Results 2,721-2,740 of 4,672 for speaker:Dessie Ellis

Bethany Home: Motion [Private Members] (10 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue and to do my small part in representing the wishes of a group of people who have been forgotten for far too long. First, l pay tribute to Niall Meehan and all the others involved in Bethany Home survivors group who have kept on the pressure over the years. I pay tribute to my colleague, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald, and her officials who have...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff Remuneration (10 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: 480. To ask the Minister for Health if any salary top-ups have been paid to any members of staff at St Michael's House, Ballymun Road; if so, the amount that was given; the date on which it was given; and the source from which the top-up was taken and the position to which it was paid. [52598/13]

Order of Business (5 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: There are plans for the penalty point systems to be harmonised North and South to make them more effective. People have evaded penalties, penalty points and fines for a number of years and we do not know what this evasion amounts to in monetary terms. The Road Traffic (No. 3) Bill is due for publication. When will it be published? This is an important issue in the context of safety.

Other Questions: Pyrite Resolution Board Membership (5 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: The Minister announced that he was putting a certain amount of funding towards the resolution of pyrite in houses, but there are over 800 houses urgently in need and time is pressing. The timescale seems to be getting ever longer. Can the Minister give some indication of when he will have this scheme up and running?

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (5 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: 29. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the estates that are to be demolished due to their unfinished state; the criteria for deciding on these developments; and the timeframe in which these demolitions are expected to happen. [51923/13]

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (5 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: This is about the unfinished housing estates and the timeframe for their expected demolition. How many estates are involved?

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (5 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: One of the problems with these unfinished estates is that it is planned to demolish so many. We are told that some of them will be demolished because of their location. The houses might be perfect but they might be demolished because there is no demand in those areas. That would be a tragedy. The Minister must examine that very carefully. In addition, many estates have been built that...

Other Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (5 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: We have a major crisis in housing. There are approximately 112,000 people across the country on housing waiting lists, and the homeless are obviously included in that. We need to be more imaginative in how we approach this issue. We need to build more social housing. Perhaps the way to do this is to have the local authorities operate to the same criteria as voluntary housing bodies, which...

Other Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (5 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: 7. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to deal with the very large increase in homelessness; and the deadline for the proposed delivery of 450 National Asset Management Agency for dealing with homelessness. [51922/13]

Other Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (5 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: As the Minister knows, there has been a huge increase in the number of people who are homeless. There are approximately 5,000 people who are homeless; 1,400 in emergency accommodation in Dublin each night, while there were 139 people sleeping rough in Dublin on 12 November. Recently two people who were sleeping rough died. These were tragic incidents. In the past six months the number of...

Other Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (5 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: It is quite clear that the level of homelessness has escalated, for which there are several reasons. Landlords are cutting off the contracts of people in receipt of rent supplement and the people concerned then have to look for another rent supplement, but they cannot find a rental property anywhere. It is a major crisis and they cannot access a place. If one goes online, one can see that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Electricity Transmission Network: Discussion with EirGrid (4 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I was making a comparison of different sources of magnetic fields and it is not like with like. If one was standing underneath when one's car broke down or somebody was working there it is not comparing like for like with what Mr. Slye originally said.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Electricity Transmission Network: Discussion with EirGrid (4 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: While I do not have a problem with Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asking questions, I am still waiting for answers to my questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Electricity Transmission Network: Discussion with EirGrid (4 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I thank Mr. Slye and his team for their presentation. Deputy Mulherin made a number of useful points. She suggested that a comparison between the overground and underground options should be laid out clearly in front of people. If that had been done in advance of the consultation process, people would have been able to compare all the options and the costs associated with them. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Reports (4 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: 71. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she has seen the content of the citizens information centre report on the centralised rent supplement units and the experience of applicants and recipients in dealing with them; when it will be published for public consumption; and the progress that has been made on its recommendations and findings. [52000/13]

Topical Issue Debate: Homelessness Strategy (3 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: Does the Minister of State accept at this stage that the plan to end homelessness by 2016 is a fairy tale? The current rate of homelessness suggests this is the case. Does she also accept that the rental supplement and RAS policies are not working and that building and providing proper social housing is the only answer? There are a number of reasons we are seeing this huge increase in...

Topical Issue Debate: Homelessness Strategy (3 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I take this opportunity to express my sympathies to the family of Paul Doyle, who died of exposure in November while sleeping rough in Bray. I also convey my sympathies on the death of the man who was sleeping rough in the Phoenix Park. His death might well lead to a murder investigation. Some 139 people were sleeping rough in Dublin on 12 November 2013, an increase of 45 in just six...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Light Rail Projects Provision (3 Dec 2013)

Dessie Ellis: 478. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department looked into the extension of the Luas line out to Dublin Airport via Ballymun. [51974/13]

Order of Business (28 Nov 2013)

Dessie Ellis: Can the Tánaiste outline when the common arrangements for gas Bill, which will amend the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, will be brought before the House? This will help facilitate gas delivery on an all-Ireland basis.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (27 Nov 2013)

Dessie Ellis: 109. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on the claims by Focus Ireland and other housing organisations that recent cuts to rent supplement have contributed to making a number of families homeless. [50899/13]