Results 1,041-1,060 of 2,046 for speaker:Pat Casey

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: The committee has been reviewing Rebuilding Ireland for just short of three years. I want to start with homelessness. I do not need to refer to the famous quote by the former Minister that nobody would be living in a hotel by June 2017, although we are almost two years on from that. However, I want to refer to various quotes from the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. In May 2017, he said:...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: The Minister indicated that 5,100 people exited emergency accommodation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: Some 6,363 adults were homeless at the end of 2018. At the end of 2017, the number was 5,837. That is a difference of 526, which can be added to the 5,100 that the Minister claims have exited homelessness and which have been replaced by another 5,100 who are now homeless. Those are the facts.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: In fairness, the committee has been willing to work with the Minister on several items of legislation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: We have been waiting and the residential tenancies Bill has only just come before us. All of the members of this committee have stated that we will scrap all our Bills to help the Minister get his across the line.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: It is happening very slowly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: Aside from the bond perspective, how many projects have been stalled or stopped completely?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: I am not talking about weather conditions. I am talking about contractual conditions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: Has work on sites stalled or has work ceased on sites because of such issues?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: I am not trying to be particular. The Minister stated that this could happen for many reasons. On how many sites has work stalled?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: I am not referring to the weather.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: Have any projects been stopped for longer than three months?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: None.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: The Minister has no knowledge of sites where the contractor has left.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: Are there similar cases around the country?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: I have two specifics I can give the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: I am asking if there is a trend now-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: I wish to refer to comments made by Deputy O'Dowd, who is now gone. I was not asking the Minister about a specific project. I was trying to ask a general question about a concern I have over the tendering process. When we use the most economically advantageous tender, we are, in fact, looking at the lowest tender in most cases. At a time when housing costs are escalating and there is a...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Pat Casey: I welcome the increase in respect of Traveller accommodation, but the Minister has appeared before us previously regarding the main problem, that being, the lack of local authority spending. Where does the review process stand and how will it move forward within the next year? Will there be significant changes in who takes responsibility for the money's spending, given that local...