Results 6,541-6,560 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I suspect that a man in the Senator's position would not ask the question if he did not know the answer. There is no law to prevent it happening. There is a mistake being made here in that people think a receiver can walk in and turf the tenants out. They cannot. The tenants' rights, obligations and security of tenure do not change if a receiver takes over their homes. There are other...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I have read the Threshold submission and it has been well investigated as part of the rental strategy. We have received the same submission a couple of times. It is a very strong submission. I am not saying we are not prepared to take on board some of Threshold's changes. We will make some changes through the rental strategy. The legislation is complex and we want to ensure we get it...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: It is déjà vu. This sounds similar to a debate that we had previously. I will address a couple of issues. Of us all, Senator McDowell summed it up best. This is about getting the balance right. If one or two changes are introduced without an overall package, there is a risk of affecting supply. The solution to all of our problems - social housing, private housing and the cost...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: This is about doing, and getting, the right thing, that being, the overall package. Senators referred to buying a car, a pig in a poke and so on. I told Senator Kelleher, one of the sponsors of this amendment, in conversation that we would introduce a package in a few weeks' time. It will be a full rental strategy. If Senators wish to revert to the car analogy, we will introduce a full...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: We did.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: It has paid off.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I agree that the VAT measure paid off, but the question is whether it is still needed in every part of the market. When one looks at the prices of hotel rooms in this city, one would question it. The change worked for a couple of years and we retained it because it helped to create jobs, but there are other ways to reduce the cost of a house. We are considering those, for example, funding...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I am asking him to wait and see what is in next week's market and we will bring it forward.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I did not interrupt Senator Ó Clochartaigh.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I am not telling the Senator to wait and see the car next week. I am just telling him the way it is. We cannot tell him what our policy is until we have formulated it. It will be produced in the next few weeks and will dictate legislation that has to be implemented. If we can introduce it in time for this, we will bring forward changes. That is the truth. I am not asking the Senator to...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: Are you all right Trevor? I am getting worried about you.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I cannot accept amendments Nos. 15, 18 and 24, which propose to delete sections 28 to 30, inclusive, of the Bill. Section 30, together with sections 28 and 29, provides for what is known as the Tyrrelstown amendment. This provision gives effect to action 4.2 of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness to legislate to deal with circumstances where there are large sales...

Seanad: Presidential Voting Rights: Motion (30 Nov 2016)

Damien English: The Senators are. I am looking for a vote too.

Seanad: Presidential Voting Rights: Motion (30 Nov 2016)

Damien English: What were we doing before that?

Seanad: Presidential Voting Rights: Motion (30 Nov 2016)

Damien English: This motion is not for his Department.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (1 Dec 2016)

Damien English: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency. The pyrite remediation scheme is a remedial works scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its application and scope to dwellings which have...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Members (1 Dec 2016)

Damien English: I thank the Senators for raising this issue as it is an extremely important area of work and I am glad we have a chance to discuss it today. It certainly reflects the views of the councillors the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and I have met at various meetings in recent months with regard to Rebuilding Ireland and on other occasions. Very strong views were expressed. The Minister, Deputy...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Members (1 Dec 2016)

Damien English: The Senator seems to be hearing a lot of things but I ask him to listen to what I am saying. There is a very clear commitment from the Minister, Deputy Coveney, to deal with this. He said this very clearly and I am repeating it here today. He recognises the difficulty and wants to put the issue to bed, which we will do in the very near future. He is committed to dealing with the issue....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Members (1 Dec 2016)

Damien English: I would rather if the Senator did not make up-----

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Members (1 Dec 2016)

Damien English: I want to be clear with the Senator. I would rather he did not make up stuff. I am telling him the Minister is working on it. I have been there with him at the meetings. He is working on it and it will be resolved very soon.