Results 8,341-8,360 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Question Heading for question(s) 588 (11 Dec 2018)

Damien English: The processes for the appointment of members to the Professional Conduct Committee and Appeals Board of the RIAI are laid out in the Building Control Act 2007.    In relation to the Professional Conduct Committee , the Chairperson shall be a solicitor, a barrister or a former judge of the Circuit Court, High Court or Supreme Court who shall be appointed by the Minister for...

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: Every time we have a debate in the House, I have to remind Members that there is a social housing building programme under way. Deputy Healy and others claimed again tonight that the Government is doing nothing.

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: And I am going to finish addressing the Deputy.

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: Through the Chair, the accusation that there is no social housing building programme is made every week. I accept that it is not the delivery we all want, but it is wrong to continue to come to the House and claim there is no social housing programme. It is not the truth.

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: The Government is committed to a social housing building programme and, what is more, taxpayers are committed to it too. There is €6 billion on the table to fund it and more as well. Under Rebuilding Ireland 2040, money has been set aside to deliver up to 12,000 social houses every year to 2027 and 2028. What happens after that will be for another Government to decide but this one...

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: I have no problem with Members stating that it is not enough or that they want more. That is fine. We can all agree with that, but I ask them not to continue to say it is not happening. We have to be very clear about that. The accusation is also made that the Government is relying solely on the private sector but that is not true either. What is true is that in the early stages of...

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: We all agree that the number of families today, which is over 1,300-----

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: We all agree that the number of families in emergency accommodation is far too high. Nobody - not the Taoiseach, the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, the Department or me - wants that. No one wants to see people living in emergency accommodation, whether it is a hotel, bed and breakfast or family hub. Those are not places to be. However, if we failed to engage with the private sector in...

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: Our ambition on behalf of the State is greater than that of most people here. However, we must use HAP and other schemes in the short term to provide housing solutions. I do not apologise for that. I wish we had enough social housing stock to avoid it, but we do not because other Governments did not build it. We are committed to correcting that and I hope future Governments continue the...

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: I am just saying that I am not aware of the case the Deputy mentioned. She said they were in a family hub for a year. The majority of people are not in family hubs for a year, they are there for less than six months and move on.

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: I am aware that some families do not get a housing decision that quickly and we will check that out. However, I question-----

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: I am trying to have a rational, calm conversation with the Deputy.

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: Through the Chair, if someone is in a family hub for over a year, we will check it out. I have asked whether the family was offered a housing solution and I get the impression they might have been, albeit not the permanent housing solution but perhaps a HAP solution. I have been to a lot of family hubs and I note that a lot of people move through them quite quickly and rightly so. It is...

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: -----but they are not professional landlords. That is something we want to change. We will change it over time if we can. From what I have heard in this evening's contributions, it is safe to say there is a clear need to ensure the residential sector is both an attractive option for tenants and a secure and viable investment choice for investors. The State cannot be the only landlord....

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: It is building houses.

Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Dec 2018)

Damien English: There will be 4,000.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Defence Forces Medical Services (13 Dec 2018)

Damien English: I am here to answer Deputy Buckley's questions on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe. I am conscious that he has asked a few more questions that were not flagged and I am afraid I will not have details of them. I will do my best to answer the questions he previously flagged would be asked. We are not in a position to comment on the number of deaths as a result of suicide...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Defence Forces Medical Services (13 Dec 2018)

Damien English: I again thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I regret he does not paint a clear picture. The Deputy referenced responses but I do not know who gave them. If the Deputy has information, I urge him to engage with the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, and to share it with him in order that his concerns can be addressed through the appropriate channels. As I said, I am not sure if the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Defence Forces Medical Services (13 Dec 2018)

Damien English: I am glad to hear that. I again urge the Deputy to engage with the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, on the issue. As outlined previously, the Defence Forces are fully alert in respect of suicide awareness and prevention, issues of depression and other mental health issues among their personnel. As already mentioned, I am not in a position to comment on the number of deaths as a result...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Autism Support Services (13 Dec 2018)

Damien English: On behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, I thank Deputies Connolly and Ó Cuív for raising the issue of funding for Galway Autism Partnership, GAP. The Minister of State sends his apologies. He wanted to be here but with the way things went today, he could not make it so I will give the reply on his behalf. The Galway Autism Partnership, which was established...