Results 121-140 of 6,179 for in 'Committee meetings' speaker:Catherine Murphy

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (30 May 2013)

Catherine Murphy: I am broadly supportive of what is being provided for, but I ask about the definition of approved housing bodies and whether voluntary housing associations will be included in that category? Some of them are dysfunctional. I can give the Minister of State an example of where tenants inappropriately ended up in court because the process had been mishandled. I am sure she is aware of some of...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (30 May 2013)

Catherine Murphy: Some of them are not disposed to taking on board anything that is of a voluntary nature. The tenants are not the problem; the people running the boards are the problem. I have come across situations where houses could not be insured. It would be a serious matter if we were to lose houses from the housing stock that could not be replaced because of this measure. The softly, softly approach...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (30 May 2013)

Catherine Murphy: There is no doubt that where there are rights, there ought to be responsibilities also. It is a question of finding a balance. I do not dispute the principle of the amendment, but I have some concerns about the responsibility of the State. As we know, there is a dual application process for rent assistance. If somebody out of work discovers he or she must put himself or herself on an...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (30 May 2013)

Catherine Murphy: The problem is that there is no provision for backdating. That is how some rent arrears will arise and there is no solution. The State is part of the problem in this regard.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (30 May 2013)

Catherine Murphy: One cannot apply for rent assistance until one gets on the waiting list, which may take three months. One must then apply for rent assistance, but it can take up to three months to receive it. It is only after this three month period that one qualifies for rent assistance. Therefore, the tenant may not have been able to pay rent for a period of six months. The State has a responsibility...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (30 May 2013)

Catherine Murphy: Yes.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (30 May 2013)

Catherine Murphy: I agree with Deputy Ellis concerning the difficulties he has outlined. If a person cannot get their deposit back and the community welfare officer will not grant a deposit, they can very easily end up homeless. The average deposit is approximately €1,000, but for somebody on social welfare payments that is a fortune. There is no way they will be able to make that up if it is not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency: Discussion with Chairman Designate (12 Jun 2013)

Catherine Murphy: Mr. Skehan is very welcome. We know each other from the preparation of the Kildare county development plan, on the environmental aspects of which he advised not so long ago. I know he is a sceptic on climate change which is an obvious place to start on the question of what is his concept of a sustainable community. Clearly, sustainability can be environmental, social and economic. I see...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Catherine Murphy: I will ask two very quick questions as I am supposed to be at a Whips' meeting at 5 p.m. On exemption No. 2, telecommunication service infrastructure always seems to cause problems, but this particular area might not. Does this only relate to cables? The Minister of State spoke about cables and very small devices. The exemptions provided to the Garda, for example, resulted in a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Business of Joint Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Catherine Murphy: I propose Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Climate Change: Discussion (20 Jun 2013)

Catherine Murphy: I thank the delegations from the Departments for their presentations. Obviously, we have been tasked with assisting in developing this legislation or least producing a report for the Minister. It is quite important that we heard from the delegations so that we could have some insight into what these sectoral plans are likely to achieve. I favour targets but that is a separate matter. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Climate Change: Discussion (20 Jun 2013)

Catherine Murphy: Before we adjourn, I propose that we send the National Economic and Social Council's proposal on the institutional arrangements, including the document that we received on the first day and today's correspondence, to the three delegations.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (2 Jul 2013)

Catherine Murphy: I believe targets are critical to this legislation. I was disappointed they were not included. Instead sectoral plans were provided and we were told they would constitute our national ambition in this area. We held a meeting with some of the Departments to try and explore the sectoral plans in areas such as agriculture, energy and transport. Following the meeting I was confused as to how...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (2 Jul 2013)

Catherine Murphy: If we get a group of experts from the universities they will be talking to each other and advising Government. It is all very internal to government whereas the changes required will mean that every one of us will have to change our lifestyles. Can the institutional process have an external component to it that engages with people on an ongoing basis and becomes a vehicle for change in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (2 Jul 2013)

Catherine Murphy: Would Professor Kirby comment on the need for a cumulative approach? Do we have a better chance of reaching the 40% by 2030 if we make the right kind of choices now? It seems to me that some of the things we are doing are going backwards, for example, the reduction in subvention for public transport is influencing the more extensive use of private cars, our population settlement strategy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (2 Jul 2013)

Catherine Murphy: New Zealand is a similar country to Ireland. It has an agricultural economy with a low population density. Can we use New Zealand's experience with regard to legislation on climate action and low-carbon development? The agricultural sector is a significant factor in this debate because it represents the biggest challenge. We have signed up to the Kyoto agreement and other international...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (2 Jul 2013)

Catherine Murphy: There is a resource implication for future development. Is Dr. Ó Gallachóir modelling the projected growth in GDP based on that? Is he making any assumptions about what level of growth is sustainable?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (2 Jul 2013)

Catherine Murphy: It is associated with the question that has been asked. I cannot see how we will make the 2020 targets. If we miss them, it will become much more challenging because we will be playing catch-up to achieve the 2030 ones. Will Dr. Ó Gallachóir highlight the matters that we could address in the legislation or provisions we could provide for in the legislation, not only for the 2020...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2013)

Catherine Murphy: If businesses are to invest, they need certainty. Does the Bill provide sufficient certainty or is more required? Mr. D'Arcy referred to a vision, with which I agree. How would he state that vision? Would it require a target? How would the delegates see such a target being best stated? Some of the companies represented today operate in parts of the world where climate change legislation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2013)

Catherine Murphy: This legislation is being advanced in a different way from the normal way and the committee has been asked to consider the heads first. Many of us feel very frustrated that we are largely doing so blindfolded. One Attorney General clearly gave one set of advices while another gave the opposite. We can presume that is the case because the last Government had a climate change Bill that...