Results 14,041-14,060 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I understand that this Bill will go to parliamentary legislative scrutiny this month. I presume those issues will be addressed in the Bill.

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Brendan Ryan brought a similar case to my notice and I am arranging for it to be investigated. It may be due to a gap in the legislation, which would require reform. I am sympathetic to the point Deputy Brassil made and we will examine it to see whether we can find a resolution. Perhaps he will give me the details of the case.

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: Yes.

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I understand the Bill is due on Report Stage in the week commencing 21 March. It is priority.

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy said, the Bill was passed by the House and the Minister will consider how the sector can be regulated. I do not have information on the progress that has been made but no doubt there are tricky issues to be addressed. I am sure the Minister will examine Fianna Fáil’s proposals, and Owen Keegan's proposals, to try to find some practical resolution.

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am sure the Government is committed to involving the community and voluntary sector in the evolution of policy in the area. As the Deputy is aware, we do have cross-cutting initiatives in rural and regional development under the remit of the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys. Undoubtedly, where they touch on those issues I am sure she will play a co-ordinating role. I do not have an...

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I understand that it is on the priority list, but I will have to get details for the Deputy of what work is necessary to complete it.

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Howlin raised this question, but perhaps that was before Deputy Boyd Barrett was present. I outlined some of the initiatives that the Government was taking to bring homes back into use, including supporting properties in being repaired for social housing use, the purchase of unoccupied homes by the Housing Agency and the restoration of voids. A detailed survey of vacant homes is to...

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: We need to see the proper data, but the Minister has a series of initiatives to address the issue. If there is scope for new initiatives, we will assess the views of the Simon Communities.

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I understand that the work is ongoing in the Department of Justice and Equality, but I do not have a specific date for its introduction.

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Government has introduced significant changes in this regard. Just this week, we implemented a reduction in prescription charges for persons aged over 70. Some months ago, we introduced rent caps to protect tenants living in areas with high rental costs. We have an action plan on insurance costs which the Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, is pursuing and which will help to bring...

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: We have invested €1.5 billion in our health services, €900 million of that in the past 12 months. This has involved the recruitment of 9,000 extra people in the public service, most of them across medical, nursing and related areas. Notwithstanding that investment, there are continuing pressures on the recruitment of nurses, especially in particular skill areas. The nurses are...

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Daly for her questions. We have an inquiry in place that is looking at the most serious issues involving Garda management. I do not propose to comment on the validity or otherwise of the allegations being made. Mr. Justice Charleton has been very clear that this inquiry is not about taking sides, rather it is about getting to the truth. On completion of his work, Mr....

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: To be fair, there has been a huge amount of legislation in this area, no doubt partly in response to issues that have been raised by Deputies Daly and Wallace and by others. There is change occurring. We did not have an independent Policing Authority before. The effectiveness of the authority can be seen already in terms of gardaí being publicly held to account for their work. We have...

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Government firmly believes this issue must be addressed. The housing strategy, which is barely six months old, is a major priority. The Government has provided €5.5 billion in investment for housing and given a commitment to 47,000 social homes in the next five years. A range of initiatives is under way across the housing sector, including those to which the Deputy specifically...

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: While we would all like more houses to be built, it is encouraging to note that statistics on housing starts show they increased by 50% in 2015. There is clear evidence that the number of planning permissions has increased, as has the number of works commencing on site, both for social and private housing. However, we must accelerate progress in this area. No one in government denies that...

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that the work on a register of vacant units is under way and at an advanced stage and the register will be available within weeks. This will mean that a much better database will be available. As Deputy Howlin noted, the Simon Community has found a very high vacancy rate. This was not unknown to those other than the Simon Community. The vacancy rate is 13% but it is...

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: By no means are we involved in a race to the bottom. There has been an 11% increase in employment, which means that 200,000 people are back at work and 200,000 extra pay packages are going into family homes. Those pay packages are larger than they were in 2011. Not only have we more jobs, but also higher wages. That is because of the successful policy implemented by this and the pervious...

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: This Government is about rebuilding our public services. The reason we are able to do that is because, in the past 12 months alone, we have seen 65,000 extra people back at work. That has provided €1 billion in additional resources for this House to allocate to public services. We are doing that. In less than two weeks, 800,000 people will get a social welfare increase for the...

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that I am at one with him on the need to provide a protected resource, but it has to be within a whole-school policy. The whole school has to be committed to supporting well-being. We have to have measures that show that the school has the proper culture, the proper policies, that it builds relationships with the pupils that are robust, and that the curricular content is...