Results 21-40 of 1,073,717 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Neale Richmond OR speaker:Thomas Pringle OR speaker:Rose Conway-Walsh OR speaker:Colm Burke OR speaker:Dara Calleary OR speaker:Danny Healy-Rae OR speaker:Pearse Doherty OR speaker:David Cullinane OR speaker:Dessie Ellis) in 'Committee meetings'

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: Perhaps I could just come back in. This project strikes to the heart of the credibility of the State in relation to how it funds and delivers big projects. There have been acres of coverage on this children's hospital and all of its failures. My focus is on getting the hospital built. I want it built for children. I publicly called on the contractor to do what is right and resource the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: It told us that 16 months ago.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: I held on for a long time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: The Minister does not need to hide behind the chair of the board. People will make up their own minds on his performance. I will leave it there. It was not appropriate to ask the chair essentially to answer a charge that I believe stands up or to cover the Minister's back.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: It was for the Minister to answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: My charge was that the Minister did not meet the contractor over the course of two years, which he did not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: I want to deal with the funding side. I am aware that some of this was dealt with earlier, but I want to circle back on some of the issues that were raised. There is a huge number of outstanding claims. BAM has placed a value of about €800 million or whatever on these. That has been disputed by the Minister, the State and, obviously, the board. Where we have total agreement is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: It is my understanding - the Minister might confirm this - that those claims centred around delays. While the total ask from BAM or the value BAM put on it might have been double what was awarded it was still awarded €108 million. How in God's name was it awarded €108 million if, as the board has stated, the delays were almost entirely or exclusively down to the contractor?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: I am sorry, I asked the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: I know it is, and it can be appealed to the court. The standing conciliator made a recommendation or however you want to put it. The conciliator adjudicated and made a recommendation in the amount of €108 million. The board contested this. I accept all of that. I went through this with the board. It was, however, the decision of the standing conciliator. Is that correct? The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: Ultimately, any of these claims may well end up in the court. It could be the High Court that decides this claim or any others if they are not resolved. Neither the Minister, Ms Ross, Mr. Tierney nor can guarantee what a court is going to do. If the matter goes to court and there is about €800 million in claims involved, it is conceivably possible or probable, given the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: My question is more straightforward. Hypothetically, the matter could go to court and there could be a judgment. We do not know what the amount involved might be. How can the Minister guarantee that it will not go above €2.2 billion? Surely it is impossible to say because it is out of his hands, my hands or anybody else's hands.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: I ask the Minister to hear me out. I am not saying it is the wrong strategy. The Minister and the board have told us not a penny more will be paid. Either BAM walks away from its claim or a deal is done. I asked the board if there was a possibility of a deal and was told it did not see it or it would go to court. Does anybody see the contractor walking away from it? No. The Minister...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: I just want another 20 seconds.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: I am not suggesting the Minister go into every single detail, but cover the headline issues of feet on the ground, the data we have been presented with and rooms not completed. Those certainly should have been front and centre.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: That is what I meant.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: This matter is a very important one for the Department of housing and I thank the Deputy for raising it. It is very important that local authority tenants who are occupying social housing properties and paying weekly rents are living in homes that provide good comfort levels for their occupants. The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, local...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The response identifies something I have already acknowledged-----

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Yes, I know.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: -----in terms of the internal work. We informed residents about this. However, this is tinkering around the edges until the fundamental issue is grasped, and I urge Cork City Council to grasp it. I also believe, however, that one of the obstacles to this is the lack of a clear funding stream for the regeneration of flat complexes. Obviously, general funding is available for maintenance...