Results 541-560 of 2,283 for speaker:Matt Shanahan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Capital Supply Service and Purpose Report Bill 2023: Discussion (17 Jan 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I thank OPLA, the PBO and parliamentary colleagues, including the three here today, who have assisted me. Their participation has been really well received. They are smart people and they understand exactly what we are discussing. None of them has an axe to grind. There are no agendas here; this is really about trying to deliver better legislation, governance and better clarity on how we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Capital Supply Service and Purpose Report Bill 2023: Discussion (17 Jan 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I invite my colleagues to make closing statements.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Threat of Bark Beetles to Plantations: Discussion (17 Jan 2024)

Matt Shanahan: There are many things up for discussion, not least, the assessment of risk. Before we discuss the issue of beetles, and all of that, and the call for a forestry agency, would Mr. Delaney or the Department officials support the idea of a national forestry agency?

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tax Code (17 Jan 2024)

Matt Shanahan: 1598. To ask the Minister for Health to review the taxation treatment of GP group practises (details supplied) with respect to the specific queries raised in correspondence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57169/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Jan 2024)

Matt Shanahan: 1652. To ask the Minister for Health what surveillance activity programme is taking place with respect to monitoring wastewater for Covid; the number of treatment plants that are being monitored as part of the health surveillance; if he will publish the latest data available to his Department on Covid concentrations in municipal wastewater schemes; and if he will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capital Expenditure Programme (17 Jan 2024)

Matt Shanahan: 1815. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his Department’s processes that consider the value for money question understanding that in 2017 a project build (details supplied) was estimated at less than €50 million, in 2021 it was estimated to cost close to €90 million and today the engineering block build is estimated to be costing over €100 million; if,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Children in Care (14 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: Deputy Canney and I, along with other members of the Regional Group, met representatives of foster families some weeks ago. There are very distinct challenges in the sector, not least access to pension entitlements. The Minister has had some engagement on this. It seems extraordinary that women who left the private sector workforce and took on foster care were not advised that they should...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Children in Care (14 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: Yes, residential care.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Children in Care (14 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: It is important to recognise the challenges faced by foster families. Despite the increases, which are very welcome, the Minister is well aware that when some foster families take on children with additional needs, they have to source services privately. Like any parent, when they look at a child, having been told it will take two, three or four years to get an National Educational...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Children in Care (14 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: 70. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline any new strategy development in his Department that deals with foster children and the challenges facing foster parents, particularly in relation to social security entitlements with respect to pension contributions (details supplied). [55037/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Children in Care (14 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: My question relates to any strategy development in the Department that deals with foster children and the challenges facing foster parents, especially with respect to social security entitlements and pension contributions.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Human Trafficking (14 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: 466. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps his Department is taking to ensure the child trafficking is not occurring where refugee families and adolescents are presenting for international protection in Ireland. [55038/23]

Digital Services Bill 2023: Second Stage (13 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: The Digital Services Bill supports Ireland's responsibilities to comply with EU Digital Services Act. That has a very high and lofty principle, which is that what is illegal offline will be illegal online also. It seems to be a complex enough Bill and there are a number of significant statutes within it, namely, the appointment of An Coimisiún na Meán as the digital service...

Increased Fossil Fuel Divestment: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: I, too, welcome the motion, and I congratulate Deputies Pringle, Collins and Connolly on the work they have done to bring this before the House. It is timely that the Government would review fossil fuel investment, especially in light of COP activity. I note the concerns the Minister of State has raised regarding some strategic financial investments, and obviously that is going to require...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Shoplifting: Discussion (13 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: I thank everybody for coming in here this morning. They are all busy, but this is an important issue. I thank Deputy Stanton, who has led this at committee level. It is important that we hear the experiences on the ground. I also want to acknowledge the change, I suppose, the cultural change and also the social change and economic change that is happening in society. It is interesting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Shoplifting: Discussion (13 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: Mr. Dunne might like to come in there because he expressed an interest in it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Shoplifting: Discussion (13 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: It would be helpful if the witnesses could identify what legislation was enacted or changed in the North of Ireland to facilitate what the Belfast retailers are doing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Shoplifting: Discussion (13 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: It is important to acknowledge it is not to up to retailers to sort out our socioeconomic problems. That is a job for Government policy. We need to have the witnesses leave here today with an idea that this committee can do something to support them. Mr. Jennings mentioned bringing his private CCTV to a garda. What is the admissibility of that as evidence? If I am an arresting inspector...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Shoplifting: Discussion (13 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: When Mr. Dunne makes a complaint, how often do the gardaí ask to review the CCTV footage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Shoplifting: Discussion (13 Dec 2023)

Matt Shanahan: I want to go back to the point of the appetite of the Garda to try to give more support to the witnesses vis-à-visthe Belfast initiative, which was discussed earlier. I understand that the PULSE IT system is presently undergoing a major upgrade. I presume this is because it has not been upgraded in more than 20 years. If we are doing this business watch scheme, there is an opportunity...