Results 61-80 of 939,353 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Duncan Smith)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I will respond to Deputy Durkan and it is a matter for the Leas-Cheann Comhairle if she wants to allow the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, to respond to Deputy Carroll MacNeill. Some Departments are quite adept at spending their capital budget. The Department of Education is very good at delivering school building programmes, extensions and new schools. It has well-developed...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Catherine Connolly: There are set times for the questions. Deputy Carroll MacNeill might come in on another question. It has to be related to the question.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: It is related.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Catherine Connolly: In any case, we are out of time. I call Deputy Boyd Barrett.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (4 Oct 2022)

Public Sector Staff

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 85. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way that he intends to solve the recruitment crisis across the public sector in Dublin given the lack of availability of affordable rents and the high cost of housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48394/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 100. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way that he intends to solve the recruitment crisis across the public sector, particularly in the major urban centres given the lack of availability of affordable rents or house prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48310/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am sure, or I hope, the Minister is aware that we have a major crisis in being able to recruit and retain teachers, nurses, other allied health professionals and people in the mental health area and many other key areas, such as construction and so on. At the back of all of this, as the reports coming out make clear if it was not already clear, is the lack of affordable housing for people,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (4 Oct 2022)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 100 together. The level of employment in Ireland reached more than 2.55 million people in the second quarter of this year, the highest level ever. Increased labour force participation has been a key factor behind the strong employment recovery. Despite some expected softening in the labour market over the next year or so, tight conditions and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank Deputy Connolly for raising this question. The Office of Public Works, OPW, has a significant and diverse office accommodation portfolio distributed throughout the country, comprising 890,488 sq. m at the end of 2021 and including a range of differing types of office provision, from heritage buildings to brand new grade A office accommodation. The issue, which Deputy Connolly has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Catherine Connolly: The Minister of State has acknowledged my earlier interest in this matter as I have followed up on this before because my experience in Galway has been dreadful. The health executive of the time leased a property for almost €1 million per year on a 35-year lease, and in the end it was cheaper to break the lease with a €1 million penalty. I have a particular interest and it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: As I said to the Deputy, on the previous occasion when we discussed this matter, I did not, nor does the Office of Public Works, disagree with her. We agree, in fact, but there are circumstances where we will have urgent needs. For example, if a tribunal is to be established and there is a requirement in the here and now for office accommodation, the OPW will not have the benefit of going...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Catherine Connolly: As the Minister of State may know, I have the greatest respect for the Office Public Works and it does great work. There is a bigger policy decision here for every government as to the type of policy they will adopt in encouraging important entities of the State to rent or purchase. A clear message has been given here that it is cheaper to build in capital terms over a period. Of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy is correct in that this will change even more in the next six, 12, or 18 months where we have a new blended working environment. We will now have situations, which we all have had already through the OPW-led campaign on energy consumption in public buildings, including this very building, where on some days we may have 10% to 15% occupancy. We will need to have very difficult...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: As the Minister of State may know, I also put in, before the summer, a whole series of detailed questions on this area of the OPW’s property portfolio. Since we returned to the House, frankly, I think we need to take a serious look at the management of that portfolio. Another thing to add to this debate is that in one of the answers the Minister of State gave me before the summer...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: I presume the Deputy, as a great proponent of the public service, is not suggesting we would do anything else other than what Deputy Connolly said a while ago and that the Deputy is in fact on our side. I presume from his political and philosophical background that he is a great-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Do not sell Dublin Garda stations-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: -----proponent of the Office Public Works. I will say, however, that in respect of disused Garda stations, the Office Public Works has written, rung and engaged with local authorities throughout the country on umpteen occasions to take these buildings off us. In many cases they are perfectly suitable for either local authority accommodation itself or for housing accommodation. Some of them...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Public Expenditure Policy

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Expenditure Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: 84. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which reform remains a fundamental feature in terms of public expenditure and budgetary management throughout all Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48272/22]