Results 7,921-7,940 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Seanad: Marine Protection: Motion (23 May 2018)

Damien English: It is nearly 7,000 people.

Seanad: Marine Protection: Motion (23 May 2018)

Damien English: I thank the House for an opportunity to address this issue. I acknowledge the work that Senator O'Sullivan is doing in this area and the expertise she brings to it. Generally we agree on most things and we certainly agree on where we want to end up. That is the reason I am disappointed with some aspects of the motion and, in particular, to the approach that has been taken online. The...

Seanad: Marine Protection: Motion (23 May 2018)

Damien English: We will. It is coming in the summer or into the autumn.

Seanad: Marine Protection: Motion (23 May 2018)

Damien English: That is coming before the summer.

Seanad: Marine Protection: Motion (23 May 2018)

Damien English: It used to be cash but now it has all changed.

Topical Issue Debates: Local Authority Funding (24 May 2018)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Byrne for raising this issue, which is close to my heart also. This situation has obtained for a long number of years and I am glad to have the chance to discuss solutions in the House. The Deputy is absolutely right about the base level of funding per head of population and that Meath is not getting its fair share. As I said when I was in opposition over many years, this is...

Topical Issue Debates: Local Authority Funding (24 May 2018)

Damien English: As Deputy Thomas Byrne said, the solution is the review that is under way. It is holding its first meeting today, and I will return to that in a moment. We are all concerned with the whole of County Meath. Deputy Byrne has mentioned some towns and I will go through the rest - places like Navan, Trim, Enfield, Oldcastle or Athboy - and match them all up so that they all get the proper...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (24 May 2018)

Damien English: As the Deputy is aware, approved housing bodies (AHBs) have a critically important role to play in achieving the targets set out in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan For Housing and Homelessness. Currently, housing bodies are granted approved status by me as Minister, under Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 for the purpose of being able to receive funding from...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Data (24 May 2018)

Damien English: On the basis of the latest information available to my Department from local authorities across the country, there are 193 statutory city and county development plans, local area plans and strategic development zone planning schemes currently in place under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).  The following table, compiled on the basis of information provided by...

Residential Tenancies (Student Rents, Rights and Protection) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (29 May 2018)

Damien English: On behalf of the Government I thank Deputies Ó Broin and Funchion for tabling the Private Members' Bill to propose extending the protections of the Residential Tenancies Act which currently applies to dwellings under certain tenancies, to also apply to dwellings provided under licence agreement for student accommodation. It is helpful to have this worthwhile discussion tonight....

Residential Tenancies (Student Rents, Rights and Protection) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (29 May 2018)

Damien English: I am happy to tease that through with the Deputy but the most important element is that different aspects of licensing versus tenancy have different rights. I have a copy of the UCD licence and I am happy to give it to the Deputy. There are very specific details contained in it about what a licensee is entitled to and the service he or she will get and can expect. It is very different to a...

Residential Tenancies (Student Rents, Rights and Protection) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (29 May 2018)

Damien English: -----and the Minister, Deputy Bruton, must be done in order to determine whether amending the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2016 is the best approach to take to regulating student-specific accommodation provided under licence. We are focused on this. It may well be that bespoke legislation, subject to further legal advice, might better achieve the intended purposes of the Bill without...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (29 May 2018)

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 provisions of the Act apply only to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave consequent on the presence of reactive...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (29 May 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 633 and 634 together. Project Ireland 2040 signals a significant policy shift towards securing more compact and sustainable urban and rural development, which requires significantly more effective land management in key development areas. Against that background, it is proposed to establish a National Regeneration and Development Agency to assist in...

Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 May 2018)

Damien English: I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on this Bill and to deal with some of the issues raised. I thank Deputy Jan O'Sullivan for bringing forward the Bill. While we might not agree with everything in it, I hope we can do much of the work she is seeking to have done in our Bill or in conjunction with bringing Deputy O'Sullivan’s Bill through Committee Stage, whichever way it...

Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 May 2018)

Damien English: That is fair enough. I am not holding you responsible, a Cheann Comhairle. I am simply saying that it has happened repeatedly in the Chamber and in my view it is not a fair political charge. I believe it is completely out of order. The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government is very straight and honest in everything he does. Two things arise. First, it is not something he...

Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 May 2018)

Damien English: We all want that. I have had it on plenty of times. We need to be clear on this point.

Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 May 2018)

Damien English: I must get one that fits. The turnkey is important.

Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 May 2018)

Damien English: Does Deputy O'Brien not want the four houses? Is there something wrong with the houses in his area, something he did not like? I did not see Deputy O'Brien giving them back.

Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 May 2018)

Damien English: I was not slagging Deputy O'Brien for not being there. I asked whether he wanted to give them back. We all agree we want this on a greater scale but every house is important. Thankfully, when we open them in groups of eight, 12, 15, 20 and so on, eventually they add up. Last year, over 7,000 houses came into the system. The figure was a combination of build, voids, empties, acquisitions,...