Results 4,981-5,000 of 7,604 for speaker:James Bannon

Seanad: Health Service Staff. (29 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: I am disappointed that they will not get funding in the immediate future.

Seanad: Health Service Staff. (29 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: What kind of response is that?

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for introducing this Bill. Fine Gael supports his efforts in principle but with some reservations. The Bill has implications for stealth taxes and reductions in local authority funding, hallmarks of this Government for the last nine years. We have concerns about the legislation and about local government in general. I hope, however,...

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: Inevitably, political leadership will be needed if the plans envisaged in the Bill are to work. They will not just happen. In planning for the plebiscites, I would be eager to hear the Minister of State's views on this challenge for both local authority members and business leaders.

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: In conclusion,——

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: ——there are hard questions to be asked.

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: The Bill is mostly fine on paper and essentially has my party's support, but much more needs to be done once this legislation is passed before a BID can become a reality.

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: So am I.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: I should like the Leader to invite the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the House for a debate on Ireland's drop in domestic competitiveness as a result of high business costs imposed by the Government. We must end the process by reducing the costs of business through the process of taxation by stealth. Rising costs are having a serious impact on businesses, particular small...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: It has happened more than once.

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber to discuss this very important Bill. I thank those who helped to produce the Bill, especially Senator Coghlan, who has put so much time and effort into drawing it up. The practice of stage payments, which has resulted in this Bill that is before us for a second time, is a form of legalised extortion. It represents nothing more than a pushing out...

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: I am talking about the latest statistics available. Some 100,000 individuals are still waiting for a local authority house and only 3,723 social housing units were built in the 12 months to September 2005——

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: ——despite the NESC estimate that 10,000 units are needed annually. The Government is not performing. The Minister of State is contradicting me because truth hurts.

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: Despite a Government promise to assist the voluntary housing sector so that the target of 4,000 accommodation units per annum envisaged under the national development plan can be reached, only 1,512 voluntary housing units were completed in the 12 months to September 2005.

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: There are still enough homeless people in Ireland to fill the Point Depot twice over. If the Minister of State walks out of this building any night he will see people sleeping in doorways within 200 m of this House.

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: I am certainly speaking to the Bill. I need to give facts and the Minister does not like to hear facts. The practice of paying for new homes by stage payments is not a countrywide one. It has been isolated to Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Galway, Mayo and Sligo.

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: There is evidence that the practice is spreading, in particular to County Kildare. It has resulted in some homeowners in these areas paying an extra €7,000 for the price of their new home. Regardless of the counties affected, the practice is totally unacceptable. The Bill aims to address a serious loophole in the law which leaves consumers at a distinct disadvantage when purchasing houses...

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: More than two years ago, a report by Peelo and Partners showed that consumers are paying an extra €175 million per annum as a result of this outrageous anti-consumer practice that involves house buyers making mortgage repayments long before they get possession of their homes. This Private Members' Bill has received widespread support from across the political spectrum in the Seanad and from...

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: In addition to this Bill we published two other Bills, which the Government also unnecessarily blocked. Our Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2004 was designed to end the scourge of unfinished housing estates by ensuring that any developer, who did not live up to the responsibilities of the planning permission granted for a previous development, would not be granted permission for any...

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

James Bannon: We are glad that the Government has included measures in the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill. However, we will implement our Bill if it emerges that the Bill, when signed into law, does not have the desired effect in this area. Our Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2006 allows for the regulation of management companies and their agents in the face of reports that...