I also welcome all the students from Inver College. Hopefully they will be inspired by politics and what they see today. Robust exchanges are always important in the political system. I appreciate what the Deputy has raised. I will provide clarity for her. The legislation she referenced was the general scheme of the conclusion of the IBRC special liquidation and dissolution of NAMA Bill 2024, which was published in July last year. The Deputy referenced pre-legislative scrutiny that was ongoing at the joint committee between its members and officials from the Department of Finance. It contained standard statutory provisions modelled on other similar legislation to ensure that when operations of one state entity are transferred to another, the employment rights of staff are preserved. This was included in the general scheme in case it was required, which is specified in this to apply to the transfer of a small number of staff from NAMA to a resolution unit in the NTMA to be established to manage any residual activity following the dissolution of NAMA. No decision has been made, as the Minister for Finance said yesterday, about who these individuals might be and discussions are ongoing with the NTMA. It is clear that the resolution unit will be much smaller in scale than NAMA was and, as such, it is not expected that the unit will require the transfer of the CEO role as it is currently constituted. Where staff who are not going to be in the resolution unit and who are not already made redundant by NAMA prior to the dissolution date are concerned, it is a matter for the NTMA as their particular employer. The general scheme sets out clearly that this provision is not complete, that discussions are "ongoing with the NTMA and it may be the case that no provision is needed in this Bill to facilitate staff transfers". The Government has not yet published the final legislation on this matter. On the Deputy’s question on the housing activation office, it will be a really important office when it comes to addressing the barriers and constraints that exist at local level, for example. Yes, the nominated individual to whom she referred is not proceeding with that role. As such, the Minister for housing, Deputy Browne will come back to the Government about who it might be and what the appropriate expertise will involve in the context of the establishment of that office. It will be an important office to address some of the constraints and barriers at local level. We should all take that cross-party approach to addressing the constraints that impede the supply of housing at a local level. This is a proactive response from the Minister for housing to address the barriers and difficulties in some local authorities to try to synchronise and co-ordinate the delivery of local infrastructure. The strategic housing office will work and co-ordinate with the infrastructure division that I have established in my own Department so that we really accelerate and step up the ability to deliver infrastructure and housing supply across our economy. The purpose of having an individual leading that is that we have someone with the appropriate level of expertise and leadership to really drive change and accelerate delivery in this area. The appointment of a head of office with an in-depth understanding will be critical to having the impact the office needs to have. In the interim, staff will be deployed from the Department of housing to step up the office. It will also involve seconding individuals from across the commercial State sector to accelerate delivery in the provision of infrastructure. I have clarified the matter relating to the legislation. It was a general scheme. The legislation has yet to be published on that matter, and it may not require that provision as the NTMA works through the relative conditions with respect to people that exist in NAMA. We are stepping up the housing activation office and it will make a difference in the provision of housing supply, and we should all support that.
Sentiment score: 0.19
I completely reject what the Deputy said. She asked me a question relating to the legislation and I gave her an answer that reflects the factual position in a general scheme that was presented. The draft general scheme states very clearly that discussions are ongoing with the NTMA and it may be the case that no provision is needed in this Bill to facilitate staff transfers. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, yesterday set out very clearly that the resolution unit would not require a CEO. It is going to be a much smaller unit, managing the remaining assets that exist within the NTMA and in that particular unit. That is why the NTMA, as an employer, for staff who are not already made redundant after the dissolution, will engage with the respective staff relating to their future contractual position within the agency. That is a contractual matter, as the Deputy will respect, between the employer and the respective employee. I do not think it appropriate that the Deputy is raising a particular contractual matter of a particular employee----
Sentiment score: 0.22
----in the context of an ongoing engagement in respect of an employee in the NTMA. That particular provision may not be required as they conclude resolution of NAMA.
