Results 361-380 of 1,032,173 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Máiría Cahill OR speaker:Dessie Ellis OR speaker:Steven Matthews)

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Nursing Homes (13 Jun 2024)

Gino Kenny: I thank the Minister of State. Those who work in the home and the residents and their relatives are very concerned about its future. There has been ongoing awareness and protests with a view to keeping the facility open. I have a number of questions. Will the HSE consider taking over the facility on a full-time basis? If not, would other providers be interested in taking it over? The...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Nursing Homes (13 Jun 2024)

Mary Butler: The designated centre is a residential care setting operated by Passage Healthcare International (Ireland) Limited. Passage Healthcare has been in examinership but my understanding is that the receiver has removed the protection of examinership and that a liquidator will be appointed. As the Deputy knows, Passage Healthcare also operated Sally Park Nursing Home in Firhouse. Sally Park was...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Nursing Homes (13 Jun 2024)

Gino Kenny: That is relatively good news. If there is a scenario where none of the care providers is in a position to take over, it would be a disaster if facility had to close because it would mean the 50 residents would have to seek other accommodation. There is also the situation of the staff. People are very happy there but they are very worried about the long-term future of the nursing home. It...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Nursing Homes (13 Jun 2024)

Mary Butler: I do not disagree with the Deputy regarding the imbalance that exists. The situation at Lucan Lodge was compounded because the owners of the property are resident in America. An Irish provider that was registered with HIQA was providing the service. Any takeover would be complicated, especially when we are talking about receivership and examinership. I met again with my officials...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Nursing Homes (13 Jun 2024)

Questions Nos. 2 and 3 taken with Written Answers.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: Members and people looking in are very welcome to the Oireachtas Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. We are meeting to look at the Revised Estimates: Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann; Vote 23 - the Electoral Commission, An Coimisiún Toghcháin; and Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I welcome the Minister for Housing, Local Government and...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister. I call the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, and then the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, will speak.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister of State. Before we proceed, and in light of last week's elections, it is only right to acknowledge the hard work done by local authority staff and returning officers in all of the count centres throughout the country.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: Some of them are still counting as we sit here. The operation was professionally run and they are protecting our democracy. The count centre is a great leveller. Every one of us walks into it worried and concerned. I acknowledge the work done in all of the count centres. The Limerick mayoral election is an important step forward in local democracy. This committee dealt with the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: Okay. The Deputies promised we would-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: The Deputies twice promised we would not have a row and I think we are veering into one now.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: We do not want to see an underspend at all. We want to spend as much money as we can on housing for people who need it, are using homeless services and so forth. The capital underspend of €206 million that we are talking about is a very small percentage of the overall budget.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: Yes, just to put it in context, notwithstanding that it is an underspend and we want to spend as much as we can and get good value for it.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: Okay. I thank the Minister.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank Deputy O'Callaghan. Those were good questions. As we deal with the Estimates every year, I am reminded of the broad range of areas that fall under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, including everything from Met Éireann to the National Parks and Wildlife Service to housing, which is obviously one of the priorities for this Government to deliver on. As...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: That is €20 billion as the overall spend between public and private. Could we break it down into a 60:40 spend or what is the breakdown between public money and private investment?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: I totally agree with the Minister. When we put money into that, while it does not actually result in greater housing numbers, it is good forward planning to be able to do that. I will move to the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, on the National Parks and Wildlife Service. It was probably during 2008 and 2009 that its budget was cut by about 70%, although it was not within the Department...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: The staffing numbers have also increased. On that recent visit, I was quite impressed to see younger staff there as well. It was an ageing staff and trying to find a ranger was like trying to find a corncrake - they were rare on the ground. That is quite impressive to see. We have been talking in billions but there is a particular spend in local government that I would like to explore...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister of State.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: That concludes the questions. I thank the Minister and the Ministers of State for their attendance for the long session today. It was informative and helpful. I also thank the officials for their assistance and help today. That concludes our consideration of the further Revised Estimates Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann; Vote 23 - the Electoral Commission; and Vote 34 - Housing, Local...