Results 4,001-4,020 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Constitutional Amendments (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: We will wait for the committee to adjudicate and we will then consider its adjudication.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Issues (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 103, 114 and 132 together. The question comes in the context of recent issues in the Department of Education and Skills with the construction and structural integrity of certain schools. That has caused concern for parents and families attending those schools as well for the principals and teachers who work there. I commend my colleague, the Minister...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Homeless Persons Data (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: I understand and share the Deputy's concern. As the Minister responsible, I visited said sports hall during Storm Emma. The Peter McVerry Trust did significant work to get that facility in place. What was needed, primarily, was safe and warm shelter for people but they were also provided with medical attention and food. The Deputy is correct that these people would not traditionally have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Constitutional Amendments (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Deputy for his question. As he may be aware, the eighth report of the Convention on the Constitution recommended that a range of economic and social rights, including the right to housing, should be inserted into the Constitution, subject to available resources. A motion to refer that report to the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach was...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Constitutional Amendments (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: As the Deputy knows, we recently made three important changes to our Constitution but this followed on from processes involving the Constitutional Convention and Oireachtas committees. In that context, I am happy to let the committee do its work, to deliberate on this matter and come back with recommendations to the Dáil and the Government. Countries that have a constitutional or...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Homeless Persons Data (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: As I stated previously, supporting individual and families experiencing homelessness is an absolute priority for this Government, particularly in the case of those who, without such supports, may end up sleeping rough. Budget 2019 reflects this commitment by allocating an additional €30 million for the provision of homelessness services in 2019. That will increase the total...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Homeless Persons Data (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The cold weather initiative has been implemented in some local authorities because we have already had spells of cold weather. The initiative means more outreach teams go out and we keep facilities open for longer. The count of people sleeping rough, which is separate from the count of people in emergency accommodation, happens twice a year. The most recent count was done in March of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department's role in respect of homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the work of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility for the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. In the Dublin region, the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: We have a five to six-year plan in place in Rebuilding Ireland to dramatically transform our housing sector and rebuild it in a way in which it cannot break as it did before. If we look for a quick fix, we will get a quick break and we do not want that. We want to make sure that when we provide supports for people to get housing that they will not lose it in the future and that as we build...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: I am at the coalface of this crisis because I am Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government. I am responsible for working with local authorities, our partners in the NGO sector and all stakeholders to put in place appropriate supports and solutions for those who need them. This crisis is complex. It stems from a number of issues. The supply crisis stems from the fact that our...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Data (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Deputy. Of course, I am frustrated. Everyone who is involved in trying to solve this problem at the moment is frustrated. We wish we could build houses more quickly. However, there are things we have done to fast-track that process, such as the fast-track planning process, an emergency response that has seen thousands of homes get planning permission in a much shorter...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Data (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: There are 4,000 homes currently being constructed, that is, social housing homes on site. This year 20,000 new homes will be provided in the economy, which is a huge increase on last year, and this will increase again next year.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Data (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: Yesterday one of the Deputy's colleagues proposed a Private Members' Bill that talked about declaring an emergency and having that in place for three years. Why? It is because we cannot solve this overnight and it requires time. However, for the last two years we have been changing planning and procurement processes and we have been hiring more staff. As a result of the work that has gone...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: In my interactions with the students union in UCD last year, I do not think the need for regulation was raised with me. The Minister of State, Deputy English, informs me that he does not recall it being raised with him during his meetings with USI. If one in ten students currently lives in student digs, we want to increase that number. We want to reach that target of 4,000 by the end of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: If a request is made to me, of course, I will consider it but it would have to be based on a significant amount of evidence. We could bring in something that could as an unintended consequence undermine the supply of those types of homes completely. To give tenancy rights to a student who might only live in the home for a number of months of the year and all of a sudden open them to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Data (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The provision and allocation of social housing supports is a matter for each housing authority, in accordance with its allocation scheme. My Department provides the policy and legislative instruments along with the financial supports, schemes and resources necessary for local authorities to provide the relevant housing services in their areas. As the Deputy will be aware, social housing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Data (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: Of course, I have responsibility; I am the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government. This is why I meet with local authorities and why we provided additional money to them for next year to provide more homes. A total of 10,000 more units will come into the stock of social housing next year because of commitments we made in the budget for next year. The largest amount of money an...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Homeless Persons Supports (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: I have served breakfast in one of the hostels in Dublin. That morning I spoke to the people who had stayed there the previous night about their experiences. Not everyone had a positive experience that night even though they were in a fantastic facility that is doing everything it can. I am aware of the additional supports that we need to put in place. One of the first meetings I had...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Bord Pleanála Applications (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: Under section 126 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 An Bord Pleanála has a statutory objective to determine planning appeals within 18 weeks. Where the board does not consider it possible or appropriate to reach a decision within 18 weeks, for example, because of the particular complexities of a case or the requirement to hold an oral hearing, it will inform the parties of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Bord Pleanála Applications (14 Nov 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The fast-track planning process is an important response that we have made to the current shortage. The board has, within its statutory timeline and within the 100% compliance rate to which I referred, approved 5,400 homes and 4,400 student spaces. Currently, a further 3,000 homes are in hand for decision. The board will do that work within the timelines that have been given. A new...