Results 6,581-6,600 of 15,009 for speaker:Eoin Ó Broin

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: 293. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if it is correct that a person with permission to remain on the basis of refugee status who wishes to change their name from their maiden name to their married name on their documentation must first change their name on their passport; and if there is any alternative process, given that refugees may feel unsafe making contact...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: I thank the Minister for his opening statement and briefing paper. I have some very specific questions on the Estimates. Perhaps we will take them in turn. Page 5 of the briefing document tells us that the voted capital allocation for housing was €2.46 billion. We know that up to the end of the third quarter, approximately €990 million was spent, leaving €1.46 billion...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: I appreciate that the Minister will not know until the end of the year but I will ask a factual question. Is the Minister confident that he will get as close as possible to spending all of that €1.22 billion?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: I have a question on that which we will deal with separately if the Minister does not mind.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: I appreciate that. I am just asking the questions for the sake of clarity. I am not looking to have a row with the Minister. I will do that on the floor next week. On underspends and carryovers, I appreciate that there is a range of reasons for these. Where there has been an underspend and carryover in previous years, it has obviously meant that certain targets were not met. One of the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: I have another question which I again ask only for clarity. If, for example, the number of new builds last year was several thousand units shy and if the number is 1,000 units shy this year - we will wait and see - is the Minister saying that those lost units will be caught up with by the end of 2025 or 2026 or is he saying that such a shortfall of 1,000 units may hypothetically be met by...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: Will they be rolled into subsequent years up to 2025 and 2026?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: Does that mean that the annual targets within those five years that have been agreed with the Department in the housing delivery action plans could be revised annually such that, if a local authority missed a target in the first or second year, its target would be increased for the third or fourth year? How is that going to work practically?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: That is clear.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: I understand. I was just seeking clarity on what happens with the targets.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: The hope is that targets could be exceeded next year if the Minister gets a clear year.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: I thank the Minister for the clarity. I have four very quick questions, if he does not mind. Are the 700 acquisitions the Minister mentioned in response to Deputy O'Flaherty's question acquisitions or tenant in situacquisitions? I have asked parliamentary questions and the Department has told me officially that it cannot separate out standard acquisitions under the original scheme from...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: I 100% agree.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: When the Minister has it, which I presume will be in the first quarter of next year, it might be useful to make that distinction in any published data on acquisitions.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: That is perfect. I have three final questions. The €70 million for Irish Water obviously arises out of the arrangements for design, build and operate contracts. Was any attempt made to introduce burden sharing or to look at the profits of the private operators? Is the State taking on the full extra cost of the increased utility charges or are the design, build and operate...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: I am specifically asking about the €70 million in the Estimate, which is current expenditure.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: I have two final questions and, again, if the Minister does not have the answers, it would be great if he could share them with the committee later. Obviously, any increase in capital assistance scheme, CAS, funding is welcome. Moving capital from one area to another to avoid a surrender is valuable. It would be good to know where those extra 600 units are and what kind of CAS...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: Does that mean some of it might have planning permission already or-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: If the Minister can share that information with the committee, we would welcome it.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Eoin Ó Broin: I am not looking for information on the level of debt; it is more the location and size of the land.