Results 5,741-5,760 of 7,163 for speaker:Cian O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (14 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 402. To ask the Minister for Health when the drug zolgensma will become available through the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31390/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: Is additional guidance been given in respect of road opening licences? I am aware that up until recent years mistakes have been made and that, ultimately, the public has borne the cost. This is a matter for local authorities in terms of the operation and granting of licences. At this level, can additional guidance be provided to try to reinforce those points?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister of State and his officials for coming before the committee. I am very supportive of everything that can be done to support the roll-out of broadband. I want to focus on a few of the points that have been brought up. There have been issues over the years with road-opening licences or ducting for cables that are overground where they should not be. We have seen mistakes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister of State.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (13 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 380. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the recent attack on the offices of the organisers of Tbilisi Pride; if the safety and security of LGBTQ+ persons in Georgia has been discussed by the EU Council of Ministers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37574/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (13 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 470. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that child benefit for children over the age of 16 will not be available to some persons from July until September 2021 and that there was no prior warning given about this to parents and guardians; the steps she is taking to address this; and if she will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (13 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 522. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the new €40 million North-South research programme will fund new PhD research projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37575/21]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residential Property Prices Register (13 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 588. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the fact that on the residential property price register website there are a number of properties registered in the wrong areas and thus not reflecting the true property prices in each locality; the steps that the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA) has taken to ensure greater...

Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021: From the Seanad (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: Likewise, I will not be opposing this legislation, although I do have a different view as to what the best approach is. As the Minister is aware and as Deputy Ó Broin has noted, there is a lot of commentary at the moment suggesting we might be heading into a period of significant increases in inflation. We all hope that will not happen but KBC is reported today as saying we are heading...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: I will speak briefly to my amendment No. 32, which is similar to Deputy Fitzmaurice's amendment. It seeks to limit eligibility to purchase affordable homes to intending owner occupiers.

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: I will press the amendment.

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: I welcome that the Minister has given some clarification on that. As we all understand, there is a significant difference in rural and urban areas, and this changes the kinds of interventions that need to be made in some circumstances. We must look at the legislation in front of us. The Minister spoke of some exceptional circumstances and some limited circumstances, and said this would...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: I move amendment No. 6: In page 8, to delete line 4. This amendment is grouped with amendments Nos. 35 and 41 and they would all have the same effect, which is to remove open market dwellings as an option for providing affordable housing. My issue is with the Government potentially buying houses on the open market for the provision of social and affordable homes, thus reducing the...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: Those are the reasons I tabled the amendments.

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: I am speaking to my amendments Nos. 12 and 24 in this group. When it comes to why housing is unaffordable, private developers are at the heart of this. Turning to them to try to deliver affordable housing when they are the ones who are pushing up prices, which we all understand is part of their business model, is a completely flawed approach. Public private partnerships will mean so-called...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: The issue I have with this Bill, as with much of the Government's approach on housing and certain other areas, is that it is based on very good social democratic ideas, which are supported by progressive parties if not taken from them, but those ideas are, in effect, undermined and subverted by trying to put for-profit models onto models that only work because they are successful...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: I support these amendments as well. The role of community-led trusts needs to be supported and if it is not fully incorporated into the Bill, we need to do that. Not only are they to be found in other parts of Europe, they are in Scotland as well. In recent years, the Scottish Land Commission has done significant work on this. It has a good alternative role in providing housing which is...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: I move amendment No. 2: In page 6, to delete lines 28 to 33 and substitute the following: “(3) All proposed regulations to be made under the Act shall be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas for consideration. No regulations shall be made until they are approved by both Houses.”.

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: We absolutely need affordable housing for those on average incomes. This is what is needed. We have reasons to be concerned that this is not what will happen. The Minister and the Government have given us those reasons because there has been talk about price limits for affordable apartments of up to €500,000. There has been talk of cost rental being set at a 25% discount off the...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: It is completely unacceptable that the Government has allocated only three hours for almost 100 amendments to be taken and to use the guillotine in this way. This Bill deserves proper scrutiny, engagement and oversight. It is quite appropriate we are starting with amendments looking for proper scrutiny, accountability and oversight. The key flaw in this Bill is that it leaves much up to...