Results 1-20 of 1,208 for speaker:Mary Fitzpatrick

Seanad: Order of Business (30 May 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I want to start by acknowledging and welcoming the Government’s recognition this week of the State of Palestine. Ireland, along with Spain and Norway, is leading the way in giving recognition to the Palestinian people. I want to commend and thank the Tánaiste, everybody in the Government, the Department of Foreign Affairs and various NGOs, and all who have worked to get us to...

Seanad: Housing Commission Report: Motion (29 May 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That Seanad Éireann:” and substitute the following: “notes that: - the Government established the Housing Commission in 2021 to consider long-term housing policy post-2030 and examine how to build on the policy changes outlined in Housing for All and related Government policies; - the Report of the Housing...

Seanad: Housing Commission Report: Motion (29 May 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: It is 30,000.

Seanad: Housing Commission Report: Motion (29 May 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: At 9.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 May 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: That is correct, Máire Nic Giolla Phádraig anseo. I will start by recalling that this week is the 50th anniversary of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings. The bombings which took place, without any prior notice, in Dublin and Monaghan killed 34 people and injured more than 300 people. The bombings on Parnell Street, Talbot Street and South Leinster Street in Dublin city and in...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 May 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I welcome our distinguished guests. This morning I draw the House's attention to the announcement from the Minister and Minister of State for sport and culture of the opening for applications to the large-scale sports infrastructure fund. It is a great fund and is available for sports organisations to apply for funding for important and vital infrastructure that requires funding above and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the witnesses for being here today and for their submissions on this legislation. I will just clarify something because the discussion of social housing versus homeless emergency accommodation is often conflated and we should not contribute to that confusion. I presume the witnesses all agree that social housing should be long-term, permanent secure homes and that the emergency...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Will Mercy Law comment on the groups referenced by Ms O'Reilly?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: My apologies.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Which of the 27 European member states do not require residency to access social housing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Is that the only one?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: In reality, all of the member states have residency as a requirement to access social housing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Exactly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: We agree that it should be a requirement, there should be criteria and it should be in primary legislation. Moving on from that, I think we all agree that we should decouple social housing from the emergency accommodation situation. The emergency accommodation response should not be dependent on a person qualifying for permanent long-term social housing. I acknowledge that my experience is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank all the officials from the Department. I am not sure if they got to hear the earlier session, but there is broad acceptance and support for primary legislation. There is not any dispute on that. It is recognised that legislation is required and that social housing should be provided on a long-term, permanent basis and that emergency accommodation and shelter must be provided to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I am sorry but the concern is that local authorities, in practice, connect both. They say if you are not on the social housing list, you do not get housing assistance. That is how it works in practice. While I appreciate that the legislation itself may not say that, how can that be addressed? It will have a real practical impact. I do not know if I mentioned it but currently there is not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: My last question was about the data.