Results 421-440 of 9,561 for speaker:Jack Chambers

Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: I thank the Deputy. I start by expressing my condolences to the family of Luke Hyde. It is deeply concerning that the first instinct of some of those present when he tragically lost his life was not to help but to take out their phones and stream the incident. It is a failure of basic human decency to take the view that social media clout is more important than the dignity and privacy of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: One of the main areas of focus for the new Minister for Health has been the need to address work time during the evenings and over weekends. The Minister has been proactive in managing that over the past number of weeks, in particular, to ensure we have a greater presence of senior consultants and others across the hospital system in order to try to accelerate discharge and provide senior...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: Of course the Minister for housing will be taking responsibility for the wider delivery of social and affordable homes across the economy. If there is an engagement or a meeting, it is important to have a structure in the Department of housing to ensure there is follow through, to ensure there are no delays and to ensure the respective utilities are actually following through on the plans...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: -----which need to be managed very carefully and actively. Having a structure in government to do that and to force that will help to yield greater housing supply which people should welcome. It would be much better for the Deputy to provide constructive input into actually supporting that office with the Minister for housing. It would make a big difference.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: The matters the Deputy has raised are very serious and need to be properly and thoroughly followed through by the HSE. There are references there to conflicts of interest and value-for-money concerns, which are extremely concerning. Under initiatives to reduce waiting lists, the HSE can outsource to private hospitals under the surgical services framework and the private provider framework....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: Based on what you say, a Cheann Comhairle, I am not going to respond to the specific query Deputy Coppinger raises relating to the article in The Ditch. It is a matter for the individual to respond. I do not have the factual position on that case and I do not think it would be appropriate to make any assertions or allegations connected to it. We must respect the ruling of the House. The...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: The housing activation office will be there to better coordinate delivery in terms of the provision and supply of homes at a local level. The Minister will set out further details around that-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: He is working through the details. He is stepping up the office itself and will provide leadership when it comes to the actual person who may be appointed in time around that particular office. It is to co-ordinate delivery in the provision of an increased supply of homes across our economy. We acknowledge that there is an infrastructure deficit and that there is a need for additionality...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: Everyone across this House acknowledges that the State has to play a central role in the future of infrastructure delivery and the provision of housing in our economy. That has been acknowledged in the context of what we are going to do and how we will strategically invest more than €20 billion from the Apple escrow fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund to prioritise...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: I completely reject what the Deputy said. She asked me a question relating to the legislation and I gave her an answer that reflects the factual position in a general scheme that was presented. The draft general scheme states very clearly that discussions are ongoing with the NTMA and it may be the case that no provision is needed in this Bill to facilitate staff transfers. The Minister...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: ----in the context of an ongoing engagement in respect of an employee in the NTMA. That particular provision may not be required as they conclude resolution of NAMA.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: I also welcome all the students from Inver College. Hopefully they will be inspired by politics and what they see today. Robust exchanges are always important in the political system. I appreciate what the Deputy has raised. I will provide clarity for her. The legislation she referenced was the general scheme of the conclusion of the IBRC special liquidation and dissolution of NAMA...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Responsibilities (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Deputy will be aware that there are two Ministers of State appointed to my Department: • Deputy Emer Higgins is Minister of State at this Department with responsibility for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment; and • Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran is Minister of State at this Department with responsibility for the Office of Public Works. No formal Delegation of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cycling Policy (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables below in respect of my Department and the bodies under its aegis. Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform Year Number of cycle to work scheme applications 2020 28 2021 32 2022 25 2023 23 ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Independent Review Panel (IRP) on Senior Public Service Recruitment and Pay Determination Processes was established in March 2022. The report was published in June 2023. The IRP found that pay determination of senior posts should consider best practice in terms of openness, transparency, accountability and the need for an objective evidence-based methodology. The review recommended that...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: The tender for “ITC016F Multi Supplier Framework Agreement for the provision of Network & Firewall Products, Solutions, Ancillary Equipment and Associated Services” was advertised on the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) in October 2024 and was open to all resellers and manufacturers of Network and Firewall equipment that could meet the criteria set out in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Employment Rights (7 May 2025)

Jack Chambers: This is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for Finance.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Emergency Services (29 Apr 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Tetra communications network was designed to provide a reliable and robust emergency network for the State's emergency personnel with the widest possible coverage and is delivered by Tetra Ireland. The coverage of Tetra is far more than the sum of the commercial mobile networks in Ireland and has provided an excellent level of coverage during previous severe weather events such as Storms...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Inquiries (29 Apr 2025)

Jack Chambers: Following the Taoiseach’s decision on 23 January 2025 to restructure Departments of State to better align them with the priority objectives of the new Government, certain functions are being transferred between Departments. Section 6(1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1939, inter alia, gives Government powers to alter by order the name of any Department of State,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Inquiries (29 Apr 2025)

Jack Chambers: Skellig Michael is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in State Ownership. The conservation and presentation of the island is the responsibility of the Office of Public Works (OPW). The OPW manages access to the Island by way of a license or permit system whereby a specific number of boat operators are granted permits to carry visitors to the Island in a given season. The OPW undertook an open...