Results 1-20 of 6,336 for speaker:Ruth Coppinger

National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 May 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: I thank the people of Dublin West for returning me to the Dáil to represent them, particularly the activists in the Anti-Austerity Alliance and the Socialist Party who worked so hard to have a representative in the House to bring forward some of the key concerns facing ordinary working people in Dublin West. That is the reason I have chosen to speak on this Bill today. There are many...

Order of Business (10 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: No. Can I have a minute to explain why we oppose the proposal?

Order of Business (10 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: We disagree with the proposal because 45 minutes is a derisory amount of time to give to such an issue. That is a minute for every year of abuse that took place. This issue is causing huge anger around the country. Major issues are at stake and major questions must be asked, including why this happened. Why did a weak, poverty-ridden capitalist State lean on the Catholic Church for...

Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (10 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: I would like to divide my time between the past and the present in respect of how mothers and babies are treated. I fully support a full investigation, which must deal with all of the homes, with all records handed over. Major issues are at stake and I wonder whether the Government and the Fianna Fáil benches will take some time to think about these issues. How did it happen that...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: I support the amendment. I think it would be embarrassing if the Government did not accept this, which simply requests a facility for people to have an advocate. Some 24% of the people in my constituency are of non-Irish origin and a huge number of people on housing waiting lists are of non-Irish origin. These people have severe difficulties with language and also with accessing the...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: I hope the Minister of State will accept this amendment because if the Government and the local authorities are not able to deal with this issue, then they do not have a hope of dealing with the housing crisis, given we are talking about houses that are existing, vacant and in public ownership. In the case of every single person on the housing list, the first thing they raise with any...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: If the money is available to local authorities from the Department, what is the problem in having a timeline for its use? That is the key issue. This sends the wrong message if the Government is not willing to state contracts will go to tender within one month, for example. Timelines must be prescribed, otherwise there will be no change.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: 6 o’clock How anyone could say this makes economic sense is beyond me. The only thing that makes sense is that it constitutes further capitulation to landlords who have close connections with Fine Gael and now it seems the Labour Party. The Minister for Social Protection today announced rent payments would be increased on a case by case basis; therefore, people will still have...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: I wish to support the amendment. If we are moving in this direction, we might as well have a one-stop shop where people who require housing can go. I agree with previous speakers. This is the biggest issue taking up my time as a public representative and it is sapping the energy of all of us. The heartbreak that we are dealing with on a daily basis is appalling. Some of our staff need...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: Last night there was a public meeting on this issue in Blanchardstown and 100% of those attending were women, many of whom had children. We might as well make life somewhat easier for them. There should be one place for them to go, and if they are to be shoved into private accommodation, the council should have the responsibility of at least sourcing it for them. I will give one example to...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: It does not say that.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: The Minister of State would be well advised to accept the amendment. The idea of a review might be a handy way to get her off the hook because there is no question that the housing assistance payment or HAP scheme will not work. This might be a good way for it to be reviewed in six months and then quietly ditched. I will not labour the points that others have made, but the private...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: It is a transfer list.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: I have just emerged from 11 years as a councillor and am au faitwith the transfer and housing situation. Before one can even think of applying for a transfer one has to be in a house for two years. The reasons for the transfer would have to be serious anti-social behaviour, violence, overcrowding or some major health issue. One does not have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting a...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: This section of the Bill is totally Dickensian. The implication is that if one is poor, some kind of a stick is needed to get one to pay up. As we know, the same does not apply to the wealthy. I noted at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government today that it appears a mandatory direct deduction facility is being introduced for HAP as well and not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Current Housing Demand: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: It is rather shocking that there is a continued reliance on the private sector to supply housing need. Not only that, it would seem there is an increased shift to the private sector. My question is how it can be considered value for money for the taxpayer that €344 million was paid out, and more the previous year given it was cut last year, rather than using that money to build...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and Criminal Justice (Amendment ) Act 1998: Motions (19 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: I wish to register the Socialist Party's opposition to the renewal of this Act, which was introduced following the Omagh atrocity. The Socialist Party in the North opposed and continues to oppose the cancer of sectarianism. Our efforts against sectarianism include building trade union responses to sectarianism. The basis for terrorism lies in the material, social and political conditions...

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: They will.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: There was not one Labour Party-----

Cooke Report: Statements (19 Jun 2014)

Ruth Coppinger: When this information first came to light several months ago, the Government's first reaction was to round on GSOC with the spurious excuse that it had not informed the Minister or proceeded in the correct manner. We are seeing more of this attitude today. The Taoiseach stood over the criticism of GSOC, and even though it was the perceived victim, he managed to turn it into the culprit....