Results 23,181-23,200 of 26,256 for speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: We are in the business of enacting legislation.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: As everyone has said and the Minister of State has conceded, there are two amendments before us that relate to local authorities and a third amendment that relates to voluntary housing associations which is completely different.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: It is not.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: We do not dispute they are the owners of the property. What we are saying is that the legislation, as it is structured, prevents them from selling, even if they want to sell, but let the Minister of State correct me if I am wrong. Will she change the legislation so that if they are willing to sell and if the local authority in the area is of the view they should sell, this will be possible?...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: With regard to the response of the Minister of State to amendment No. 18, we must have regard to the fact that the 2009 Act makes provision for voluntary housing association units built after its enactment to be sold. Therefore, it is possible. I take the point made by the Minister of State that we cannot force the voluntary housing associations that own the housing units to sell the units...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: If I understood him correctly, the Acting Chairman said that if amendment No. 16 were to fall, we would not be able to vote on amendments Nos. 17 and 18.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: They are completely different. In so far as it applies to voluntary housing, amendment No. 18 is completely different. There is no correlation.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: To date, the Minister of State has not accepted an amendment from anybody.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I strongly support both amendments. It is just common sense that the moneys accruing to local authorities should be ring-fenced and reinvested in this way. Chairman, I do not know if I misinterpreted your comment about including amendment No. 18 in this group. Amendment No. 18 seeks the amendment of section 44 of the 2009 Act and deals with the area of voluntary housing. Can you explain...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Whoever wrote it down got it wrong, because they are two radically different areas. In amendment No. 18 I am saying to the Minister that by not including voluntary housing in the Bill she is missing a golden opportunity to recognise that an injustice is being perpetrated on the tenants of voluntary housing associations. If their houses were built after 2010, they cannot buy their...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: It is a little bizarre that the Department which I do not exonerate is expected to come to the assistance of local authorities which have large stocks of social housing and large incomes deriving from the rents paid. It is my experience as someone directly involved in voluntary housing provision that we do not have to turn to the Department or the local authority to seek funds to refurbish...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The Labour Party had a good few for many years.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The Minister of State does not mind the diktats coming from the managers' association.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: In principle, we would support the amendment put down by Deputy Ellis. If anything, he has been generous in the timescales he is allowing. I want to ask a very specific question. Is it the case that the Department is currently or was previously operating a scheme whereby local authorities could apply for funding to the Department for a house, provided it was vacant for six months? Was it...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I am generally supportive of more time being made available. That is a good idea, but I am concerned about one aspect of the amendment which refers to the District Court being required to have due regard for the ability of the tenant concerned to find alternative accommodation. All of us can speak only from our own experiences. The move by a local authority or a voluntary housing...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I support the point made by Deputy Broughan. The Minister has expressed the view that there are guidelines in place and that local authorities are implementing them. The reality is that if the practice is enshrined in legislation, it will have far more effect in local authorities than it is having by virtue of simply being a guideline that is issued to them. I envy the position the Deputy...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I am happy to support Deputy Thomas P. Broughan's proposal which makes good sense for local authorities and the country's many voluntary housing associations. In County Kildare rent collection for the local authority is conducted by its revenue collectors who were previously rate collectors. While they do a good job and are, in all instances, supportive of the tenants with whom they deal, I...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I appreciate the Minister of State has said it is the desire of every Minister and every Member to ensure that local authorities follow best practice and that if they do not follow it currently, they will establish it. However, the amendment put forward by Deputy Ellis proposes a tenant can "request" the presence of an authorised advocate. What in the name of God could be wrong with putting...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I support the amendment. Deputy Dessie Ellis is correct in what he says. The people with whom we are dealing are often vulnerable and feel a need for support. They are frustrated by the system and, in many instances, believe this measure would be helpful. Deputies Dessie Ellis and Bernard J. Durkan may agree with me that, on rare occasions, we engage with local authority bodies and are...

Other Questions: Commemorative Events (11 Jun 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 23. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress being made in preparing for the centenary anniversary of the 1916 Rising; the number of times the commemorations committee has met since its foundation; the dates these meetings took place and the locations of same; if he was in attendance at these meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24470/14]