Results 8,921-8,940 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: For example, all local authorities prioritise homelessness.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: It depends on how lists are operated but, as I understand it, there is a scheme of house letting priority. As I understand it, there is a scheme of housing letting priority-----

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I find the language used by the Deputy particularly objectionable, but I will deal with the issues raised. As I have no intention of licking wounds or slithering anywhere, I hope she will use slightly more understanding language in respect of what we do here. This is a serious forum in which we make law.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The word "arrogant" is often used, but I suggest the Deputy be careful, as she is new. I would not use such language if I was her. Let me read the amendment because there has been a total over-reaction to what the legislation contains. What Deputies Barry Cowen, Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Dessie Ellis are seeking to do is change the wording as follows. Section 35 states "the...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have heard Dublin Deputies say enforcement in parts of Dublin is very good. I accept that it might not be in all parts of the city, but the regulations were enforced in many areas in which substandard accommodation was provided for private tenants. I am sure we could provide more resources and funding, but it is happening. Let us get real about what is actually included in this section....

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: That is not included in the amendment which states it should not be regarded as an appropriate form of social housing support. If we were to take this out, it would fundamentally undermine the purpose of the HAP scheme, one of the core objectives of which is to bring all social housing supports, of which HAP is one, under the umbrella of local government. This will enable the State to...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy is fixated on lists, but many of those in receipt of rent supplement about which he is talking have been on housing waiting lists for ten years or more. What we want to do is ensure people can have access to a local authority house. I am not, therefore, trying to massage figures, rather I am trying to introduce a system that will be more coherent for those who need social housing...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: We got three seats there.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have absolutely no reason to believe the Economic Management Council has, at any time, stated anything about the capital receipts of local authorities.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have no reason to believe the Economic Management Council has, at any time, deliberated on, stated anything about or made any decision on the capital receipts of local authorities. I have no reason to believe the Deputy's fears are in any way grounded in reality.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have already responded to it.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A wide range of issues has been raised on this section. Deputy Boyd Barrett mentioned loans to build. Rural Deputies have suggested this, particularly where people have land on which they wish to build. In regard to the issue raised by Deputy Ellis, on Committee Stage I undertook to come back on the issue of the sale of maisonettes. Part IV of the 2009 Act included provision for a scheme...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The complex must have at least five units. I do not know whether we can look to see if there is a way around this. It has to do with common areas and the need for estate management, in compliance with the judgment of the Law Reform Commission. Perhaps we can come back to that later. I am satisfied that the issues raised in amendments Nos. 16 and 17 are dealt with already in legislation....

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I forgot to respond on that, but thought it was a provocative question.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The issue we have just been discussing would not in any way be solved by the amendment, which provides only that the money that comes in from the sale of a house under Part 3 shall be retained by the local authority for the specific purpose of providing further accommodation. It is a limited amount of money and not the kind of funding needed to address the entire social housing need....

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: How would I do that? I would love to know how. Perhaps Deputy Broughan can tell me.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: If we do not reach the targets, there will be all sorts of consequences. Others raised the general issue so I wanted to refer to it. With regard to the specific amendments, there are some different points in the third of the three amendments. With regard to the first two, I said on Committee Stage that they duplicate an existing enactment in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009....

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is a matter for each local authority in the context of the availability of its own resources from rental income and receipts from the sale of dwellings under the tenant purchase schemes to maintain their stock and ensure houses are made available. They also have had delegated sanction to use their internal capital receipts for housing purposes since 1 January 2007, subject to terms and...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Perhaps they might raise the issue at local level. Some councils are better at this than others. They do not have many vacancies and turn over houses over quickly. Other councils are not so good in this regard, which is why I brought in all of the directors of housing a few weeks ago. I acknowledge that they do not like many diktats from the Custom House, but the primary responsibility...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A parliamentary question was tabled to establish the average time it took to reallocate houses and there are major disparities around the country. I cannot recall who tabled the question.