Results 3,801-3,820 of 4,676 for speaker:Dessie Ellis

Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: It seems that the Taoiseach and his Government want to believe their own propaganda, spun through the strategic communications unit. It may come as a surprise to the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach to learn that people view the new unit as nothing more than a vanity project for the Government and its Ministers. We now know that the unit comes at a substantial cost to the taxpayer. Whereas...

Leaders' Questions (22 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: There are more homeless persons.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: As the Tánaiste will be aware, last night there was a major fire in the tower attached to the former Days Hotel, Ballymun. The response from the emergency services, the fire brigade and the gardaí was swift and undoubtedly prevented a major loss of life and serious injury. The response from the staff at the hotel and in the tower in evacuating the building was, equally, truly...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: The Minister tasked the national directorate for fire and emergency management with co-ordinating a high-level task force to carry out the reappraisal.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: In light of the devastating fire in Ballymun, this is now matter of urgency.

Topical Issue Debate: Fire Safety (22 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: Last night I witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of a fire in a high-rise building in Ballymun. I also witnessed the courage of the emergency services, the Dublin Fire Brigade, gardaí and Dublin City Council in responding to the fire. We owe them our deepest gratitude for the courage and fortitude they demonstrated last night. The staff in the building should be thanked for...

Topical Issue Debate: Fire Safety (22 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: The Minister mentioned the task force and its tenth meeting. I refer to not having anything back by April. There is an urgency because he said many buildings were identified where work needed to be done and much of that has not been done. That needs to be addressed and they need to be forced to deal with this. People have lost their homes. How will the Minister help with this? There are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Resettlement Programme (22 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: 96. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the supports available for those with refugee status and that have been approved for family reunification by his Department; the supports assisting those in emergency reception and orientation centres to move to permanent accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13426/18]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Resettlement Programme (22 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: 97. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the statutory and voluntary agencies which are responsible to him for the resettlement of refugees; the practices and procedures in place to resettle such persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13428/18]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment Eligibility (22 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: 294. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if homeless housing assistance payments are available for those with refugee status and that have been approved for family reunification by his Department; the supports available to assist such persons to acquire permanent accommodation under HAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13427/18]

Services for People with Disabilities: Motion [Private Members] (27 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: Tá áthas orm deis a bheith agam labhairt ar an mholadh tábhachtach seo. People with disabilities have to struggle more than most people to have a decent quality of life. Most of what able-bodied people take for granted can be a challenge for people with physical disabilities. In the brief time available to me I will mention some of the challenges people with disabilities...

Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: The issue of a directly elected mayor has been discussed for many years as part of local government reform. When will the Government bring forward legislation to hold a plebiscite on the idea of a directly elected mayor? A plebiscite does not compel the Government to follow its result but would provide a good indication as to whether the public approves a measure. If the public supports...

Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: Has the Government or the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government examined properly the reasons homeless figures continue to soar? The Government's reliance on the private sector to build housing and on the private rented sector is one of the reasons. Non-interference in the private market is a major issue in relation to homeless figures. The unwillingness of the Government to...

Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: The Minister would want to get real.

Affordable Housing: Statements (Resumed) (29 Mar 2018)

Dessie Ellis: It is clear we are in a major housing and homelessness crisis and I do not have to tell the Minister this. Not only are we not delivering social housing on the necessary scale, but we do not even have an affordable housing scheme. For many of us the reasons for this are obvious, but for the Minister and the Government it is an ideological resistance to State involvement in the delivery of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (17 Apr 2018)

Dessie Ellis: 599. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí stationed in Whitehall Garda station at the time of its closure; the number of gardaí stationed in Santry and Ballymun Garda stations at that time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16711/18]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (17 Apr 2018)

Dessie Ellis: 600. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí servicing the area previously covered by Ballymun, Santry and Whitehall Garda stations; if these gardaí are exclusively operating from Ballymun Garda station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16712/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Suicide Prevention (17 Apr 2018)

Dessie Ellis: 1016. To ask the Minister for Health the funding allocated for the provision of applied suicide intervention skills training, ASIST, courses; the number of such courses held to date since January 2018; if the HSE has run ASIST courses since January 2018; if the HSE plans to run ASIST courses in 2018 which are not outsourced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16678/18]

Topical Issue Debate: Light Rail Projects (18 Apr 2018)

Dessie Ellis: Sinn Féin has always supported metro north. It will benefit the environment as it will remove thousands of cars from our streets every week and carry more than 50 million passengers per year. There are major benefits relating to employment, not just during the construction phase, which would provide 4,000 jobs, but afterwards, with the creation of new jobs and businesses all along the...

Topical Issue Debate: Light Rail Projects (18 Apr 2018)

Dessie Ellis: I thank the Minister for his reply. There has been a huge amount of consultation on this project over the years. There were very contentious consultations before the project was scrapped and put on the long finger in 2011 but the current proposal regarding the land of Na Fianna is the most contentious I have seen. It does not make sense. When I met the NTA and other parties at the recent...