Results 23,181-23,200 of 26,272 for speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I will try not to repeat myself. The HAP is at the centre of this legislation and although the coming into being of the payment is entirely positive, the idea that once a person gets the payment, he or she is taken off a housing waiting list is entirely negative. Does the Minister of State accept that her officials contacted Kildare County Council to indicate that everybody involved with...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Why not put that into the Bill?

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I support the principle of the amendment which proposes a review of the implementation of various sets of proposals. Everything that has been said to date indicates that there is a need to be able to review the position to see that it is working effectively because of the consequences for individuals and families if the proposals in the Bill do not have the desired effect the Minister set...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: If legislation is to have any relevance, it should at least attempt to set out the minimum best practice. That is what Deputy Ellis has done with his amendment, which provides for not less than three refusals. The Minister of State has accepted that circumstances arise in which certain local authorities are giving less than three options. What is wrong with amending the legislation to...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The point about rent control is very interesting. If we were to move to the continental model whereby so many people live indefinitely in rented accommodation, we could only make that move if we had a situation in which there was some form of effective rent control. I wonder if the Minister of State has had any engagement with the Minister for Finance on that particular matter because I can...

Order of Business (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: No doubt yesterday’s flying visit by the Taoiseach to Lebanon was appreciated.

Order of Business (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Where stands the defence (amendment) (discipline) Bill 2013 that has been promised for some time? To follow up on points raised by my party leader, Deputy Martin, in respect of the Government’s announcement today about discretionary medical cards, does the Taoiseach envisage any legislation on medical cards being brought before the House in the near future?

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Notwithstanding the validity of several of the points that have been made by previous speakers, I think it is the case – the Minister of State can correct me if I am wrong – that some employers, for example, can agree with local authorities to facilitate deductions at source where tenants, for whatever reason, feel it would be useful to them. In terms of social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 211. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the post office in Drogheda, County Louth, is being used as a general reference point for all schools in the town when, under the school transport scheme, Bus Éireann measures the distance persons in the Drogheda and east Meath area live from their local schools; if so, the reasoning behind this decision; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Reviews (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 615. To ask the Minister for Health if discretionary medical cards will be immediately returned to a family (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25258/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Reviews (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 675. To ask the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be immediately returned to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25664/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 634. To ask the Minister for Health if he will arrange for an urgent surgical procedure to be provided for a child (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25359/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (17 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 682. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive has ceased to allow community access to a building in its ownership, including the use of the building as a day-care centre and for day care services for Alzheimer's patients; his views on whether the closure of this facility was undertaken without adequate notice; if he considers that the renovations of the building...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (12 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 158. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of single farm payments which are being paid to companies or other entities on the foot of court orders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24997/14]

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I thank the Deputy. While we support many aspects of the Bill and love the Minister of State for introducing them, I am appalled to find a provision that effectively excludes people who are in receipt of the housing assistance payment, HAP, from local authority housing waiting lists. The HAP is a positive development and the Minister of State is to be commended for integrating...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The Minister of State has not responded to it.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: We are in the business of enacting legislation.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: As everyone has said and the Minister of State has conceded, there are two amendments before us that relate to local authorities and a third amendment that relates to voluntary housing associations which is completely different.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: It is not.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: We do not dispute they are the owners of the property. What we are saying is that the legislation, as it is structured, prevents them from selling, even if they want to sell, but let the Minister of State correct me if I am wrong. Will she change the legislation so that if they are willing to sell and if the local authority in the area is of the view they should sell, this will be possible?...