Results 4,121-4,140 of 4,674 for speaker:Dessie Ellis

Private Members' Business: Community Employment Schemes: Motion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Tá an Private Members' business seo an-tábhachtach ar fad agus ba mhaith liom mo thacaíocht a thabhairt dó agus, tá súil orm, aon duine eile atá ag féachaint amach le haghaidh an ghnáth dhuine. Any Government worth its salt would ask its opponents and the people to judge it on its actions, on what it has provided and what it has not only sought to do but also has achieved. Were the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Question 194: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers who have availed of the Croke Park early retirement scheme from schools in Santry, Whitehall, Finglas, Cabra and Ballymun, Dublin. [6945/12]

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (7 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Question 209: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will ensure that proper safety precautions are being taken in the National Car Test sites and that workers' health and safety guidelines are respected, especially in regard to the full extraction method of dealing with car fumes. [6289/12]

Written Answers — Urban Renewal Schemes: Urban Renewal Schemes (7 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Question 319: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of Ballymun Shopping Centre, Dublin, which was to be replaced as part of the regeneration project; the progress made in this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6453/12]

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (7 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Question 346: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of local authority staff who have availed of the Croke Park early retirement scheme from the north west area of Dublin City Council. [6819/12]

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (7 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Question 360: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers of gardaí who retired from the force in Ballymun, Finglas, Santry and Whitehall, Dublin 11; the expected retirements for 2012; and if these positions have or are to be filled. [6449/12]

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (7 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Question 361: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown of the number of gardaí serving in Dublin Airport in the years 2010, 2011 and projected numbers for 2012. [6450/12]

Written Answers — Housing Management Companies: Housing Management Companies (7 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Question 368: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the work he is undertaking to deal with the issues arising when families have paid deposits on homes in estates in which the management company is no longer in business and no local authority has taken up the responsibility of roads and maintenance and so the house purchase cannot be completed. [6598/12]

Written Answers — Garda Retirements: Garda Retirements (7 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Question 413: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí who have availed of the Croke Park early retirement scheme from stations in Santry, Whitehall, Finglas, Cabra and Ballymun, Dublin. [6944/12]

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (7 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Question 491: To ask the Minister for Health if he will give details of the requirements for a patient of the Health Service Executive to be provided with a voucher for taxi fares to accommodate them travelling to and from hospital for treatment. [6402/12]

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (7 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Question 540: To ask the Minister for Health the number of nurses, care assistants and clerical staff who have availed of the Croke Park early retirement scheme from Beaumont, Cappagh, James Connolly, St. Vincent's, Fairview, and St. Brendan's Grangegorman, Dublin. [6817/12]

Family Home Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Second Stage (3 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Sinn Féin welcomes the Family Home Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and commends Deputy Stephen Donnelly for introducing it. The Bill is a conservative measure in terms of the overall package of mechanisms that are needed to address the problem of not only home repossessions, but arrears in general, and negative equity. If enacted, it would allow a judge the authority to consider...

Family Home Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Second Stage (3 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Even some of the moderate proposals of the expert group on mortgage arrears remain to be implemented, despite the growing numbers of arrears cases. One simple initiative, which could be introduced tomorrow if the Government had the political will to do it, would be to ensure that assessment of housing need should not have to wait for legal proceedings for repossession to be brought against...

Family Home Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Second Stage (3 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: We must be real and acknowledge this, so where the State is unwilling to provide social housing for people, they must be enabled to retain their homes where possible. The State facilitated their entry into over-indebtedness and unemployment. The State now has a responsibility to facilitate their exit from it. This Bill would have the effect of allowing the court to consider all of these...

Social and Affordable Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Question 5: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government his plans for the use of social housing from the National Assets Management Agency stock; the estimated cost; and the way these will be paid for. [6168/12]

Social and Affordable Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: Just before Christmas, NAMA announced it had approximately 2,000 properties available for local authorities and housing associations and that funding would be made available through the social housing leasing scheme, which the Minister of State mentioned. NAMA bought the debts at a reduced rate. It did not buy the properties. Would it not make more sense to call in the debts and have the...

Social and Affordable Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: We are not requesting the properties for nothing. We have paid for them. We have certainly bailed out many people in doing so. We have helped to get many developers out of hot water. I do not accept we are asking for the houses for nothing. The Minister of State said the scheme may result in a short-term gain, but in the longer term it is not in the best interest of the country. It is...

Social and Voluntary Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: I have met many of the voluntary housing associations in recent months. Many of the associations are looking to buy housing units but they are having great difficulty raising money through financial institutions. Concerns have also been raised that interest rates, while low at present, if they rise could create problems in keeping rents at fair rates for their tenants. This is why there is...

Social and Voluntary Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: The Minister of State referred to CALF. It does not appear the facility is able to ensure suitable loan conditions. The Minister of State also referred to the HFA. I would like to think the Minister of State will strengthen her efforts to provide public money through the HFA. On another issue, how many publicly owned social housing units will be built in 2012?

Local Government Reform (2 Feb 2012)

Dessie Ellis: I reiterate one point made by Deputy Stanley in regard to local government reform. It relates to the power of managers. We have seen this with Dublin City Council which has accumulated powers that were passed by the Oireachtas. It gave the council too much power while local councillors were relegated down the chain in terms of what they could and could not do. I would like to see those...