Results 4,201-4,220 of 20,054 for speaker:Brian Stanley

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: I think questions have to be asked of Deloitte. If the local authorities have been given extra staff and four councils are coming in with not a house built by the local authority last year, it raises serious questions. We will have the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage back in again in a few weeks' time, and the reason I flagged this is that we should raise it with the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: Sorry there are two bundles. The minutes are No. 2207 which the Deputy has before her, it is an extensive bundle of paper, and then there is No. 2211. Does anyone want to say anything on the minutes of the meeting that were provided by RTÉ which the committee requested? If they do not, we will move on to the other bundle, No. 2211. The Deputy was speaking on that.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: She is all right with that. RTÉ is saying it wants to clarify that there were no such internal report generated at any point. For the information of members, the letter states: By way of additional update, I would like to advise that Grant Thornton and McCann Fitzgerald have requested a further modest extension in terms of their investigations into the Voluntary Exit Scheme payments...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: There is another item from RTÉ, No. 2211, which would have been very useful had we had it months ago. It is a copy of a letter from Richard Collins, former chief financial officer, sent on Sunday 18 June at 7.27 p.m. to Siún Ní Raghallaigh, the cathaoirleach of the board. The letter, referring to the Ryan Tubridy situation, says that the current contract is for five years...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: Moving on to correspondence category B - from and related to private individuals. No. 2205 from an individual, dated 31 October 2023, is in relation to bogus self-employment and the decision of the Supreme Court in the Karshan case regarding delivery drivers. I propose that we note and publish this item.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: I think we can agree on that. As all Deputies are happy with that, we will move to the work programme. Members have been circulated with a draft work programme discussion document, which is displayed on screen now. On 16 November, we will meet with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in relation to its 2022 appropriation accounts, chapter 5...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: And we should have the Department of Social Protection and Revenue in on the misclassification of workers in the new year.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: At the one meeting. The two at the one time. That is agreed. The last item on the public agenda today is any other business. As there are no other matters, we will go into private session very briefly before adjourning until a private meeting next Tuesday.

Written Answers — Department of Health: International Protection (9 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: 30. To ask the Minister for Health what preparations have been carried out to provide for the health care needs of the 950 people to be accommodated in Stradbally under the temporary international protection scheme and the existing local population. [47528/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: International Protection (9 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: 62. To ask the Minister for Health what extra capacity has been added to the local health services to provide for the additional 950 asylum seekers in Stradbally and for the local population; who will provide these services; and if they are now in place. [47529/23]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (8 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: 78. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to consider changing the criteria for entitlement to invalidity pension for self-employed people who became permanently incapacitated prior to December 2017 (details supplied); if she will review this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49002/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (7 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: 436. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to extend recognition to route 4 training through the Teaching Council for trained staff to work with special needs children. [47324/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (7 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: 1104. To ask the Minister for Health the Government’s up-to-date position regarding a scheme to assist those frontline workers who are absent from employment due to long-Covid. [47348/23]

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 4: Accountability of the Central Funding of Local Authorities. (26 Oct 2023)

Brian Stanley: No apologies have been received. The witnesses are all very welcome. I remind all those in attendance to ensure their mobile phones are switched off or on silent mode. Before we start, I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses as regards reference witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses physically...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 4: Accountability of the Central Funding of Local Authorities. (26 Oct 2023)

Brian Stanley: I thank Mr. McCarthy. As outlined in the invitation, Mr. Doyle has five minutes for his opening statement.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 4: Accountability of the Central Funding of Local Authorities. (26 Oct 2023)

Brian Stanley: We are joined by Ms Jenny Connors from the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. She is very welcome.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 4: Accountability of the Central Funding of Local Authorities. (26 Oct 2023)

Brian Stanley: Deputy Murphy is next.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 4: Accountability of the Central Funding of Local Authorities. (26 Oct 2023)

Brian Stanley: Could we just clarify one thing? There was something of a revelation for me in that exchange. Before we go any further, in regard to affordable homes, I understood that to be an important housing scheme. Did I hear Ms Timmons correctly when she said that the shared equity scheme is bundled in and counted as affordable homes?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 4: Accountability of the Central Funding of Local Authorities. (26 Oct 2023)

Brian Stanley: Am I correct in saying that the shared equity scheme is the top-up loan provided by the Government? An individual or couple who cannot borrow sufficient money to buy a house for say €300,000, have to borrow €240,000 and the Government gives them €60,000 which they have to start paying back after six years. Is that counted as affordable housing?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 4: Accountability of the Central Funding of Local Authorities. (26 Oct 2023)

Brian Stanley: They do not have to, but the charge stays on the property. It has to be paid back at some time, or if the property is sold the money has to be paid back. Can I clarify the point? Are we saying that is now counted as part of affordable housing?