Results 1,361-1,380 of 3,119 for speaker:James O'Connor

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: I raise the DEIS scheme which, as the Minister will know, is of huge importance to constituents in my area, particularly in Youghal. We have taken in a very substantial number of Ukrainian refugees, almost 1,000 in the town. There was already significant social need in that area. Is the Government looking at expanding the DEIS scheme further? Youghal very much needs supports for our three...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: As the Minister is aware, Youghal is a town very close to my heart. It is where I grew up. It is a town I feel has been dealt an extremely poor hand by the Government, with the loss of more than 70% of our tourism accommodation permanently because of the sale of the Quality Hotel in Redbarn for use as an emergency accommodation centre. While this is something the local community has...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: I welcome all of the officials. It is important that we get a sense of what is going on. My first question relates to Mr. Doyle's pay increase. I am aware that this question was asked by one of my colleagues earlier, but I want to ask Mr. Doyle if he sought that pay increase or did somebody come to him offering it.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: What does Mr. Doyle currently get paid?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: What is that?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: Does Mr. Doyle think it is appropriate to seek a pay increase on that figure?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: That is approximately two and half times what a Deputy gets paid. It is a significant wage. I just want to get to the bottom of how that conversation started. This is the second Department in respect of which this issue has emerged. We, as elected representatives, need to get a sense of what on earth is going on. I will ask the question again. Did Mr. Doyle seek that pay increase?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: So somebody came to Mr. Doyle to raise that-----

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: I just need to make the point that if somebody enters the public service or public life, it is a career where we have enormous influence, where we get to work on issues that matter to people and where we can effect change. I do have a problem, however, when people working in the system are on salaries of such scale, particularly in light of the housing crisis. This is the reason I want to...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: If Mr. Doyle was to translate that underspend into the number of units that could be delivered, is there an approximate figure?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: Is the Department on track for 2023 so far?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: Obviously, during that year there were significant challenges in the context of the pandemic. Being honest, I do not believe any of us should dismiss that. There was a lot of frustration around restrictions impacting building sites. While hindsight is 20:20 vision, in getting a sense during that year of when the Department was going to be able to identify the under supply and the...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: I will stop Mr. Doyle there because we have limited time. On the delivery of housing, I want to make one point. I hear this time and time again from young people, particularly those working in places like Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway, where these problems are most acute because there is such high demand on rental accommodation in these high-density urban areas. If someone is looking...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: The challenge, and the point I am trying to make to Mr. Doyle, is that the first home scheme is great if you are down the country, in Kildare, or in a lot of rural constituencies where there are houses being built that are eligible for it. My own constituency is one of them where there will be a significant number of houses delivered. What I would say is that in urban areas like Dublin and...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: With all due respect to Mr. Doyle, there are no sites. One could count on one hand the Croí Cónaithe eligible sites in Dublin city centre. There are none between the canals. There are very few.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: This is where we need the population density because it has the infrastructure.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: 19. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a new building (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26375/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Pharmacy Services (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: 31. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the national ePrescribing system to reduce the administrative burden currently faced by community pharmacists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26674/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Jun 2023)

James O'Connor: 124. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the three new farming apprenticeships launched in September 2022; the uptake of places on these apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26677/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 May 2023)

James O'Connor: 280. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide additional early intervention classes in pre-schools (details supplied) due to increased demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25881/23]