Sentiment score: 0.36
Everyone across this House acknowledges that the State has to play a central role in the future of infrastructure delivery and the provision of housing in our economy. That has been acknowledged in the context of what we are going to do and how we will strategically invest more than €20 billion from the Apple escrow fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund to prioritise housing, energy, water and transport infrastructure. They are all critical growth-enabling areas in which we need to invest to protect and progress Ireland’s future. Deputy Bacik is critical of the housing activation office and what the Minister, Deputy Browne, has sought to do. In the interim, staff are being deployed from the Department of housing into that office, as well as respective experts from utilities being seconded, to try to address some of the blockages that exist at a local level. I am also stepping up an infrastructure division in the Department of public expenditure to respond to the absolute need to accelerate infrastructure delivery across our economy. In parallel with that, we are developing a programme of reform to try to address and narrow a lot of the timelines, which are too long and elongated in delivering housing and infrastructure across our State. It is all about trying to synchronise delivery between water, energy, utility providers and the respective delivery agents that need to deliver more across our economy. When it comes to the Deputy’s question with respect to Irish Water, as I set out on budget day, a €1 billion equity investment was provided for in budget 2025 following the sale of the bank shares. This was in addition to the voted Exchequer allocation provided as part of the funding mix. The Deputy referenced the correspondence from the chair of Irish Water, who is an excellent chair and also the chair of Dublin Port. He reflected the need for clarity and expressed concerns that were responded to at the time by the Minister for housing. In further correspondence from the chair, he acknowledged the appreciation of the Uisce Éireann executive and board for the commitment of the Department, the Minister at the time and the Government. He indicated the support and responsiveness of the Department had been genuinely helpful and he appreciated the time and attention given to clarifying the funding available for Uisce Éireann for 2025 and the use allocation of the additional €1 billion capital investment. A few days after the correspondence the Deputy referenced, therefore, the Minister clarified the matter. That was acknowledged by the chair of Irish Water at the time. I acknowledge the need, however, particularly in the context of water infrastructure, for additionality to accelerate the delivery of additional wastewater treatment and to provide for additional connections for new homes. That is why we have been clear that water investment will be central to the allocation that will be received in the national development plan in July and why it is a strategic area of priority for the Government. Irish Water has the multi-annual funding to accelerate delivery where there is a significant deficit across the State.
Sentiment score: 0.28
The housing activation office will be there to better coordinate delivery in terms of the provision and supply of homes at a local level. The Minister will set out further details around that-----
Sentiment score: 0.22
He is working through the details. He is stepping up the office itself and will provide leadership when it comes to the actual person who may be appointed in time around that particular office. It is to co-ordinate delivery in the provision of an increased supply of homes across our economy. We acknowledge that there is an infrastructure deficit and that there is a need for additionality across water, energy, transport and housing. That is why we are taking a strategic approach, having an early review of the national development plan and prioritising key areas in those four sectors I have referenced, all with the central focus of increasing the supply of homes across our economy. We have historic increases in the provision of direct support for social and affordable housing. A significant proportion of the homes delivered last year were through the direct contribution of the State. The Deputy will see, through the national development plan, a serious uplift in the context of those four areas that will support infrastructure delivery to increase the supply of homes.
Sentiment score: 0.16
Based on what you say, a Cheann Comhairle, I am not going to respond to the specific query Deputy Coppinger raises relating to the article in The Ditch. It is a matter for the individual to respond. I do not have the factual position on that case and I do not think it would be appropriate to make any assertions or allegations connected to it. We must respect the ruling of the House. The named individual the Deputy references is not here to defend himself. The new housing activation office the Deputy continues to criticise is being established by the Minister, Deputy Browne, to ensure we bring that radical step to the delivery of homes across our economy. Deputy Coppinger references the example of Fingal County Council, which can be a central local authority for the increased provision of social and affordable homes, but to deliver at scale, we need to ensure co-ordination across the respective utilities - in water, the ESB, and the local authorities themselves - to have the enabling infrastructure to deliver homes at scale. What the Minister, Deputy Browne, is seeking to do is to have a structure within the Department of housing, which brings co-ordination to strategic sites that can deliver homes at scale. That is what he is doing in the context of the strategic housing activation office that he is establishing. In response to Deputy Coppinger's question on funding, we have seen record levels of funding by this Government, with more than €6 billion of capital investment planned for 2025. We know we have to do more, not only specifically for voted allocation for housing itself, but also to the respective utilities that have been raised here today. That is why enabling the infrastructural agencies such as Irish Water, and the respective needs in terms of the grid infrastructure, will be central to increasing the supply of homes. For that reason, in the review of the national development plan, we have identified the strategic priorities that will receive much greater additionality as part of the multi-annual programme we will agree. Housing, energy, water and transport are all central to that. We will not have a national development plan like we have had in previous iterations where there was a general disbursal across government. This is about prioritising clear areas to focus on the supply of homes, so that we support local authorities with strategic land banks, such as Fingal County Council that Deputy Coppinger referenced, to enable the delivery of additional homes. There are probably ten or 11 other local authorities that have the ability to deliver homes at scale. That is why the strategic housing activation office will play a clear role, working with the respective utility companies to try to accelerate the delivery of more homes, including social and affordable homes, complemented by additionality that we will bring in the context of the NDP review. That is what this Government is seeking to do. It is what the Minister, Deputy Browne, is seeking to do through the establishment of the strategic housing activation office. It is all to deliver more homes and more social and affordable homes for families across the country.
