there been any suggestion of that before by anyone?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I am curious because I have never heard that stated about 2008 figures. I am wondering where Ms Stapleton is getting that suggestion from.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank Ms Stapleton. The examination of the legislative first right of refusal for existing tenants was also mentioned in the opening statement. Will the witnesses expand on that and tell us a little about the examination, such as what the timeline and expectations are?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: That is the hope. Is it too soon to be definitive about that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: When the different local authorities were before the committee some, though not all of them, brought up the issue of the pipeline of land they have for social and affordable housing. Some stated that their pipeline of land is running out and will run out in the next few years. Some also stated they simply cannot compete with private developers to acquire zoned development land. They simply...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: One of the issues is the funding for land that is near ready for use. It can make sense to build up a pipeline of land some years in advance to get better value so that each local authority has that. Is that issue being looked at in terms of their ability to build up a pipeline and sometimes be able to get better value or even acquire land before it is rezoned and those sorts of things?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank Ms Stapleton.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: They are not in the voids programme.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Is that ruled out now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: Sure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I want to ask about the four-stage approval process. As our guests will be aware, many people in AHBs and local authorities, and people who work in the construction sector more broadly, are very frustrated by, and critical of, that process. They consider it to be bureaucratic and think it frustrates delivery. Some people working in the construction sector have said to me that it leads to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: The Housing Agency figures do not match up with the Department figures.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank Ms Stapleton.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank Ms Stapleton for that helpful answer. In terms of schemes that are overspecified, is there a pattern that suggests some local authorities are doing that consistently in the Department's view or does it happen haphazardly or randomly?

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: 122. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding a passport application for a person (details supplied); if there is any possible alternative to the applicant having to supply a long-form birth certificate, given that the person has been granted Irish citizenship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17072/23]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: 137. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the case of a detained person (details supplied); if he will give his support for their immediate release; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17880/23]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Regulations (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: 196. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment what measures are in place to regulate the financial technology sector; what regulation is in place to ensure that robust security measures are used by financial technology services offered in Ireland to counteract scams and fraud; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17278/23]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Interest Rates (18 Apr 2023)

Cian O'Callaghan: 422. To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the large hikes in mortgage rates without the corresponding increase in savings rates for banking customers; if he will take action to ensure banks are required to increase savings rates alongside mortgage rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18185/23]