Results 41-60 of 549 for speaker:Grace Boland

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: It is great to see that progress. I know we had hoped to have it a bit earlier in 2026 but Mr. Creegan of the NTA pointed out that the European licensing etc. would take six months. I hope we will see the roll-out in quarter 4 of 2026 which would really help with the frequency on the northern commuter line. As the Minister knows, the population has greatly increased not only in Fingal but...

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: That is very welcome. I presume the lifts to allow people to transfer platforms will be upgraded. As the mother of twins, I know the train service was essentially unavailable to me while my girls were still in a buggy because the lift was so frequently out of service. It just meant that public transport was not available for someone in a wheelchair or someone like me with a double buggy....

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: That is very welcome news. I thank the Minister and I appreciate the focus on it. The Minister mentioned the maintenance of the 90-minute €2 fare for 2025. Will we see that maintained? Do we hope to get funding for that in 2026? As I live in Skerries, that inevitably leads me to the question as to whether that can be expanded to all towns in Dublin. The Minister will be aware...

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: Given it is such a big project, I assume that the NTA or whoever will be managing it on behalf of the Sate will have the proper resources with the capabilities to deliver this. We have seen other IT projects where people did not have the right capabilities within their organisations and they went very badly wrong. It would be good-----

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: I thank the Minister. I appreciate that.

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: I am a huge supporter of public transport. I was very encouraged by the decrease in fares further up the northern line because the fares were too high. The NTA sold that on the basis that it would be simpler and more consistent on a distance-based system. Someone travelling from Skerries to Balbriggan is paying the same as someone travelling from Balbriggan to Pearse station in Dublin....

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: I appreciate that. Conscious that technology moves on so quickly, is this still the right thing to do? Some €165 million is a huge investment. Is the technology we are planning to roll out still up-to-date and fit for purpose or should we be looking at something that might be quicker and cheaper?

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (25 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: 82. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline all schools in the Swords area, as of June 2025, that will be providing special classes for the 2025/2026 school year; the number of classes that will be provided by each respective school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34719/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (25 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: 83. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she is taking to address teacher shortages in schools in north County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34720/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (24 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: 121. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the progress made by his Department at tackling anti-social behaviour and improving safety on public transport services for both users and employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33992/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (24 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: 152. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the measures being taken by his Department and relevant State agencies to improve the recruitment of public transport staff, particularly drivers, which is necessary to enable an increase in service capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33993/25]

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: I thank the witnesses for attending and for providing the Department's opening statement although it would have been better if we had received it a bit earlier. I received it late yesterday. It was my understanding that the Department was asked to submit it by last Friday. Is there a good reason we did not receive it?

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: We should make it clear to all witnesses, particularly Departments, that is the standard because it was very late to receive it. The crisis in the Peter McVerry Trust did not arise overnight. This has really exposed a failure of oversight as much as a failure of governance. When millions of euros of public money are involved, we need real-time financial checks, independent audits and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: I have heard Mr. Doyle blame the Charities Regulator-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: I have heard him blame the AHB regulator.

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: Perhaps Mr. Doyle would tell me what he is taking responsibility for. Can he give me confidence that those issues have been addressed?

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: That was certainly my take-away from Mr. Doyle's earlier comments. Can he give confirmation that there are not similar issues in the other AHBs, six large and over 20 in total, that the Department is actively funding at the moment?

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: The Department needs to ensure that early-warning signs, and there would have been some in this case, are being reacted to more quickly and are being addressed. I do not feel that happened in this case. Is Mr. Doyle confident that the measures the Department has taken and the steps that have been put in place will highlight early-warning signs?

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: As Mr. Doyle acknowledged, the AHB regulator is in its infancy.

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Grace Boland: Does it have the support and funding it needs to ensure that public money is being spent wisely and effectively, and we are doing everything we can to mitigate issues such as this arising again?