Results 141-160 of 1,061 for speaker:Séamus McGrath

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I do not mind using my time for OMCs rather than hopping around to discuss defects and so on, particularly as the opening statement highlights that this is a significant matter. I appreciate that Mr. Montague has provided an estimate, but I understand that comes with a serious health warning in terms of accuracy because it is a guess, as such. Mr. Montague mentioned volunteers. Of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: -----and some OMCs teetering on the brink of insolvency. What is the scale of that problem?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Defects regarding fire safety in apartment blocks constitute one issue but Mr. Montague believes the fact that insufficient provision is being made to sinking funds in these management companies across the country means that structural issues that will arise because of the age of these apartments will be a bigger issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: In many cases, the sinking fund, which is supposed to be there for structural issues and is a long-term fund, is being used for day-to-day expenses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: That is a massive issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank the Deputy. I showed him some latitude because we have time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank Mr. Montague. Did Deputy Cooney want to make any further comment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Okay. We are okay with time for a little while. I am sorry I missed a good share of the debate earlier but I will go back to the defects, the main defect being fire safety, which is obviously very worrying and serious. In the majority of cases, no work has taken place yet. How bad is that situation, in the opinion of the witnesses? Are we at risk of a serious incident happening?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: If all the apartments were built perfectly well and fine during the Celtic tiger years and there were no defect issues, you would still have maintenance fund issues regarding ongoing and regular wear and tear. You have the sinking fund issue and there is the OMC issue. There are issues there separate to the defects, we will say. What is the witnesses' view on international best practice?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: That is absolutely correct. We need to get rid of the fear factor, when purchasing an apartment, of ending up in a quagmire of issues around management companies, fees and neighbours not paying. It was mentioned that when you meet people in the lift who have not paid, and you know they have not paid, it becomes a whole issue on a personal level and so on. Unless we address those issues...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: It has the potential to be a great community-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: -----but because of the issues it can be a very-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: There is great security and a whole range of issues.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: It is about regulation and dispute resolution processes and so on, so that it is not a neighbour fighting it out with another neighbour. There should be a process for independent resolution. It is basic but it is missing, unfortunately.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: The risk that is there is unthinkable. We are not talking thousands, but probably tens of thousands of people who are at risk. You would have to say that this work needs to be done and we could sort out the issues afterwards, it is that urgent. As a committee, we will do what we can to highlight that issue further and push it because people should not be at that kind of risk. It is as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2025: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank everyone for being here. I apologise for missing a share of the meeting. I was speaking on the Housing Finance Agency (Amendment) Bill. On the slurry exemption, could the Minister speak about separation distances from the likes of water supply and watercourses? The separation distance from a public road is 10 m, and I believe it is 100 m from a nearby residential property, other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2025: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: In a slatted unit.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2025: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I understand the position with regard to the animal housing. This is about a stand-alone facility.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2025: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: To the 300 sq. m.