Results 801-820 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Leaders' Questions (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Deputy Adams would know all about doing lotto numbers.

Leaders' Questions (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Deputy’s strategy for the health service is all rhetoric.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I understand that this project comprising a cycleway proposal as well as flood alleviation works to address higher tides and sea levels was originally approved by An Bord Pleanála in 2011 under section 226 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, relating to foreshore developments. Dublin City Council subsequently made some alterations to the cycleway aspects of their...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended, regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. The Act applies to every...

1916 Quarter Development Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (15 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the House and Deputy Ó Cuív for being afforded the opportunity to speak on the 1916 Quarter Development Bill 2015. At the outset and while Deputy Browne is here, I must state that, as a Waterford man, I cannot concede that the Irish tricolour was first flown in Wexford. I think it is well known that Thomas Francis Meagher, the great American, Irish and Waterford patriot,...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral Reform Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Senators spoke on wider issues around the Bill, and I would appreciate some latitude in making my response.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral Reform Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank Senator Crown for tabling the Bill and acknowledge the contribution he has made in general to this House. I regret to hear that he may not be standing for election, but that is everybody's personal decision. I would say, before I address section 1 in detail, that the Government will be opposing this Bill, and I will outline why. I appreciate that the Bill before us specifically...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (15 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Section 20 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 provided that a review of rent may not take place more than once in any period of 12 months or in the first 12 months of the tenancy. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015, which was enacted on 4 December 2015, amends Section 20 to provide that rent reviews can only take place every 24 months rather than every 12 months. This amendment...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Issues (15 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department has sought legal advice on how best to deal with the foreshore issues arising at the area in question. This advice, when received and considered, will assist my Department in identifying the appropriate next steps.

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (10 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, who, as we know, is out of the country. I wish to be associated with the comments of Deputy Cowen on how we should empathise with all those who have been seriously affected by the recent flooding and past flooding. We have seen footage of flooding that has affected homes,...

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (10 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I reiterate that there has to be a cross-government response involving the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, the OPW, the Department of Social Protection in so far as it supports families who are directly affected, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, all the agencies that come under the...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (10 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Next Wednesday.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (10 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank all of the Deputies who have made valuable contributions irrespective of their viewpoints. Some we might agree with and some we do not, but we value them. The debate was a wide-ranging one covering planning issues relating specifically to the Bill and extending to housing-related matters, which the Bill is intended to address by increasing supply and addressing the viability of...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (10 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I did not think the Deputy would.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (10 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: On a point of order, the Deputy may be referring to the Bill scheduled for next week. The Bill before us relates to apartment guidelines.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (10 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to have the opportunity to introduce Second Stage of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015 to the Dáil. It was introduced in the Seanad last week, where general support was expressed for its main provisions and purpose. The primary background to the Bill is the Government's recently approved package of...

Other Questions: Rental Accommodation Scheme Eligibility (10 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. The rental accommodation scheme, RAS, is a social housing scheme which has two key objectives, namely, the elimination of dependence on rent supplement by persons assessed as being qualified for and in need of social housing support, and the enhancement of the position of local authorities to respond to social housing need. As such, RAS...

Other Questions: Rental Accommodation Scheme Eligibility (10 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: All of us are working towards trying to keep people in their homes. Threshold and other agencies have a tenancy sustainment protocol which provides that, irrespective of a person's circumstances, he or she cannot be evicted at the whim of a landlord or as a result of a rent increase. As the Deputy will be aware, the recent package of rent measures we introduced brings an element of...

Other Questions: Rental Accommodation Scheme Eligibility (10 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: While I appreciate it is not in place in the Deputy's area, it is being rolled out in tranches of six or seven local authorities at a time. It will be a nationwide scheme once it has been rolled out to the remaining local authorities. The rent supplement is essentially a short-term payment for people who need it. It was never intended to be a long-term support. The Deputy dismisses the...

Other Questions: Rental Accommodation Scheme Eligibility (10 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The housing authorities, namely, local councils, have a number of options available to them in terms of housing people under threat of homelessness. The Minister and I have both made direct interventions to provide additional funding to local authorities which have been presented with such cases.