Results 14,001-14,020 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (18 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Home ownership fell at the same rate from 2006 to 2011 as it did from 2011 to 2016. There is an underlining factor there that shows that even in the boom years, and in previous Governments, home ownership was declining. What we believe is that, culturally in this country, people prefer to own a home, even people who are renting now. We need to make sure there is a process in place to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (18 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: We need to be careful that we do not turn off an important increase in supply that is coming through in terms of the build-to-rent sector. We have to recognise the views of experts, including Assistant Professor Ronan Lyons. In other countries, these institutional investors are known as landlords. For the rental sector here, we need to make sure that we move away from the volatility we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (18 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: -----whereas institutional investors are making a 40-year play and will abide by the laws because they have got a board, shareholders and everyone else to report to and provide good accommodation and everything else. There is a balance to be struck and we will try to strike that balance as we work through the proposals the Deputy will present next week. With regard to social housing...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Deputy for his question. What I told his colleague at yesterday's committee meeting was that a commitment was made last year to review the public spending code, in order to see if we could increase the threshold from €2 million to €6 million. Doing that would require a derogation to the public spending code, which would have to come from the Department of Public...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Deputy for his question. This was a fantastic decision made by the people of Limerick. To give credit where credit is due, Deputy Niall Collins did a great job, working with other parties and people, to get it over the line. It is a pity other members of his party did not take a similar view in places like Cork. However, that has been decided now. I met the outgoing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (19 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Further to my reply to Question Nos 1974 and 1977 of 6 September 2019, I can confirm that my Department has not received any correspondence from any other approved housing body or organisation in relation to funding under the capital assistance scheme or the capital advance leasing facility in respect of the property referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (19 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department conducted Unfinished Housing Developments surveys with assistance from all local authorities between 2010 and 2017. The initial and consequent surveys were focused on a particular period of time from 2007 onwards (during the economic downturn). A Progress Report was prepared each year based on the data and analysis from each survey. All reports and auxiliary data...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff Data (19 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together. The Regulation of Lobbying Act was enacted in 2015. Section 22 of the Act provides that specific categories of Designated Public Officials (“DPOs”) are subject to a one-year “cooling-off” period, during which they cannot engage in lobbying activities in specific circumstances, or be employed by, or provide...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Standards (19 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: In line with Part L of the Building Regulations, the use of fossil fuel (e.g. gas) boilers is permitted in new social housing with a photovoltaic installation to achieve compliance with Part L 2019. Alternatively, heat pumps or district heating may be used where appropriate. Oil boilers with photovoltaic may be acceptable, subject to specific conditions and where cost effective relative to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (19 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of planned maintenance programmes and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under the Housing Act 1966.  Local authorities return vacant properties to use through their own resources, but my Department also...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (19 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 255 to 257, inclusive, together. There are currently 36 local authority social housing construction projects that have been or are being advanced through the single-stage approval process, which covers projects with an all-in budget up to €2 million and up to 15 homes. The breakdown of these projects by local authority and year received, is set out in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Anti-Social Behaviour (19 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: In order for a household to qualify for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, the household must first be assessed as eligible for social housing support by their local authority. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP.  The application form for social housing support, prescribed by the Social Housing Assessment...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: That was not a personal comment.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: He did not discredit the Deputy.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Deputy for the question. It is true to say that housing supply has not caught up with demand yet, but it is catching up. Every month construction is starting on more than 2,000 new homes on sites throughout the country. We continue to have families in emergency accommodation and that is unacceptable. We continue to have high levels of presentations of families in emergency...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue again. It is true that many people are vulnerable and in housing insecurity because not enough homes are yet being built to meet demand. This year, we introduced significant new protections for tenants. That is important, as is noting that the majority of people in the rental sector have safety and security in their homes. I agreed to our meeting...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue again. It is an incredibly important project which is part of our vision for the national planning framework for Waterford in increasing the population, density and the role Waterford will continue to play in the region. We made that commitment of funding in the first round of funding from the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, URDF.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: We have made a commitment to provide further funding as we open new rounds. I hope to be able to open the second round of funding from the URDF next month. It will probably run for about three months to allow applications to come in from the local authorities now that they know how the fund works and how to make applications. We can then announce further funding at the beginning of next...

Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Order for Second Stage (24 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Second Stage (24 Sep 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to have the opportunity today to present the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019 to the House. This is a balanced and proportionate Bill, which provides for the regulation of approved housing bodies, AHBs, for the purposes of supporting stronger governance and the financial viability of that sector,...