Results 2,881-2,900 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (12 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: 257. To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of a bank's customers (details supplied) regarding the planned sale of their offset mortgages due to the bank’s departure from the Irish market; to offer assurances that his Department will engage with the bank to ensure fairness is applied to all those impacted; and if he will make a statement on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: We resume our pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the residential tenancies (right to purchase) Bill. I have received apologies from Senator Fitzpatrick. I welcome from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Ms Catherine Comer, principal officer; and Mr. Liam Smyth, assistant principal. Their opening statement and the briefing were circulated to members. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Mr. Smyth is referring to head 8.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Thank you. I point out to members that the clock is not working but I am timing the contributions. Deputy Ó Broin cut himself a bit short on his last contribution. I call Deputy McAuliffe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: It is my slot next. I want to continue on that, and it probably comes under head 7, the invitation to bid. That invitation to bid is given to the tenant. The landlord has to submit the invitation to bid and the notice of termination to the RTB at the exact same time. That starts the plot on both of those processes. I want to ask about the tenant's ability to transfer that right to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: In this situation, we are setting up the legislation so that the tenant gets the first right to bid on it. They may realise that they just cannot achieve that, and that they cannot get the money together for it. I would like to see a mechanism in place where that tenant can then transfer that right, rather than telling them there is guidance out there. It is a very difficult time for a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: It may, or it can, or it should but will the legislation contain that ability for the tenant, who was received the notice to quit and the right to bid, to then transfer that right to the local authority, the Housing Agency, or the approved housing body as it might be?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Yes, I accept that. It can only be the tenant or those three, or some other housing body. What I want to know is how we establish that relationship so that is certain. I know it says they are the only ones who can but where is it said and how does that then become the approved housing body not the tenant that now deals with the landlord? How does that transfer of responsibility and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: We could have something within the legislation to say that the tenant can transfer to an eligible agency to further engage with the landlord on the right to purchase. I get that the Department does not want to be too prescriptive in its lists, saying a local authority, the Housing Agency or a housing body, HB; an eligible agency could in this case be those three but it could get bigger or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Our guests have taken note of those comments. Just before we finish I want to go back to something I spoke about earlier regarding the notice to quit and the invitation to bid. There is a set procedure for that, we know what it is and everyone has to comply with it. In regulations attaching to this Bill there should be a standardised process for the proof of offer. There should be a proof...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Yes, whatever it might be, as long as it makes the process simple. Everybody at this committee was of the view at our last meeting that we are not going to see a deluge of these cases. It is one of those measures that we are introducing which is another tenants' right. Along along with all of the other tenants rights we have brought in, it is an important one but there is a still a grey...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: We have all dealt with landlords and tenants who experience difficulty getting through to the local authority. If people feel they cannot raise the funds, they might put their head in the sand about it but if they know they can fill out a form and transfer their right to bid to the local authority, it gives them another go at being able to stay in their home as a local authority tenant or a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: I said last Tuesday.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: We are going to do our pre-legislative scrutiny report on this-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: The LDA has written to us to say its representatives are unavailable on Tuesday, 12 December.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: The email was circulated to members.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: I cannot remember it word for word but it has been circulated to members.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: No.