Results 921-940 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Order of Business (2 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Deputy Martin is playing games.

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: We all know that.

Leaders' Questions (2 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Deputy should have known when he was in office.

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (Resumed) (2 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: This legislation is being introduced to provide more certainty until the supply of social and private housing increases. It is to intervene in a market that is totally dysfunctional and one in which we do not have enough houses to meet the demand. That is recognised. The social housing programme and Construction 2020 are ambitious programmes that will reap the benefits once construction...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (Resumed) (2 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I agree with Deputy Coppinger that it is more difficult to evict on the basis of rent increases. That is due to the protections in place and the recourse tenants have to the PRTB and the courts, if necessary. They have protective rights in legislation. I will deal first with amendment No. 1 to Seanad amendment No. 51 which places additional requirements on landlords who are selling...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (Resumed) (2 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Seanad amendment No. 49 is a technical amendment which clarifies that when terminating a Part 4 tenancy, a landlord must comply with both Parts 4 and 5 of the Act. The 2004 Act specifies the grounds on which a landlord may terminate a tenancy. A landlord may not serve a notice of termination on a tenant, except in very clearly defined circumstances such as a failure by the tenant to comply...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The published Bill provides that sections 19 to 22 and section 139 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 will not be applied to approved housing body tenancies. Approved housing bodies generally use a differential rent scheme as applied by local authorities to determine the rents of their dwellings. Under this system the amount of rent to be paid by a tenant is based on the income of the...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Several queries were raised about the core functions of approved housing bodies. Their core purpose is, essentially, the provision of social housing. Any agreements entered into are written into their articles of association to ensure that this will remain their function, namely, to provide social housing. Deputy Barry Cowen asked if the Government is not engaging with approved housing...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: This Bill extends the protection rights of tenants of approved housing bodies. In fact, it strengthens the law for tenants in that if there are any disputes over, say, unpaid rent or whatever, that they have the access to the Private Residential Tenancies Board, PRTB, to deal with them. Previously, that was not as clear and that is why these provisions have been introduced in this...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Deputies for raising these issues. When Government is drafting legislation, it takes advice from the Office of the Attorney General on the wording. I recognise Deputy Coppinger's attempt is a genuine one to strengthen tenancy protection in terms of who is qualified for social housing support, which the Deputy's amendment phrases as "having" qualified for social housing support....

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Deputies will agree that in the current economic environment there is a dysfunctional property and rental market. That is readily evident, and pressure on rent will continue until housing supply is increased. That includes the supply of both social and private housing. A substantial increase in supply and investment is needed, with the Housing Agency identifying the need for at least...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: They welcomed it previously but it is important to mention it in this debate.

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I do not agree with Deputy Daly's assertions against the PRTB. The figures speak for themselves and I have read them into the record. The board's adjudication times have improved in dispute resolution. The PRTB is an important agency in ensuring a fair and balanced dispute resolution process is in place. Another provision in the legislation permits the referral of disputes under the...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The main purpose of this group of amendments is to clarify the relationship between local authorities and approved housing bodies where dwellings are let by local authorities to AHBs and subsequently let by them to a social housing tenant. These provisions were included in the published Bill, but amendments Nos. 3 to 6, inclusive, redraft those provisions to make it clear that for the...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Deputy mentioned this in her earlier contribution. With regard to the Opposition amendments to amendments Nos. 4 and 5, the purpose of amendment No. 4 is to provide for the tenancy relationship between an AHB and a tenant who qualifies for social housing support where the dwelling let by the AHB to the tenant is owned by a local authority. Amendment No. 4 provides that, in those...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I did.

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I am following procedure.

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I wish to reply to some of the concerns Deputies have raised. I also wish to correct what Deputy Ruth Coppinger said. I did mention tenants as a very important element of the legislation. The reason the Government has introduced the Bill is to provide for a balanced approach and an integrated and appropriate set of changes to the sector designed to give rent certainty to the tenants...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I presume it is procedural, a Cheann Comhairle, but anyway we must work-----

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2012: From the Seanad (1 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: A Cheann Comhairle, I am working with the procedure that is of the House.