Results 7,121-7,140 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The trends are important, yes. The overall trend in Dublin for families is that the numbers of presentations is down two months in a row. This is the first time this has happened in three years and this is important. When we look back to the high numbers in March, the number of people living in hotels is also down about 20%. Again, this is an important trend. The trend in numbers...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I too want to see the optimum delivery of social and affordable housing as quickly as possible from all large strategic housing sites. In respect of local authority sites, their development, including tenure mix, is in the first instance a matter for each council and its elected members. The Government has put in place more than €6 billion in multi-annual funding for social...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The Deputy made reference to the Clonburris strategic development zone. The Deputy is aware that on 15 December 2015, the lands were designated as SDZ and that South Dublin County Council has prepared a draft planning scheme. This consists of a written statement around the plans indicating the type and extent of development to be permitted in the Clonburris SDZ, together with proposals...

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The provision of quality accommodation and related services for homeless persons is a key priority.  My Department is currently working with housing authorities to ensure that homeless services are delivered to an appropriately professional and high standard by service providers, and in accordance with service level agreements. In order to support quality...

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: We have to look at the trends on what is happening with homeless families and individuals.

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I would like to answer without being interrupted. The percentage reduction in the number of homeless families in Dublin between July and September was 3.4%. This compares with a cumulative increase of 3.2% in the three months to June and compares with the three months of July to September last year, when there was also a cumulative increase of 2.1%. We have had more families in Dublin...

Other Questions: Private Rented Accommodation (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The recent correspondence to local authorities did not instruct them to do that. It clarified the position arrived at as a result of recent planning permissions and our recent history and informed them of some of the work that is ongoing. I am in favour of home-sharing, but home-sharing must mean home-sharing. It is a very important part of our economy at present and helps people to meet...

Other Questions: Private Rented Accommodation (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: In so far as the circular is concerned, regarding individuals applying for changes of use for short-term letting in existing single apartments or individuals applying in respect of non-exempt houses, what we have sought to do in the circular is to give guidance to local authorities, in light of decisions that were made by An Bord Pleanála, as to what may be relevant for them in making an...

Other Questions: Housing Provision (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department has examined housing affordability in consultation with the Housing Agency, local authorities and other stakeholders as part of the targeted review of Rebuilding Ireland. The review is now at an advanced stage and I expect to be in a position to announce details of the outcome, including any additional measures, in the coming weeks. All local authorities have been requested...

Other Questions: Housing Provision (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I welcome the Deputy's contribution. He is correct to talk about a multiplicity of housing bodies in this country. We have hundreds of them. They operate at different tiers - tiers 1, 2 and 3 - tier 3 comprising the housing bodies that operate at a significant scale, that is, at the kind of scale we would like to see, although we would like them to do more, as housing bodies in other...

Other Questions: Housing Provision (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Again, I agree with the Deputy. I will talk about some of the timelines we have had in place and how we are changing them. We had the eight-stage approval process, which has changed to a four-stage process. 7 o’clock We are currently working to assess whether we can put in deadlines within each of those stages so people can be clear as to exactly how long procurement should take...

Other Questions: Private Rented Accommodation (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Under action 18 of the strategy for the rental sector, my Department has established a working group, including major public stakeholders with a policy interest in short-term letting, to develop guidance in respect of planning applications for and changes of use of short-term lettings and to examine the need for new regulatory arrangements.   The proposals...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homelessness Strategy (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: To clarify, nationally the number of families accessing emergency accommodation services is up, with 89 presentations in September nationally, but the overall trend is also downward. The rate of increase between July and September of 1.8% nationally is much lower than the average for the previous three months, 4.8%, and the similar period last year. This year, every working day of the week,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: It is important to note that in approximately four cases no violations were found. That is in the correspondence. I will not repeat what those were but in terms of the timelines and in so far as our response is concerned, my Department is in the process of drafting it in conjunction with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A written response will be made available by 21 November....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: It is important to note that these are legacy issues. The case was taken in 2014 and in the period since then, a huge amount of money has been invested and will continue to be invested by local authorities to make sure they are retrofitting stock and bringing stock up to the proper standards. All Deputies get representations from our constituents who live in social housing as to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homelessness Strategy (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Budget 2018 provides for an allocation of €116 million for homeless services, which is an additional €18 million, or 18%, on this year's provision of roughly €98 million, and a 66% increase on the 2016 provision of €70 million. The long-term solution to the current homelessness challenge is to increase the supply of homes. Accordingly, the Rebuilding Ireland...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homelessness Strategy (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I advise the Deputy that we released the homeless figures for September earlier this evening. In Dublin, for the second month in a row, and this is the first time this has happened in three years, we are exiting more families into secure and sustainable homes than are entering our emergency accommodation services.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homelessness Strategy (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: That is the truth.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homelessness Strategy (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: That is exactly the truth. For the first time in three years, and for two months in a row, we are exiting more families into secure accommodation than are entering our emergency accommodation.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homelessness Strategy (26 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: That is the case for August and September. This is welcome progress. I know it is too slow and that we need to do more. The Government recognises that, and that is why we have increased our funding for homelessness services next year. We have also increased our HAP supports for next year, as committed to in the budget for 2018. There are still 690 families in hotels. Any one family in a...