Results 15,041-15,060 of 16,492 for speaker:Ciarán Lynch

Local Authority Levies. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: As the Minister said in his reply, the circular relates to the criteria set out by the Maastricht Treaty regarding borrowing being limited to 3% of gross domestic product. Section 3.1 of circular letter FIN 03/2009 states that it is most important that expenditure is funded by income received or due within the year. The environment committee held a meeting yesterday which was attended by...

Local Authority Levies. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: Following the Minister's response this afternoon, I suggest that he clarify this to the city and county managers because their position at the committee meeting yesterday contradicts the Minister's interpretation. Had the Minister been able to answer my parliamentary question last September he might not have been required to take such a sweeping action because he would have known what money...

Local Authority Levies. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: -----because the Minister has not provided me with the figures even though I have been asking for them since 2008 - is in excess of the €200 million.

Local Authority Levies. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: Is the Minister saying that if Cork City Council or Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has development levies held on account, and waiting to be spent on vital projects in local communities, the money can be spent tomorrow morning?

Local Authority Levies. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: If the Minister-----

Local Authority Levies. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: This is a huge issue.

Local Authority Levies. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: With the indulgence of Deputy Hogan and others, this is a huge issue.

Local Authority Levies. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: The Minister must be very clear on this. He should check the record of the committee meeting yesterday. The county and city managers are on record as having an entirely different interpretation, which is in section 3.1 of a letter sent to them by the Minister. The Minister's words are in black and white and state that they cannot spend this money. The Minister is saying this afternoon...

Housing Grants. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: As I understand it, there have been two purchasers under the scheme. Is that correct?

Housing Grants. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: I was not too sure. I could not believe my ears when I heard it. There have been no purchasers. The State has spent approximately €300,000, there are four local authorities involved in the scheme and there is no purchaser. What is going on here? At best, when this scheme was introduced the Minister of State could have been accused, if not of bailing out developers, of at least putting...

Housing Grants. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: The figures in terms of this scheme involve four local authorities, expenditure in excess of €0.25 million, 1,000 people expressing an interest, 33 of whom wanted to have another look and two who decided that they might go for approval. A marketing firm would not market a product on the basis of those figures? What are we talking about here? One thousandth of those who come across the...

Social and Affordable Housing. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: By the end of the year, there may be in excess of 4,000 affordable housing units lying vacant. I agree that the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008, to be debated tomorrow, includes several positive incentives in regard to the purchasing of homes under various social housing streams. However, how does the Minister of State intend to rectify the situation whereby the affordable...

Social and Affordable Housing. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: I would like to ask one further question.

Social and Affordable Housing. (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: With the Minister of State's indulgence, I will ask one final question. I read the circular issued to the local authorities by the Department and reducing prices was not among the options it set out. May I assume from the Minister of State's statement that a further circular has been issued in the meantime advising local authorities that they may reduce the prices of affordable housing...

Order of Business (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: Last Thursday on the Order of Business I raised the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008 and the time that would be allocated to it in the House this week. At that stage the draft schedule for this week's business was in place and the Bill was due to be debated this evening and tomorrow. However, the final schedule allocates four hours for debate before the guillotine comes down....

Order of Business (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: This Bill has being doing the rounds of the Houses for more than a year. Significant provisions have been inserted into it in the last week or two, so four hours for debate is not sufficient given the intent of the Bill and the direction it will give to the housing sector in future years. Does the Government intend to bring legislation forward to deal with the protection of deposits paid by...

Order of Business (24 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: There is a major difficulty here, a Cheann Comhairle. If people who intend to purchase a house do not believe their deposit is protected, why would they opt to buy a house after this?

Written Answers — Sail Training Programme: Sail Training Programme (23 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: Question 44: To ask the Minister for Defence the position in regard to the refurbishment programme for the [i]Creidne[/i]; when it will be available for training purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24696/09]

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (23 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: Question 58: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of civilian employees working for his Department or the Defence Forces under short term contracts; the number of such contracts which will expire by the end of 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24697/09]

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (23 Jun 2009)

Ciarán Lynch: Question 172: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a person (details supplied) who was referred by their General Practitioner to the Cork University Hospital Neurology Department in March 2008 will be granted an appointment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24423/09]