Results 1,641-1,660 of 4,672 for speaker:Dessie Ellis

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: We have been discussing the serious shortfall in funding for local authorities, which is all well and good. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has always considered regeneration projects and the Minister of State referred to the use of some of the proceeds from the vacant site levy for regeneration and other purposes. Will funding for other Departments be...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 28:In page 16, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following:“(c) on any local authority owned land in the area on the development of social housing.”.The Minister has outlined where the proceeds of the vacant site levy will go. The legislation provides for a number of areas where it can be used, but we believe this money should solely be used for social...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 18:In page 12, line 1, to delete "with 2018" and substitute "with 2017".

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 19:In page 12, line 7, to delete "in 2019" and substitute "in 2018".

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 20:In page 12, line 16, to delete "Subject to subsection (2),".This relates to the amount of the levy. I will let Deputy Wallace take it.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: No.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 14:In page 9, to delete lines 20 and 21.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 15:In page 9, line 33, to delete “1 June 2018” and substitute “1 June 2017”.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 16:In page 9, line 35, to delete “1 January 2018” and substitute “1 January 2017”.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 17:In page 11, lines 34 to 38, to delete all words from and including “where—” in line 34 down to and including line 38 and substitute the following: “no market exists for the site.”.Contaminated sites should be levied. If a site is not usable, then a developer should not just be sitting on it, hoping that someone will take it off their...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I have seen many sites over the years in which houses were even built on the sites of dumps. They have changed in value and with modern technology an amazing number of things can be done with certain sites. We have had sites where asbestos was dumped, but it was removed and the land was made available again. We must be careful not to exclude sites that could be very valuable and could be...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 12:In page 8, line 33, to delete "with 2018" and substitute "with 2017".

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: My amendment is an attempt to stop developers or other people delaying or stalling through an appeals mechanism. On the face of it, that seems a tricky route as there are so many ways in which people can argue their case. The process must be much more straightforward. Allowing people to appeal is to give them time and leverage for delaying a process. We should employ the levy and then...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I support the amendment. I agree with Deputy Wallace that there should be an onus on owners to register sites. Such an onus will entail recording what a site is used for and whether it is vacant or used for some activity. It is a sensible thing to do.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I do not see any reason why owners could not be asked to register. Local authorities could examine such registrations and decide whether it is appropriate to take action depending on replies. There would be a mechanism in place to check what was registered and whether the information was correct. I do not see the logic in the Minister of State's argument. Other people have to register for...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 10:In page 7, to delete lines 26 to 37.I am happy to allow Deputy Wallace deal with this amendment.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: It might be a problem for the local authorities to deal with these issues in a particular period, but because we have such a severe housing crisis, and this measure could leverage many more properties and much more action in terms of housing, what is being asked in this amendment is reasonable.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 9:In page 7, line 17, to delete "1 January 2017" and substitute "1 January 2016".The amendments are about the time factor in terms of the register of vacant sites. I do not know why we have to wait until January 2017 and, as such, we have put down a series of amendments to change the provision to 2016. I do not know the purpose of waiting so long. This has been a...

Order of Business (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, has repeatedly said he will introduce urgent legislation to bring about rent certainty. When will that happen? Will it come under the auspices of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004? It is a really urgent issue.

Order of Business (8 Jul 2015)

Dessie Ellis: Is there a date?