Results 81-100 of 1,041 for speaker:Catherine Ardagh

Teachtaireacht ón Seanad - Message from Seanad (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: Seanad Éireann has passed the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025, without amendment.

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Ciarán Ahern - To discuss teacher allocations and class mergers in St. Kevin's BNS and St. Kevin's GNS in Kilnamanagh, Tallaght, Dublin 24. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue - To discuss anti-social behaviour in the Northwood area of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: 90. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update on plans to abolish the means test for the carer’s allowance, given the strong support for this in the programme for Government; to confirm if it will be included in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32829/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: I know the ground on carer’s allowance has been covered a lot, but the programme for Government contains a commitment to the abolition of the means test for carer's allowance during the Government's term. Will the Minister provide an update on where this now stands, on the work has been done on the costings or preparations and on whether we can expect progress or a first step in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: As the Minister stated, more than 100,000 people are in receipt of carer's allowance. There are 500,000 carers, however, which means that 400,000 people are not getting benefits under the scheme. Will the Minister increase the disregard in the forthcoming budget? The means test hits families who are doing their best, often one-parent families or where a parent is working part time and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: Carers are saving the State billions of euro. The highest figure we have seen for the amount involved is €3 billion. In any event, the savings being made are enormous. People provide care for children with complex needs, older people and family members with serious illnesses. They do so out of love and with very little support from the State. While the increases to income...

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank all the witnesses for coming in today and for answering our questions. I am going to go back over the tenant in situ scheme. I know some of that ground has already been covered. We know that in 2023, there was an underspend of about €255 million generally for local authority housing. We know also that Dublin City Council gets 70% to 75% of the homeless budget and the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: What is the Department's view or advice on the scheme? What advice has it given the Minister on it or what view has it shared with him?

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: Was any research done on it within the Department? Is there a cost-benefit analysis that could be shared with the committee?

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: My colleague Deputy Connolly mentioned the underspend on energy efficiency and retrofitting. We are on the road to a just transition. What were the reasons for the lower than expected number of claims by local authorities in respect of energy efficiency in social housing? Why was the budget not drawn down?

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: Was the target of a B2 rating too high? Were there repercussions if a retrofit was started that then did not meet the rating?

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: I have two more questions. I will address Irish Water first and then fire services. On Uisce Éireann, we hear from across the country, although probably less so in Dublin, that there are difficulties in accessing water treatment plants or water supply, which is delaying house development. While this is quite a broad question, with regard to the Department's role in overseeing Uisce...

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: With regard to fire and emergency services, there was a €9 million overspend in 2023 and associated costs reported in respect of a workplace relations matter. Will Mr. Doyle give us details of that matter?

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: It is just an award.

Public Accounts Committee: 2023 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 2 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Exceptional State Funding of the Peter McVerry Trust
Chapter 12 - Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Local Government Fund - Account 2023 (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: Are any legal costs included in that?

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: 294. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to confirm when the special education needs litigation unit was established within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33483/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: 295. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of staff that work within the special education needs litigation unit of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33484/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: 296. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount spent annually, since 2020, defending legal actions taken on behalf of special needs children and their families, including all costs associated with both internal and external legal fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33485/25]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: 354. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the total number of live animal exports from Ireland to Morocco, Israel, and Singapore, broken down by species and age, including the total duration of travel from farm and date of export, since 1 January 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33255/25]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Assisted Decision-Making (19 Jun 2025)

Catherine Ardagh: 360. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions taken by her or by the Decision Support Service to implement the commitment contained in the Programme for Government to create a solicitors’ portal to simplify enduring power of attorney applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33223/25]