Sentiment score: 0.25
Of course the Minister for housing will be taking responsibility for the wider delivery of social and affordable homes across the economy. If there is an engagement or a meeting, it is important to have a structure in the Department of housing to ensure there is follow through, to ensure there are no delays and to ensure the respective utilities are actually following through on the plans the Government would seek to fund. In identifying strategic land banks, like the one the Deputy referenced in Fingal County Council and those in other local authorities, we need to try to force co-ordination by the respective utility companies and local authorities to increase the provision of social and affordable homes. If the Deputy engages with anyone who is developing housing or is trying to increase the provision and supply of housing across our economy, whether it is an approved housing body or indeed in the private sector, they will all tell her that there are co-ordination issues-----
Sentiment score: 0.60
-----which need to be managed very carefully and actively. Having a structure in government to do that and to force that will help to yield greater housing supply which people should welcome. It would be much better for the Deputy to provide constructive input into actually supporting that office with the Minister for housing. It would make a big difference.
Sentiment score: 0.51
The matters the Deputy has raised are very serious and need to be properly and thoroughly followed through by the HSE. There are references there to conflicts of interest and value-for-money concerns, which are extremely concerning. Under initiatives to reduce waiting lists, the HSE can outsource to private hospitals under the surgical services framework and the private provider framework. The HSE looks internally within and across hospital sites to deliver insourcing pathways. As part of the waiting list action plan, there is a focus on deploying additional weekend, evening and out-of-hours activity to reduce overall waiting lists. I understand that at the request of the Minister for Health, the CEO of the HSE has initiated a detailed survey of all insourcing activity in the HSE which will be assigned by finance, internal audit, HR and access integration functions. The CEO has also issued an instruction that all insourcing where existing staff are hired, engaged or paid by a separate entity to work on initiatives in their own place or type of work must now be paused. Only insourcing where the HSE directly engages its staff through payroll can continue until this survey has been completed. The ultimate aim of the work is to move beyond the dependence the Deputy referenced on insourcing or outsourcing in favour of planned and stabilised rostering of all staff. An internal audit referenced by the Deputy on insourcing in UHL found that consultants carried out insourcing in the hospital. The audit found that consultants set up private companies and referred patients to their own companies, and that tender processes were not appropriately followed. The CEO of the HSE has instigated a review of insourcing across the HSE, as I said, not just because of the audit i have mentioned but also due to broader concerns about how it operates and value for money considerations. On the instruction to pause work where existing staff are hired or engaged by a separate entity to work on initiatives in their own place, it is examining all arrangements and contractual agreements in an effort to pause this work as quickly as possible. I appreciate, having been made aware of this issue, that it is serious. If appropriate procedures have not been followed, there has to be full follow through from the HSE. All dimensions of the respective financial frameworks regarding insourcing and outsourcing should be followed by anyone working in the HSE. I have tried to provide some clarity on the matter today.
Sentiment score: 0.19
One of the main areas of focus for the new Minister for Health has been the need to address work time during the evenings and over weekends. The Minister has been proactive in managing that over the past number of weeks, in particular, to ensure we have a greater presence of senior consultants and others across the hospital system in order to try to accelerate discharge and provide senior oversight in the clinical environment over the weekend period. We are seeing the positive outworking of that in the ongoing management and work between the Minister for Health and the HSE. With regard to the pay and numbers strategy, a significant increase in the health budget was agreed last July between the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and the then Minister, Stephen Donnelly, which gave multiannual two-year certainty to the HSE to manage its overall pay and numbers in the context of a two-year framework. That was welcomed at the time by the HSE and the hospitals within it, in particular tertiary hospitals and others, so that they could accelerate recruitment over that window of time. That has provided a benefit to the HSE in terms of managing increased clinical workload.
Sentiment score: 0.50