Results 61-80 of 2,599 for speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Cahill for raising this issue. I know that in his term in the Dáil and prior to that as a councillor, he has very much been an advocate for community hospitals in Kerry, in particular the West Kerry Community Hospital. We know how important the community hospitals are. They are fantastic in the level of care and service that their patients and residents get. We need to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Cahill again. There are 46 beds registered in West Kerry Community Hospital, 42 of which are currently open and occupied. West Kerry Community Hospital cannot admit more resident at present, as the opening of additional beds is dependent on staffing levels. West Kerry Community Hospital has experienced some difficulties with staff shortages, but all efforts are being made on...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Stanley. He has highlighted well the challenges they face in Rathdowney fire station. It sounds like they have a fantastic crew and great equipment but they need a new building. The first half of my response will be focused on Stradbally. The Deputy will be wondering why the hell I am focusing on Stradbally, but I will put it in context in the second half of the response,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I outlined Stradbally because it is now earmarked for being delivered in 2025, which very much opens the way now for Rathdowney.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: In December 2024, Laois County Council submitted an updated preliminary appraisal for a proposed new fire station at Rathdowney, noting several issues with the existing station, including, as the Deputy highlighted, the accessibility of the site for responding firefighters due to its central location on a narrow street within Rathdowney, the station's limited size and poor layout and the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Wall for raising this issue. Clearly he is in touch with the community there and is aware of the anguish that this type of move causes, the anxiety not just among the residents and their families but the community too, as people are worried about the future of residents. I wish to assure the Deputy that every effort will be made to ensure that proper care is given and that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I presume when the Deputy says a service provider has visited the site, it is the site of the old centre which St. Vincent de Paul has given notice it is closing. I appreciate that and will get clarification on whether it is something that can happen. I will certainly ask the question. The Deputy also asked whether the Minister might be able to visit the community there. Certainly I can...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Deputy has asked some questions that I will endeavour to get answers to, namely, how long the survey and the process of reconfiguration will take. On the unmet needs in Dublin 8, I assume it does not take into account whether there is a desire to have multidenominational education or under different patronage. We can find that out. The approach is that, if capacity of any type can be...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Cummins. The Deputy's first Topical Issue was extremely well delivered. The Deputy may have answered the question in her own statement but we will get to that later. I appreciate the comments and I will feed back a lot of that. On the provision of multidenominational education, the Government is committed to increasing the provision of education in line with the choices...

Young Carers: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I welcome members of Family Carers Ireland to the Gallery. I am sure there are carers here as well. We really appreciate their attendance here today. I note the Labour Party motion, which sheds light on a very important matter we absolutely must tackle and deal with. I thank the House for the opportunity to speak on this motion and on the important role young carers play in Ireland today....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Ardagh. Tenant in situ acquisitions have been an important measure in the prevention of homelessness since their introduction in 2023. Government has therefore agreed to continue such acquisitions in 2025 and has increased the funding available for second-hand social housing acquisitions from the €60 million allocated under Housing for All to €325 million. This...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Ardagh. In fairness to her, she is one of the many Government backbenchers who have called for both the continuation of the tenant in situ scheme and clarification in respect of it. We are glad to be able to confirm that the tenant in situ scheme will continue this year. It is important to provide clarity for people out there. I absolutely agree with the Deputy on that....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Deputies. Addressing Deputy Ó Murchú on the issue of flexibility, the Minister already mentioned that in the context of any circulars or correspondence to local authorities, there will be a degree of flexibility. It will be certainly up to local authorities to implement the scheme. There is nothing at all wrong with having some form of prioritisation. Most schemes...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Gould for his contribution. As I said, €11,000 is not a limit - more can be put into individual houses - but that is an average. However, it can also be combined with those energy efficiency grants. Much can be done in terms of improving houses with those energy efficiency grants, which, as I said, are upwards of €48,000. If there are problem areas, I know the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I am very familiar with his passion for affordable housing. He was always an advocate for social housing of all sorts and in Cork county in particular, he has been one of the key voices in ramping up the delivery of different affordable housing solutions. There is a project to deliver 60 cost-rental homes in Kilnagleary, Carrigaline, which is very close to the Deputy's home area and is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Before Housing for All, there were no affordable housing schemes. Many of these schemes are in the process of being designed or built, or keys are being handed over for the first time. There is momentum and we expect acceleration in terms of scaling up and the number of affordable housing schemes that will be available. I have to give credit to Cork County Council officials in particular....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Deputy for the question. I know voids and refurbishment are issues he has raised previously. The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure all their tenanted...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I agree that void houses are an issue, not just from an antisocial behaviour point of view. They are low-hanging fruit in terms of getting houses back into the social housing stock, where they are desperately needed. Some local authorities are better than others but, to be fair, a lot of progress has been made. More than 25,000 voids have been returned to the housing stock in recent years,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I know housing delivery in particular is something he is very passionate about and that he has always been dedicated to. As part of the programme for Government, the Government committed to launching a new, comprehensive starter home programme across the public, private and approved housing body, AHB, sector. This promotes home ownership and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Deputy is right. The trends relating to the cost of purchasing properties is concerning but we firmly believe the best way to address that is by delivery. That is why we are committed to delivering 300,000 homes from 2025 to 2030. Since Housing for All started we have delivered 10,000 affordable solutions and that is gathering momentum. Keys for many of the affordable housing schemes...