Results 1,741-1,760 of 3,478 for speaker:Emer Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank the witnesses for attending the committee and ask them to thank their teams because they are at the coal face of the housing crisis. We appreciate everything their teams do, especially the team in South Dublin County Council which helps me and my constituents on a daily basis but also Fingal County Council which provides a similar service in its community. It is great to welcome...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: I will comment on south Dublin this time and as I said, I will return to Fingal. I will start by acknowledging the positives because they are not necessarily always aired. South Dublin County Council residents have not been shy about coming forward for the first-home shared equity scheme and I understand a number of them have already received their certificates of eligibility. As of June...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: The Deputy's time is up. We might move on if that is okay?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: The time is well up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: The Fine Gael slot is next and there are then four members to come in on the following round, so we should have enough room for everybody to speak. I can allow the Deputy in after that if he wishes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: We have Sinn Féin up next. I call Deputy Gould.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: I will not be lenient because the next slot is my own. I will watch it and if I have extra time, Senator Cummins can use it to finish his questions. I want to ask a similar question to that asked by Deputy Gould around previous targets. Given the context we all know in terms of cost inflation, supply chain issues, and tender hesitancy as has been noted, will both councils meet their 2022...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: If not, does Mr. McLoughlin expect to hit them next year and therefore exceed next year's targets?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: Fantastic. I will ask Fingal about its housing delivery action plan because I concentrated on south Dublin earlier. Reference is made to 15,000 units with planning permission that are undeveloped, 3,000 of which are due to be under construction this year, leaving about 12,000. Ms Farrelly may not have the details to hand but does she know the ratio of apartments to homes in respect of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank Ms Farrelly. The Land Development Agency intends to deliver approximately 1,000 homes in Fingal. Can she talk me through how that will work? Is that the agency's land bank or is it a joint project? What are the practicalities of that project?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: To pick up on something about bats that South Dublin County Council's chief executive spoke about earlier, I think bats are breaking a lot of people's hearts in the county at the moment. I know the Chairman raised an interesting concept around it. The point Mr. McLoughlin outlined about Clonburris and having to go back again to the drawing board for more assessments sounds frustrating and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: We are out of time Deputy. Is that something that can be provided quickly? No, it cannot be provided.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: I call Deputy Lahart.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: The Deputy has come to the end of his time so-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: I apologise

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank Mr. McLoughlin and the teams for all they are doing in Citywest because it is incredible work. We have about three minutes if Senator Cummins would like to take the last slot.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: That is great. I would like to thank each of our witnesses for their participation in a really constructive meeting. I wish to convey on behalf of this committee our thanks to all of their staff and teams in both Fingal County Council and South Dublin County Councils and indeed to our own team in our Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This meeting is adjourned...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: Okay, super. And what is the position in Fingal?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: He cannot do so now as it is Senator Boyhan's time.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Oct 2022)

Emer Higgins: Housing is the biggest societal issue of my generation and every day I meet people who are struggling to pay their rent or losing hope of some day owning their own home. This week, I heard from many prospective first-time buyers and from people saving for a deposit, who are finally seeing light at the end at the tunnel. They are encouraged by the Central Bank's decision to relax lending...