Results 2,281-2,300 of 4,676 for speaker:Dessie Ellis

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

Dessie Ellis: I wish to press my amendment because I do not accept what the Minister of State has said. As has been outlined by Members here, there are serious issues involved. Deputy Coppinger made reference to non-Irish nationals but the issues are not confined to that cohort of the population. Issues such as eviction and anti-social behaviour are very serious. In many cases, people could be facing...

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

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 2:In page 7, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: "Tenants right to advocacy 7. A tenant in all dealings with a local authority can request the presence of an authorised advocate. This request cannot be refused by the local authority and local authorities should as far as practicable engage constructively with the authorised advocate if requested by the...

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

Dessie Ellis: I support Deputy Thomas P. Broughan's amendment. We all know that different local authorities have different codes on rent arrears. In many cases, the codes depend on the individuals working in their rent sections. Often, people who are added to the list suddenly find themselves facing significant arrears because it is discovered they should have been paying more. We need to address these...

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

Dessie Ellis: I agree with some of the previous speakers. The ability to write off debt varies in local authorities. That is an important area because some people simply cannot afford to pay. Local authorities have added to the problem by allowing arrears to build up. If an authority has allowed arrears to build up, should it not be punished in some way or does the tenant have to pick up on the fact...

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

Dessie Ellis: I support Deputy Thomas P. Broughan in this instance, although even a 21 day period would be a little short. A period of one month would be fairer. Ten working days to react is very short.

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

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 8:In page 16, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: “(12) Where the grounds for a possession application are anti-social behaviour, and in the opinion of the local authority a successful application may increase the chances of a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality of the dwelling to which the tenancy agreement relates in...

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

Dessie Ellis: I support the idea of notifying the Child and Family Agency. I do not see any harm in it. We have all experienced cases in which people were excluded from certain areas, including parks. It is important that community projects, social workers and outreach workers be kept informed in this regard. There are existing rules for informing the relevant authorities. What is being proposed will...

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

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 15:In page 35, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “Reallocation of repossessed dwellings 21.The local authority on successful repossession of a dwelling will as far as is practicable ensure that:(a) any refurbishment works required will be tendered for within 1 month of repossession date, (b) in the case where only minor refurbishment work is...

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

Dessie Ellis: The housing budget has been cut by more than €1 billion since 2008. Even in the past few years, there have been cutbacks. While a stimulus package was announced, the budget was reduced by €60 million this year. The Minister of State has announced measures that will ameliorate this to some extent. She is addressing a number of voids across the country and trying to sort them...

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

Dessie Ellis: I will speak to amendment No. 17, which relates to section 23. I have always believed that if we sell local authority housing to tenants, the purchase money should be ring-fenced for housing. We should not deplete our housing stock. There should be a means of ring-fencing the money for that and for the maintenance of existing local authority housing stock. The money should be targeted on...

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

Dessie Ellis: I see no reason for amendments Nos. 16 and 17 not to be accepted. I do not accept what the Minister of State has said, that this is already provided for in legislation. We all know that any income that comes in to a local authority is taken into account when it comes to local government funding. Often this money is put on the central books and we end up with less money for local government...

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

Dessie Ellis: Let me clarify something before we proceed. If amendment No. 16 falls, according to the Acting Chairman, amendments Nos. 17 and 18 also fall. This is crucial.

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

Dessie Ellis: That is what I mean.

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

Dessie Ellis: The amendments are poles apart.

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

Dessie Ellis: On a point of order, I do not understand the logic. Amendments Nos. 16 and 17 are specifically about local authorities. They do not refer to voluntary housing bodies.

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

Dessie Ellis: The Acting Chairman, Deputy Bernard J. Durkan, stated that if amendment No. 16 was defeated, the other two amendments in the group would fall.

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

Dessie Ellis: Yes.

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

Dessie Ellis: I have no difficulty in pressing amendment No. 17. I am only telling the Leas-Cheann Comhairle what the Acting Chairman said. I will press the amendment.

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

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 17:In page 37, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following:"Replenishing and refurbishment of housing stock 23. All proceeds from the sale of local authority housing stock must be ring fenced by the Local Authority concerned for use in the replacement of said units or, in the case where demand is not present, for the maintenance of existing local authority housing...

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

Dessie Ellis: Who is on the list?