Results 161-180 of 25,177 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I would be speaking in the abstract and I do not wish to do so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: The one thing we have to do is provide a framework. The implementation plan now provides a framework of 170 actions. Every quarter, each local authority is required to report on actions they have implemented. We will follow up on the action the Senator is taking in terms of care. If targets, actions and timeframes are not set, it is very difficult to measure it. It is all about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Deputy. As always, he gets to the heart of the matter. I will address the three issues he raised. We are very conscious in the review to ensure people who have a disability or a need are catered for in the household. We take the point being made about looking at the people themselves. Second, we have looked at the costs involved in construction. We have a review completed and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: We take the points on board in sharing that the local authorities give 20% at the moment. We provide 80%. We are conscious of that. These are all matters we are keeping under consideration.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: We are fully aware of them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Deputy will appreciate, as a former Minister of State, that these discussions are sensitive. However, we are fully aware of the points he is making.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: First, under the existing scheme local authorities are asked to prioritise people coming home from hospital. The Deputy is probably aware of that. Second, we looked at this as part of a qualitative and quantitative review. The quantitative is funding and the qualitative is the scheme's operation. The schemes that work well are those that are more straightforward. It is something we want...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Will the Deputy let me know a bit more about that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Deputy raised a number of points. I will deal with them, but not quite in order. I turn first to disability proofing. We do it in practice but we are developing a defined policy in the Department to put it on a firm footing. We do it but it is something we are looking to ensure is there in writing. The work of the steering committees has been acknowledged and certainly the steering...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Yes, absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Were they in private accommodation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Were the parents in rented accommodation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: This person came to live with the parents.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Who did you apply to the local authority for?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: For whom?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Why were they turned down?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: When the Chair inquired, was that a specific housing policy of the local authority concerned?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Cathaoirleach might allow us to follow up. The person has a need, is of a more mature age, 40 years, and a decision has been taken on the basis that because that person was not paying rent, he or she could not be deemed to have shown an application for independent living.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: That goes back to Senator Clonan's point. The local authority's decision should be based on the need of the person for housing. If supports are required, the local authority should follow with that. Will the Chair forward the details to us? We will follow up on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Mar 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Sorry, I did not address that. My apologies.