Results 461-480 of 764 for speaker:Kathryn Reilly

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (26 Jun 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I welcome the Minister. I wish to refer to a number of issues during my contribution. One issue I wish to raise is An Post. I also wish to refer to the habitual residence condition. Given the Minister’s presence, I could not miss the opportunity to briefly mention the Youth Guarantee. We are already half way through the year and the Department’s PRSI yield is more than...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (1 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. In my contribution on this issue, I will mention the wider problem of homelessness. A couple of weeks ago, someone came to speak at our party's meeting. One point made was that some of the exits from homelessness were closing, as there was not enough social housing and there were issues with high rents and a lack of availability in the private...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following:“ “authorised advocate” means an elected public representative, social worker, medical or legal professional or a representative of a tenants or housing rights body recognised by the local authority;”.These amendments seek to put in place a system whereby local authority tenants will...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: The Minister of State said she would consider issuing guidance. I will not press the amendments and will consider resubmitting them on Report Stage. It would be very helpful if the Minister of State gave the House firmer guarantees on any guidance she would issue to local authorities.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I move amendment No. 3: In page 8, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following:"(iii) the tenancy supports that are available to the tenant from the local authority and other agencies,".A tenancy warning issued should provide information to a tenant and household on support available which could be utilised to avoid a continuing problem. It is very much in keeping with the reason for a...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I move amendment No. 4: In page 11, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following:"9.The Minister may by regulations prepare a code of conduct on the management of rent arrears by housing authorities.".Some local authorities are very good at dealing with rent arrears and work well with tenants to resolve issues fairly and avoid undue hardship and stress. Unfortunately other authorities are...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I will withdraw the amendment and perhaps resubmit it on Report Stage. I wish to examine the legislation referenced by the Minister of State during the course of her response and examine the code.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I move amendment No. 5: In page 11, to delete lines 19 to 22 and substitute the following:"(c) indicate that, if the breach continues during, or is repeated within, 12 months of the tenancy warning coming into effect, then the authority may either—(i) apply under section 12to recover possession of the dwelling, or (ii) where appropriate, apply to the District Court (under section 3 of...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I move amendment No. 6: In page 28, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following: “(c) at the time of making its application for an excluding order, or as soon as possible thereafter, a housing authority shall notify the Child and Family Agency of the nature of the application concerned.”,”.As they are grouped I will discuss the three amendments. Acceptance of...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: In terms of the consultation with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, does the Minister of State have a timeline for lining up the provisions?

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: Based on what the Minister of State said, I will not press the amendment.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I move amendment No. 9: In page 35, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following:“(3) For the purposes of this section, regulations made under section 3 must—(a) only include new revisions directly associated with the revised procedure for repossessing of local authority dwellings, and (b) not provide less favourable terms than the current agreement with the tenant in any...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I move amendment No. 10: 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...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I will press the amendment for the reasons the Minister of State outlined. The previous speaker mentioned some of what I was going to say. The Minister of State mentioned the carrot versus stick approach. It is important that we have a little more of a stick approach. As mentioned earlier, a model is imposed on local authorities with which I concur. I would encourage a more proactive...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I move amendment No. 11: 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...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: Based on what the Minister of State has said, I will not press it but reserve the right to resubmit it on Report Stage.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I move amendment No. 12: In page 40, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following:"(5) Where a tenant has carried out material improvement works to their dwelling or extended it at their own expense, the value of these improvements will be deducted from the sale price to the tenant.".What this amendment seeks to achieve is clear. Many tenants who worked hard to improve their homes while...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: I move amendment No. 17: In page 49, to delete lines 32 and 33 and substitute the following:"(a) the housing authority concerned shall source dwellings in respect of which they will seek to place people under the housing assistance scheme,".These amendments that have been grouped together merely seek to place the onus of finding housing for the HAP on the local authority. This would mean...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: While I will not press the amendment at this stage and will withdraw it, I reserve the right to resubmit it on Report Stage. I wish to have more consultation on the amendments.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2014)

Kathryn Reilly: Before I address amendments Nos. 39 and 40, I want to reiterate the concerns expressed by other speakers in regard to this section and the assumption that people's housing needs will be met through HAP. People will be removed from local authority waiting lists regardless of whether they may wish to enter into a short-term arrangement as a step towards being accommodated on a more permanent...