Results 4,181-4,200 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Community Development. (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: I hear what the Deputy says. Departments are rather structured and fund the groups in question within certain criteria. I do not believe the project is in any immediate danger. The fact that I can state that it is viewed as a good project indicates that. However, it is moving towards adult education. My Department is happy to fund the project under the heading of community development. It is...

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes. (29 Sep 2004)

Noel Ahern: I thank Senator Ulick Burke for raising the issue. I shall give a brief overview of the major investment being made by the Department in improving water services infrastructure nationally, and in Galway, under the national development plan. Last May, we published the water services investment programme covering the period 2004-06, made up of 869 schemes at different stages of development,...

Seanad: Local Authority Housing. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: Glenma housing estate is an estate of 43 houses built by the NBA in 1973. Thirty-five houses are privately owned, having been sold to private purchasers when the estate was originally built, and Limerick County Council owns and rents the remaining eight houses. The houses were constructed with flat roofs. The first floors are finished with a metal cladding fixed to a timber stud wall which...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: I share some of the Senator's sentiments and I fully agree with his opening comment that tenants should be treated with respect. This is a fundamental principle of the Bill, the purpose of which is to improve tenants' rights. However, I am not in favour of accepting amendment No. 1. It would not be appropriate or beneficial to insert examples of a few matters that might be deemed to involve...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: This provision is one of the fundamental principles of the Bill. It was discussed at great length by the commission on whose findings the Bill is largely based. Security of tenure after six months is a fundamental aspect of the Bill. It was agreed at the commission, and it is central to the Bill, that in the first six months of a tenancy the landlord can ask a tenant to leave without giving a...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: It would not give greater clarity. The Bill is clear as it stands. The amendment would give additional rights to tenants.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: I accept that, but we must consider where we are and from where we have come. Tenants have had very few rights. The commission tried to move matters to a situation which, I accept, will not be as good as that applying in many European countries where tenants have much greater security of tenure. However, we are moving from the first step on the ladder to the fifth or sixth step. I accept that...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: I am not in a position to accept the amendment. The amendment as worded is incompatible with the remainder of subsection 39(3), as the deletion of the words "husband and wife" would widen the provision to cover any non-tenant living in the accommodation at the time of the death of the tenant. It would render the other subparagraphs redundant. The extension of the provision to include same-sex...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: I have tried to explain that I am not discriminating against anybody. An amendment was introduced to assist and provide for spouses, married or unmarried and living as couples in family-type relationships, who were not joint tenants at the time of death of their spouse. As I stated on Committee Stage, it is recommended and the residential tenancies board will also recommend that the way to...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: The Bill has an appropriate mechanism to provide data to the Revenue Commissioners, where necessary. The Revenue Commissioners have informed the Department that the provisions of section 148 are acceptable. Section 148 requires the private residential tenancies board to supply to the Revenue Commissioners details of tenancies registered in respect of a landlord specified in the Revenue...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: Under the legislation the private residential tenancies board will have the function to undertake research and provide information and policy advice in general with regard to the private rented sector. It will also have the specific function of monitoring the operation of this legislation and reporting to me on any changes it might consider necessary. These functions will address the concerns...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: The functions of the board are specified. Legislation usually covers new ground and it is not necessary to put in new Bills everything that has been provided for in other legislation, for example, in areas such as taxation or equality. If other agencies and bodies have been established to cover those areas, there is no need to reference them in each subsequent Bill. A function of the board...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: I accept there are good, highly qualified women in Longford. I hope the county's footballers are not quite up to that standard next weekend.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: When we discussed the amendments on Committee Stage, I indicated there should not be a problem ensuring both sexes are adequately represented on the board. The interim board is split 50:50. Relatively few women have expressed an interest in working for the board in the dispute resolution field, which indicates that not many women have experience in this area. That creates a greater difficulty...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: As is the case with new bodies generally, the application of the Freedom of Information Act 1997 to the board will be by way of regulations made by the Minister for Finance. A procedure is laid down in this regard.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: The limit for damages is too high and this view is shared by the Attorney General's office, although I understand from where the Senator is coming. The Office of the Attorney General has recommended against this, as it feels the existing level is high enough.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: I thank Members, particularly the party spokespersons, for their consideration of the Bill and for their co-operation in its speedy passage.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (6 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: I have outlined the history of this legislation and the debate in the other House. It is wrong for anyone to interpret it in the manner outlined. It was not designed to exclude any particular group. This is a good Bill which is moving forward the situation of tenants' rights. I am not suggesting it will last forever. I am sure different sections of the Bill will be improved as time passes....

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (6 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: There is well established case law in the area of licensing versus tenancy arrangements to which the board will be required to have regard when deciding whether to accept a dispute referral. The amendment is unnecessary and Senator Bannon's concerns are met by the Bill and by the relevant case law.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (6 Jul 2004)

Noel Ahern: The provisions of the proposed new section are covered by the well established case law which has been built up by the courts over the years and to which the private residential tenancies board must have regard. The Law Reform Commission is currently undertaking a review of landlord and tenant law which will have a bearing on this area in the future. Unless any of the exclusions in section 3...