Results 14,561-14,580 of 26,971 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: We have made some changes already. This came up on Committee Stage at the joint committee and there was a good discussion around it. I brought in an amendment on Report Stage. I believe the LDA can add value here. The Government and I have always completely supported the provision of Traveller accommodation. I have always done so right through and I feel strongly about it. This year we...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There is a Government commitment to ending direct provision and we will do this. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and others have been involved in the publication of the White Paper in this regard. I have been heavily involved, as has the Minister, Deputy McEntee, on the justice side, because we want to and will bring an end to direct provision. I have had discussions with the Minister and...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will just deal with the amendments before me. To remind Senators, we are seeking to use land that is lying idle right now. We talk about new communities or regeneration but we are not excluding anyone. Some of these are old industrial units or old hospitals, such as the site in Dundrum. In many instances, it is about creating new communities. The amendments tabled, specifically Nos. 9,...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will deal with the amendments shortly but if anything, having an agency that will ensure that State land comes out and into the market, for want of a better term, that in itself could have a very significantly positive effect with regard to land price and cost, etc., because we will be activating lands for use. We reckon that we have enough zoned and serviced State land to deliver about...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank both Senators for their contributions. The subsection as currently drafted states that one of the purposes of the legislation is to promote best practice in housing development. This amendment would go further and Senator Casey has dealt with it very well there. The LDA will promote best practice in housing development and in line with this provision will use innovation and...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for the amendments and the contributions they have made. I will not detain the House any longer than I have to on these amendments other than to state I cannot accept amendments Nos. 20 and 77 to 81, inclusive. I wish to explain some of the rationale that has been addressed as part of the discussion. Amendment No. 20 seeks to amend section 4, which provides definitions...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There are 268 acres in Malahide Castle. I wonder why that land is not covered in the amendment because obviously, we want to build on that too. This amendment was not moved with as much gusto in the Dáil by the acting spokesperson, Deputy Duncan Smith. Even Deputy Smith understood the purpose of this amendment. If one was ever to look at creating an issue out of a non-issue, this is...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I banned co-living.

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for their contributions. Many different points were raised, all of which are valid. With regard to plans for local authorities and what their SPCs do, I have always been at pains to say that I firmly believe in rebalancing the power between local elected members and the executive in local authorities. We need to empower our councillors and we are certainly trying to do...

Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021: From the Seanad (Resumed) (8 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: These are all Government amendments. Are we talking about amendments Nos. 4, 6, 9 and 13?

Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021: From the Seanad (Resumed) (8 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will go through those amendments briefly because it is important that people know about these changes. Amendment No. 4 inserts a new section 6 into the Bill, amending section 20 of the 2004 Act. It provides that, generally, rent reviews are allowed to occur no more frequently than annually in a rent pressure zone, RPZ, or biennially outside RPZs. However, a rent review is allowed during...

Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021: From the Seanad (8 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: We addressed it in the affordable housing Bill.

Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021: From the Seanad (8 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Buckley for his amendment. I have addressed the Government amendments I have brought forward but I want to deal with a number of the questions that have been asked. The issue of Carrigaline has been brought to my attention by the Deputy, by my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, and by others. We will have an opportunity to deal...

Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021: From the Seanad (8 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: If I may, I will deal with all of the Seanad amendments together, as they all relate to changing rent pressure zone, RPZ, restrictions. I am grateful for the opportunity to return to the House with the Bill, as amended by the Seanad. There have been 13 amendments to the Bill since it was passed in the Dáil. Some are substantial and others are technical. I will run through them very...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá an t-am beagnach istigh. I will provide a briefing note via the committee and let its members discuss it. Through its Chair, we can then see if further briefings-----

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy seems like he is on it.

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Exactly, and should be a full member. I would have voted for him. We will make sure that he gets a special briefing. Deputies Fitzmaurice and Cian O'Callaghan went to the trouble of tabling these amendments, so I will be brief. We know what the amendments propose to do, but I can confirm that they are not necessary, as their underlying intent is already contained within section 12,...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: On Deputy Boyd Barrett's point, there will be exceptions and exemptions for people. We discussed the affordable housing scheme. It will allow someone who may have gone through a marriage break-up or divorce and has not previously owned or have a financial interest in a property to apply. Someone who has gone through the personal insolvency process during the last crash and does not own a...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputies for tabling their amendments. This Bill will increase supply. We all want supply increased. I did not mean to interrupt Deputy O'Callaghan but I want to be clear that this is not about tipping any balance in favour of anyone else. It is about young and not so young people, and individuals and families being able to buy a home. We know this, so let us be clear. I...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: You are conflating matters and it is irresponsible in the extreme.