Results 9,841-9,860 of 26,864 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of Enfield Community College. I assume he has tabled parliamentary questions regarding it. If he gives me the details following this debate, I will raise the matter directly with the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, and ask her to respond to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy knows, budget 2023 provided a total package of €11 billion, some €4 billion of which were one-off measures that took effect from the final quarter of last year. One of those measures related to a reduction in excise duty. Those matters will be discussed by the Government in the coming weeks in February. A collective decision will be made by the Government and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: This is a very serious and real issue. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, and the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, held a meeting regarding the control of dogs on 9 January. The working group met on 8 February. Two senior officials from my Department are involved in that group. It is a very serious issue for people. We...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Bacik. There is no question but that some of the profits we have seen published recently by energy companies, including Shell and BP, are eye-watering. The Taoiseach responded yesterday and it is a matter that will be discussed at European level also. As a State, we have brought in very targeted measures to help households such as the energy tax credit. There is one further...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. First, that would be a matter for the appropriation accounts. We spent more money and had a bigger budget than we have ever had in housing in 2022. There were some constraints on delivery, which I believe the Deputy might accept, in respect of the supply chain difficulties and some projects are running into this year. We said very publicly that we will...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ------30,000 new homes have been built in this State. The Land Development Agency-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----delivered homes for the first time in 2022.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Canney for his question. The review of the housing adaptation grant is nearing completion and will come to me very shortly. Amendments are required to it and it needs to keep pace with the increased costs we have seen. A review of it has not been carried out in many years. It is a very effective grant and helps many people stay in their homes, where they want to and should...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Pringle for his question and Laura for its preparation. This is a matter which is obviously of great interest to those in secondary school and to those who will be coming up to do the leaving certificate. The Minister, Deputy Foley, and her Department have been actively engaged. We have made quite significant reforms to both the junior certificate cycle and, indeed, the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy McAuliffe. This is a very serious issue for many people. As the Deputy rightly said, public transport use is back to pre-pandemic levels. We want to ensure we are investing in public transport. It is a better way for people to travel. There are issues with recruitment and filling of vacancies, which have been raised. We have also had significant complaints in respect of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy O'Donoghue for the question. The Deputy is very passionate about this issue, and rightly so. There are many towns and villages across the State that do not have sufficient wastewater treatment capacity or even wastewater treatment plants. The Deputy will be aware that last year I announced in addition to the €6 billion capital budget Irish Water has - it has a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I have given the Deputy a number of examples of investment, and not just in Limerick city but also across the county. In Castletroy for example where we have approved-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: It is Limerick City and County Council. The city will drive the region too. We are committed to the county of Limerick as well.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I have given the Deputy a number of real examples of what we are doing there. I have also said that I will be making announcements on the rural towns and villages sewerage scheme before Easter this year. They include schemes in Limerick. These are being assessed right now by the Environmental Protection Agency, by my Department and by Uisce Éireann. This provides additionality that...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I know the hotel. I have been in Monaghan many times over the past number of years. If the Deputy provides the details to us we can certainly look into it for him. I am not sure of the background but I will say that where workers are due pay they should be paid. This is very clear. If threats of layoffs that have been made, the State agencies will get involved to support workers....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: It is €4.5 billion now-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----and we are building social homes.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: With regard to building public homes on public land, we capitalised the Land Development Agency, LDA. We passed the legislation to get that done. We have broken ground on the largest public site in decades at Shanganagh Castle. That is happening but we cannot turn this around in one year. We have made good progress in the first year of Housing for All, however. We intend to build on that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Shanahan for his comments. Specifically in relation to the North Quays project, I had the pleasure of visiting the city of Waterford on a number of occasions. The overall Exchequer commitment to Waterford on that project alone is approximately €170 million. Overall, it is approximately €200 million when the contribution from Waterford City and County Council is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy used the example of the North Quays project. We gave a commitment to Waterford that precedes this Government. The Deputy mentioned how this goes back to the former Minister, Martin Cullen. We have delivered on that, however. The most significant investment in the region is through the urban regeneration and development fund. People can see the colour of our money in that space...