Results 4,901-4,920 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (21 Jun 2016)

Damien English: I thank both Deputies for raising this important issue. I got a chance to view the footage of the flooding in County Roscommon through the RTE website and I could see the devastation caused to families and their homes, as well as to the surrounding land. There is no doubt that nothing worse can happen than being flooded, and plenty of Members present have experienced this in recent years....

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (21 Jun 2016)

Damien English: I wish to make one further point and will cut it short. I should also point out in this regard that the priority being attached to addressing flooding generally is reflected in the Government's capital investment plan, which includes a significant increase in the levels of investment in the area of flood relief. Ministers are meeting on a cross-departmental basis to ascertain whether there...

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (21 Jun 2016)

Damien English: To be clear, I heard a representative from Coillte stating he was in talks with the local authority and that the site manager there was prepared to do whatever the council asked of him in respect of this work. However, it is a local issue that must be resolved locally. As representatives for the area, the Deputies themselves no doubt have been involved in discussions with the local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (21 Jun 2016)

Damien English: In broad terms, the role of a clerk of works is to monitor the quality of work on site, check and supervise construction details, record progress and report to the project design team. The which came into effect on 1 March 2014, introduced requirements for the appointment of design certifiers and assigned certifiers. The role of the assigned certifier is to draw up and execute an...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Resolution Board Data (16 Jun 2016)

Damien English: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provided for the making and implementation of a pyrite remediation scheme by the Pyrite Resolution Board for certain dwellings affected by significant pyritic damage. The scheme, which was first published by the Pyrite Resolution Board in early February 2014, was developed having regard to the relevant provisions of the Act and,inter alia, the recommendations...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (16 Jun 2016)

Damien English: HomeBond is a private limited company providing structural defect insurance cover for new houses, whose operations are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. As is the case for any private company, I have no role or function in the operations of this company, which are a matter for its management and Board of Directors.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Building Regulations (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: I thank both Senators for raising this important issue. In April this year, an expert panel on concrete blocks was established to investigate the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Donegal and Mayo. In fairness to the Senators' colleague, Senator Paudie Coffey, that expert panel was set up quite quickly when compared with other panels in the past....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Building Regulations (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: The expert panel was set up with the task of establishing the facts. Senator Mac Lochlainn has his facts and he has assumed a particular position. That is fine. He is very much involved and was involved in this issue before I was. The "Prime Time" programme addressed certain issues as well, but a panel has been set up, independent of Senator Mac Lochlainn, me or anyone else, to establish...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Building Regulations (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: I did not interrupt the Senator.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Building Regulations (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: First of all-----

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Building Regulations (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: Any logical person would accept that first of all the facts must be established. Is there one reason for it or is there a combination of reasons? I understand Senator Mac Lochlainn has his view on it and that is fine, but we have an independent expert panel to inform both Houses of exactly what happened. Then we can judge what happened. In the meantime, I will go up there myself to meet...

Seanad: Poverty and Homelessness: Motion (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: It is important that we resolve the matter.

Seanad: Poverty and Homelessness: Motion (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: The Leader can run quite fast so if someone can find him he might get here before 6 p.m. and we can extend the time. I am pleased, a Chathaoirligh, that the time crisis can be solved more quickly than the housing crisis. It is important that we have this debate and I thank Fianna Fáil for tabling the motion, with which we agree and that we accept, but I do not agree with all of Sinn...

Seanad: Poverty and Homelessness: Motion (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: I said I accepted that point, but it is not a shortage of land on which to build that has created the problem, it is the supply of houses on the land.

Seanad: Poverty and Homelessness: Motion (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: We must find every way we can to fast-track the process by a combination of public spending and private spending. It is not just a question of social housing, we need more private housing as well. There is a considerable under-supply of housing and that is what we must address. The housing action plan will do that. For those who are new to the House, we used the same process to address...

Seanad: Poverty and Homelessness: Motion (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: They have been reformed. I am not here to argue with anybody. I accept that what has been done is not enough.

Seanad: Poverty and Homelessness: Motion (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: We will try to do a lot more. Reference was made earlier to the local authorities being allowed to operate a one-stage system. Such a system is now in place in respect of spend of under €2 million on a development of 12 houses. We need to encourage councillors to utilise that process. If that system is not enough and it needs to be tweaked then we will tweak it. The previous...

Seanad: Poverty and Homelessness: Motion (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: If the Senator wishes me to do so I will but I do not intend to repeat what was said last night.

Seanad: Poverty and Homelessness: Motion (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: The amendment refers to rent certainty and calls for a doubling of housing provision. As I said earlier, we are unable to spend the funding currently available quick enough. I am unable to accept the amendment. The Government has an issue with linking rent to the consumer price index. We addressed that issue last night. The Government does not believe that proposal would bring the...

Seanad: Poverty and Homelessness: Motion (15 Jun 2016)

Damien English: Sinn Féin needs to work with us. If the Senator would rather push the amendment to a vote that is up to him. I would rather we utilise the time available to us in the next month or six weeks to work together on our proposals and actions such that we can put in place a plan that will resolve the problem once and for all.