Results 281-300 of 1,034,918 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Michael McNamara OR speaker:Johnny Guirke OR speaker:Niamh Smyth OR speaker:Ossian Smyth) in 'Committee meetings'

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McNamara: Deputy Stanton, did you want to come in again?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McNamara: I have one question for Ms Wilson regarding recriminalisation. If I understand it correctly, the provincial government took steps to enact legislation that would have prevented public substance use. You explained that it would not have prevented public substance use per se but that it would have enabled law enforcement officers to request somebody to stop using or to move on and use...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McNamara: To be clear, was the recriminalisation a response to the court decision?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McNamara: Okay, so there was to be a complete ban in public spaces, but instead-----

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McNamara: Possession in private is still decriminalised. Is that correct?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McNamara: In the limited circumstances and locations where the exemption applies, it applies to all drugs, opioids, fentanyl, cocaine, MDMA, etc. Is that correct?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McNamara: Okay, that is clear. In Oregon, there has been a complete recriminalisation, other than for cannabis, which was not the subject of measure 110. Is that correct?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McNamara: Counties are not mandated to have a diversion programme. It remains an option for them. Is that correct?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McNamara: Are people frequently jailed for possession of quantities that would typically be in the range for personal consumption?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McNamara: Thank you both for the clarifications to me and for the invaluable information provided to the members of the committee over the past two hours. I thank you both for taking time out of your very busy schedules and doing so at short notice. Your questions and answers have given us a lot to think about. The expertise you have shared with us has been very useful and very informative. The...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McNamara: Before Deputy Gould contributes, did Deputy Ward wish to direct that question to Mr. Russoniello as well?

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

Richard O'Donoghue: I spoke in the Chamber last week. The Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, was present. We discussed student accommodation and the fact that people have to rent properties for more than 12 months. The Minister of State said that there would be legislation in this regard. However, the legislation before us relates to student accommodation, not private dwellings. My son goes to...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

Mattie McGrath: The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024 aims to amend the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, specifically in relation to SSA tenancy licences. The Bill stipulates that student accommodation will adhere to the traditional September to May academic year, up to 41 weeks, unless a student requests a longer tenancy. It is all about "mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí". We must...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

Michael Collins: Student accommodation is a difficult situation for people in my constituency in Cork who are trying to go to college, or people anywhere. Many people come to my office to see if we can source accommodation for them. It is desperate after spending so many years going through college that they cannot find accommodation. Some people are couch surfing and sleeping in cars. It is a terrible...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

Martin Browne: Movement is definitely needed on facilitating the needs of students who are facing sky-high rents. Addressing the situation whereby students find themselves having to sign a contract that would lock them into paying for potentially unused accommodation for the summer months has been required for some time. Specifically, this Bill stipulates that specific student accommodation contracts...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

Seán Canney: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill, and it needs to be implemented as quickly as possible. Education is fundamental to the future of our country. Students going to college should have a good experience, and that includes safe and good accommodation at a reasonable price. This has not been the case in many instances in the past. Now we have a situation where some landlords and...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Bill is welcome in that it addresses the scandalous problem of student accommodation providers charging for 51 weeks when the students' term is only 41 weeks. It is positive that will be prevented and that students cannot be required to pay more than a month's rent and deposit in advance, other than their fees, if they happen to be paying their fees, to the provider. Those are welcome...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: We very much welcome this Bill. This issue was put on the agenda because of the very significant amount of work done by Sinn Féin and Deputy Mairéad Farrell. It has been brought up for a considerable amount of time. It was first a matter of identifying the number of these places owned by vulture funds and the average rents charged. There was then the question of 51-week leases,...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Bill. I also commend my colleague and our higher education spokesperson, Mairéad Farrell, on her work in this area and on, in my view, putting this issue on the political agenda in the first place by identifying the total amount of vulture fund-owned PBSA, identifying the average rent charged and identifying where 51-week leases were being demanded, but also by identifying...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I also welcome the Bill, which the Social Democrats will support. The issue of the Bill is very much tied into what has been happening around students' accommodation needs. This example has been highlighted very well by Deputy Mairéad Farrell but it is one of many examples of exploitation of students when it comes to housing. Perhaps it is not intentional, explicit or anything like...