Results 281-300 of 1,034,725 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Shane Cassells OR speaker:James O'Connor OR speaker:Thomas Gould OR speaker:Helen McEntee OR speaker:Patrick Costello)

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

Thomas Gould: I thank the witnesses for their presentations today. Someone made the point earlier that sometimes Oregon is used as an example of what went wrong. From the information the witnesses have provided today about British Columbia, it is to be hoped we can learn from these experiences. It is a pity that, due to Covid and the arrival of fentanyl, the region faced the perfect storm in drug terms....

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

Thomas Gould: I have one last question and I will come in again later with questions for the other witness. Ms Wilson outlined that consumption facilities or services were available for people in British Columbia. Was it that there were not enough? Was funding reduced? Were people still using the facilities in the same way they did before? Did their use increase or stay the same?

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...

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

Catherine Connolly: Deputy Murnane O'Connor is next.

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

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Thank you. I did not realise I was sharing time.

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

Catherine Connolly: You are not sharing; you have a slot of seven minutes.

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

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Oh, I have my own slot - that is perfect. I just saw eight minutes on the clock-----

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

Catherine Connolly: The clock will be changed now.

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

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I will take the eight minutes. That is fine.

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

Darragh O'Brien: They have taken a minute off. They are brutal.

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

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Absolutely. A 51-week tenancy does not suit most students, including post-graduate and medical students. As more and more landlords look for such agreements, we need to put in place rules now to keep everything fair. Most students study during college terms and then take work during the summer months, which subsidises their education. They work to help to pay for their education, which...

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

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Fáiltím roimh an mBille seo. Tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil sé os ár gcomhair inniu. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go ndéileálann muid le ceisteanna mar seo nuair a thagann siad chun cinn. Bíonn siad ró-mhinic sa chúlra agus ní phléitear leo chomh tapa is a bhféadfaí. Molaim gach éinne a bhí...