Results 6,401-6,420 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Impact of Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the Minister and agree with the statements he made in his address to the committee. It is a measure of their efforts that the Government, officials and civil servants have been successful in ensuring the Irish case has been heard loud and clear in the European Union. It is extremely valuable to us and welcome that there is full support across the European Union for the...

Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: What about the questions we raised?

Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am speaking in my capacity as Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport. I could not be here last week. The committee's approach has been to work with the Minister, the Department and all the parties and Independents who attended our meetings. Our whole objective was to get the best deal for the residents and to make sure the regulator was properly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I would like to comment on some of the points made. I agree that we are in a significant housing crisis, the worst in the history of this State. I acknowledge and appreciate fully the points that have been made but it is important to point out that a number of actions have been taken to protect tenants. The HAP initiative has been very successful in ensuring tenants are able to pay their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am not suggesting that the sponsors have all the answers. If we can get those facts, we can-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: People are evicted. There is no doubt about that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: How do we define eviction? That is my other question. I am not being rude. I am just trying to be helpful. I am looking at the terminology.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: What if the tenant was not paying rent? It is more complex than black and white.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: On that very point, if I am not paying my rent, I should be doing so. If a tenant is not paying his or her rent and is making no reasonable effort to do so, why should he or she be able to stay in the house?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: They should not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I think I have made my point clear and we agree. I do not think anyone should be evicted from his or her home right now. There should be a moratorium. I am referring to tenants who are paying the rent and are not antisocial. That is another major issue. I have heard of people causing untold havoc in estates, private and public, with terrible antisocial behaviour. Sometimes that is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will come back to this question if Deputy Barry wants.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I know that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: Please do not leave yet.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: If somebody is not paying his or her rent, and if he or she is antisocial, they should not have that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: There would have to be clarity. Yes, that is correct. There would have to be a way to benchmark in the RTB or somebody on that body.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: They definitely have.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is not a problem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure and Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 and Anti-Evictions Bill 2018: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: How many houses were built during Deputy Jan O'Sullivan's time as Minister of State? That is the question.