Results 18,801-18,820 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton
- Order of Business (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that Private Members’ business which shall be No. 65 – Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) Bill 2014 – Second Stage, shall be taken on the conclusion of Topical Issues and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after three hours. It is also...
- Order of Business (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: I understand this was agreed with the Whips. It is usual that we would make time available for Deputies to return to their constituencies ahead of a referendum of this nature. It is an important decision that people are making and it is not unprecedented to provide time for Deputies to be in their constituencies. Certainly, my Department has legislation which we are only too pleased to...
- Order of Business (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: I understand the Department of Justice and Equality is organising a reply to Deputy Ó Fearghaíl, which will be with him shortly. There is work going on regarding domestic violence and family court legislation. As the Deputy knows, the Department of Justice and Equality has a very full agenda of legislation but I am assured that work is ongoing on those matters. However, it is not...
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: The truth is that the Government has committed €4 billion to the development of the social housing programme. This was against a background when there was little money being set aside for this programme.
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: The Minister has set a target to reduce by 2017 the number of people on the housing list by 25%. There is a clear commitment in this area. As Deputy Wallace has said, there is already a commitment to commence 100 projects. There are 350 social housing projects currently under construction. In addition, NAMA has made units available to local authorities. There is a concerted programme...
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: A range of initiatives are being implemented on a systematic basis under the direction of the Cabinet committee on housing and construction. Real progress is being made here. I acknowledge there are real difficulties in this sector, but the commitment is there and we are seeing the projects start. We are seeing concerted action to remove bottlenecks that have stood in the way of progress...
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: My understanding is that each local authority has been asked to submit plans. Dublin City Council has submitted plans for individual sites and for individual social housing projects. These will be approved in accordance with the usual procedures. The council blocked some of the proposals, as is its right. However, the new social housing strategy developed by the Minister, Deputy Kelly,...
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: There is no doubt that there has been a very high reliance on the private rented sector in recent years for dealing with social housing needs. The Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, has changed that direction and his commitment is to build 35,000 social housing units-----
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: -----by housing associations and by the city councils. That is a reversal of the trend and it will meet a need in the market. Private rented accommodation will remain a part of the policy. The Government is developing the housing assistance payment which will be available as a better transition-----
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: -----for people who are dependent on rent supplement to allow them go back to work and continue to receive rent support. In addition, the Minister has sought from the local authorities sites where there is the prospect for immediate housing by the private sector which will carry with it a certain percentage of social housing. The Minister is developing a multi-pronged approach to addressing...
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: There has been a bottleneck in housing supply, in particular in the Dublin area. However, a series of initiatives are being put in place to break the bottleneck. I am confident that these will have an impact over the coming year and beyond.
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: I completely reject the idea that there is a two-tier recovery.
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: What is encouraging about this recovery is that we have 90,000 extra at work and every region of the country has enjoyed growth in employment.
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: Virtually every sector is enjoying growth in employment. Contrary to what a lot of the House may think, Enterprise Ireland supported companies, that is, Irish export-oriented companies, created more jobs in the past 12 months than did overseas companies. Nearly 19,000 extra jobs were created in Irish enterprises last year. Indeed, the company to which Deputy Barry Cowen refers is one...
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: I will take no lectures from Deputy Cowen on the managing of our regional recovery. When he was in government-----
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: -----he built regional growth.
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: When Deputy Cowen's party was in government, it erected-----
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: They sought to develop regions on the basis of a construction sector. In Deputy Cowen's own county, he has seen a 60% collapse-----
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: -----in the construction sector. I have now established a regional enterprise strategy and I invited Deputy Cowen to come and attend with other stakeholders to see how we could develop the regions, and he did not turn up.
- Leaders' Questions (19 May 2015)
Richard Bruton: Let us be honest with ourselves. During the time that Fianna Fáil was in government-----