Results 261-280 of 9,090 for speaker:Jack Chambers

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I appreciate the difficulties and my sympathies are with the family of Joe Drennan. I cannot imagine what they are going through, particularly in light of what the Deputy outlined. I am not familiar with the specifics around the sentencing. I do not want to comment on specific sentencing relating to the courts system but I will ask the Minister for Justice, who is familiar with the case,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Minister for Justice wants to comment.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I am sorry; I did not know he was here.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I thank all the Deputies for their contributions. In response to Deputy O'Reilly's point, it is an internal matter for the Fine Gael Party-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: -----and it is not appropriate for me to make any further comment on it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: Deputy Nash will be aware we have set aside 88 minutes to discuss the Bill on Second Stage and then a further 30 minutes.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: As the Deputy outlined, it is very clear what the legislation sets out to do. We have Ministers of State in the marine area and in other areas such as older people and migration who are going to be appointed and who want to get down to work. That is the context in which we are bringing this Bill through and trying to accelerate the timeline around it. In response to Deputy Gibney, the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: It was also raised elsewhere. The Minister will be here to respond to the motion whenever it is taken. In response to Deputy Collins's point on speed limits, the reforms that have been introduced relating to speed limits in this country will make a serious difference in saving lives on our roads. We know that speed is the central factor to so many of the road deaths across the country....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: As I said previously, my central point on commencement notices is that we have a strong pipeline in place for supply with commencement notices issuing of 60,000 new homes. Feedback suggests that there is unquestionably significantly more work on site than before, aided by the Government's development levy and water connection waivers, and it is not just a matter of if but a matter of when...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: We will be strengthening the role of the State to increase housing supply and trying to complement that-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: -----by having housing policies that accelerate private investment as well.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: If the Deputy was really interested in effecting Labour Party policy, she would have stayed longer in the government formation talks.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I knew from all the engagement we had, she was more interested in posturing over there than she was in playing a constructive role in government. We were open to their proposals.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: She wanted to set up a State construction company, which would take years. It would take years. Let me be clear: our central objective, in any review of housing policy, will be to increase supply and to unlock and address all of the levers of supply which are open to Government to ensure we can drive affordability for young people and to address the severe housing shortage that is there....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I thank the Deputy for the question. What I said in reply to the other Deputies is that any incoming Government should examine all of the policy options that will achieve the central objective - where I think there is consensus on in this House - how do we increase the overall supply to meet the targets that have been set over a series of years. We are open to constructive feedback and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: I thank the Deputy for her question. To set out the context on housing supply, it has significantly increased since 2020, with 130,000 new homes delivered in that period. Everyone on the Government benches and across the House was disappointed with the final numbers for 2024, which were less than what we expected. However, it is not true to say that we missed our Housing for All targets....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: Let me absolutely clear. We want to protect renters across our country. We also want to increase the number of rental homes that are available for people who want to rent. Central to that proposition is increasing the number of homes built across our country. The unfortunate reality is that the Deputy's housing policy would result in a complete failure of housing supply if it was progressed.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: The people have had their say on that. The Deputy's party's approach is not credible. It would abolish all the supports for first-time buyers, put back the work of the Land Development Agency for years and devise a new pseudo-form of home ownership, where someone would own their house-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: -----but not the land it was built on. Let me absolutely clear to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2025)

Jack Chambers: It is important that a new Government with a new mandate assesses housing policy in order that we can increase the supply both homes that are available to rent and to buy across our country. It is in this way that the Government will take action over the coming months.