Results 8,661-8,680 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have no problem with the principle of what Deputy Ellis is trying to do, but it replicates a provision under section 134 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, which requires the landlord of a dwelling to apply to the PRTB to register the tenancy of any dwelling. It is the statutory function of the PRTB under section 144 of the Act to ensure tenancies in the private rented sector are...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Again, while I understand what the Deputy is attempting to achieve, under the residential tenancies legislation there is a legal requirement to register all properties that a landlord would be registering. Consequently, landlords have this legal requirement and data sharing now is getting rid of what the Deputy described as the messing, that is, when landlords do not register. It is through...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: One issue is that the State will continue to have a substantial proportion of the rented properties, estimated at approximately 33%, whether through HAP or through long-term rent supplement. However, the main focus of any rental limit review process must be to ensure that pricing of maximum rental limits does not distort the market, while at the same time providing opportunities for tenants...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I agree with much of what the Deputy argues in that I do not want an escalation to continue because the proportion of people who rent in the private sector has been escalating over a good number of years and the number of people on rent support is a very large part of the total number of people who rent in the private sector. Nobody of the Deputy's political persuasion or mine would see this...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Another area where the State can intervene is in the area of rent control and we are considering this option. The PRTB legislation provides for a tenancy agreement or a lease with a landlord whereby rents can only increase by market rates, but market rents are rising very fast. I refer to the option of a European type of system which could be of assistance and it is being examined.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have no problem with the principles but I think the period of three months suggested in the amendment is very short for all sorts of reasons as I have described. The issue of flexibility was launched today in the four Dublin regional authorities. It is not in place in all regions but we need to move towards having it in place in the rest of the country. Having flexibility in cases where...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can always look at these issues when the Bill goes before the Seanad. However, I do not envisage accepting anything like three months because in my view that is too short a time period.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to clarify that a reasonable offer from a housing authority must be in the householder's area of choice and must meet their housing needs, so it should be in their area of choice.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: That is what is prescribed.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: That is the first thing. Secondly, under the current regulations it is two refusals, not one. I know the Deputy is proposing three but it currently provides for two refusals and it is in the householder's area of choice. The purpose of prescribing the appropriate period in regulations, as opposed to primary legislation, is to allow for flexibility to change should that become appropriate....

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Yes.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A number of issues have been raised but some of them are matters for local authorities rather than for me to define.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: For example, my Department does not tell local authorities what they should describe as areas of choice. My Department does not tell Cork City Council that it has to have these particular three areas from which a choice must be made. That is not defined by my Department, it is decided at local level. We are seeking more local autonomy in many respects, so that certainly needs to be...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: There will be an ongoing review process over the next six months because it is the pilot phase. Once this legislation is passed, which I hope it will be before the summer recess, it will give us the legislative base on which to develop pilot schemes in the other seven local authorities. An ongoing review is built in during the course of the pilot phase which is a learning process. On...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I did not say that. I said it is paid the same way.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I did not say that either.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Social housing support.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I will be as simple and straightforward as I can be in response. HAP tenants will be given the opportunity to be on a list for a council house.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: They will be able to be on a list to access a council house.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In order to ensure that happens, I will use my statutory powers from the 2009 Act to direct housing authorities to allow for HAP households to be on a transfer list.