Results 501-520 of 2,015 for speaker:Pat Casey

Seanad: Workplace Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions Bill) 2021: Second Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Pat Casey: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Pat Casey: Senator Boyhan will remember the previous time the housing committee prepared a detailed report on the complexities of applying universal design across all housing. It would not be practical at the end of the day. We always felt there was an element when designing a complex of housing where a number of units would be designed with universal design in mind so they are protected for people...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Pat Casey: I am sure the Minister will agree that every opportunity should be availed of to provide 100% public housing on public land where it is needed and that he will support that. We should remember that, as drafted, the legislation provided for 30% and that, in fairness to the Minister, that was increased to 50%, while the Part V provision was increased by a further 10%, which brought it to 70%....

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Pat Casey: I had the privilege to grow up surrounded by a national park. I grew up beside one of our greatest heritage sites. When I saw this amendment I was unsure whether I was reading it correctly. I cannot for a moment see the LDA approaching any of these lands in respect of development. However, I understand the concerns that the Senators have raised. We have county development plans under...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Second Stage (9 Jul 2021)

Pat Casey: Before I begin to speak on the Land Development Agency, I want to say that I agree with Senator Mullen on the vacant site levy. At this stage, we all agree it is not fit for purpose. How it is applied in the various local authorities differs and there is no consistency. It does not do what it was intended to do. I welcome the opportunity to speak on Second Stage of the Bill and I welcome...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Jul 2021)

Pat Casey: I thank the Acting Chairman. I welcome the Minister. Having sat on the council and gone through a few budgetary processes, including the LPT, I have waited for this opportunity for a good few years. I welcome the address of the inequality I believe has existed in the LPT process, where more than 100,000 houses have not been liable to pay the LPT tax since 2013. Having gone through a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Jul 2021)

Pat Casey: I thank the Minister for his response.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic (6 Jul 2021)

Pat Casey: I tabled this Commencement matter to bring a degree of proportionality and transparency to the debate on the true impact of the pandemic on the hospitality sector.I believe that information is sorely missing. I thank Senator Crowe for his intervention today. Every time, the industry's hopes are raised and then dashed. This has happened six times. The impact cuts deeper each time this...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic (6 Jul 2021)

Pat Casey: I thank the Minister of State for her answer. All I am trying to do is get an open debate around the true impact of hospitality in respect of this virus. An example was given the other day of a pub in Waterford and how it caused 200 cases. That was an outdoor event. We need to bring some clarity to this. Our industry has behaved and responded in the best way it could, so we cannot...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2021)

Pat Casey: Regrettably, it is a bit like Groundhog Day, as the reopening of indoor dining on 5 July looks like another false dawn for the sector. I point out that indoor dining is already happening but it is happening exclusively for residents of hotels. I am one of the few privileged to be able to use that facility but even last night I was inside and there were people sitting outside. My locals...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2021)

Pat Casey: They could be in here and Senator Fitzpatrick is taking away from their time.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2021)

Pat Casey: Senator Boyhan has six minutes.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Pat Casey: I welcome the Minister. I fully agree with what Senator Byrne said. The Minister met with my colleagues in Wicklow and they asked if he could do anything to give them powers to extend the county development plan process. This is about restoring powers to our local authority members. I hope they use them. I will come back to the two-thirds majority required for decisions under the...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Pat Casey: I fully support this measure to deliver home ownership. It is one of a number of such measures. We should put it in that context, that it is a short-term measure to provide an option for people to buy their own home. It is limited to €75 million, which is less than 1% of an €11 billion mortgage market. The words "could lead" and "can lead" have been used, which are not...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Pat Casey: I spoke about the vacant site levy on Committee Stage. I spoke about how it is critical that we have a functioning and proper vacant site levy or a similar mechanism. I think everybody in the House will agree that what is in place at the moment clearly is not working. Senator Mullen has identified the various differences across counties in how it is applied and other issues. However, a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 May 2021)

Pat Casey: I plan to reopen my own business on Wednesday. That reopening would not be possible without the Government supports that have been provided over the past 15 months. I wish to acknowledge that before I raise a similar issue to that of Senator Keogan. I am in the privileged position to be able to allow indoor dining in my hotel from Wednesday. However, the locals - who are my regulars - who...

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (31 May 2021)

Pat Casey: I welcome the Minister for Health to the House for the second time today and he has ten minutes.

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (31 May 2021)

Pat Casey: In order to get all speakers in because time is tight, is it agreed that we reduce speaking time from five minutes to four minutes? Agreed.

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (31 May 2021)

Pat Casey: I thank the Minister for his commitment to the House today. It is great to see on both sides of the House some Members boasting that they have received the vaccination and others boasting that they are too young to get it. That is good.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

Pat Casey: Senator Fitzpatrick has covered most of my points. Taking a segment of housing out of affordability will add to the crisis. Every one of us who has been on a local authority knows that local authorities are buying social houses on the open market every year and families are living in such houses. Every year, each local authority is given funding to go out and buy houses for social housing....