Sinn Fein transport spokesperson, Dessie Ellis TD, has said that while a focus on the problems facing the Taxi industry is welcome the proposed Taxi Regulation Bill offers very little to help struggling taxi drivers or give better service to the public. He made his comments as the Dáil prepares to the debate the Bill which resulted from the recommendations of a review group setup in 2011. He made his comments as the Dáil is set to debate the bill in question this week.
Deputy Ellis said:
“The Minister it would seem has chosen to focus his attention more on the headline grabbing red herrings rather than proposing real reform or sufficient regulation to ensure s sustainable industry where operators can make a decent living.
Criminal behaviour in the taxi industry should be stamped out but it is not the major problem as the Minister would lead us to believe. This Bill does nothing to help ordinary law abiding taxi drivers.
This is a missed opportunity to address the oversupply in the industry, to provide an independent appeals process and improve and consultation and accountability.
Sinn Fein made submissions to the Minister in the run up to the drafting of this Bill which he chose to ignore as he has chosen to ignored the needs of industry and its members.”
Taxi Bill doesn’t do enough to help struggling industry – Ellis
Government actively blocking former political prisoners from employment – Ellis
Sinn Fein TD Dessie Ellis has blasted the government for their active role in attempting to place further barriers to employment in front of former political prisoners. He made his comments as part of a debate on a Sinn Fein motion on the Good Friday Agreement in the Dáil this evening.
Deputy Ellis said:
“The spirit of the Good Friday Agreement is clear. Barriers should be removed not erected in terms of allowing ex-prisoners from the conflict to obtain employment. The people backed this agreement with massive support and the government is bound by its commitment.
“Fine Gael and Labour have, particularly in relation to Haulage and Taxi industries, sought to make it more difficult for ex-prisoners covered under the Good Friday Agreement to keep work.
“This is threatening the livelihood of many families and is totally unacceptable.
“The government cannot pick and choose what it likes about the agreement it signed up to. It must live up to its responsibility and remove barriers to employment and give this a legislative basis.
“For a government so eager to honour its agreements with bankers and bondholders it is truly galling to see their total disregard for the agreement which brought gave peace room to grow.”
ends
Ellis condemn racist attack on Dublin Bus driver
May 15, 2013
Sinn Féin Transport spokesperson has condemned the racially motivated attack on a Dublin Bus driver which took place yesterday, Tuesday 14th of May. The attack happened in the Parnell Square area of the city where many buses park while drivers change shift.
Deputy Ellis said:
“While we don’t know all of the details of this attack we know enough to believe that it was a racist attack and that it should be condemned utterly. No one should have to fear violence or racism in their workplace.
“Dublin is a diverse and vibrant city enriched by the many people from all over the world who call it home. They are as much a part of Dublin as anyone else and deserve to feel safe.
“I commend those who apprehended the offender and the Gardaí for taking him into custody.
“I personally and my party Sinn Féin wish the victim of this attack a speedy recovery and send out solidarity to him in this difficult time.
“Racism will not be tolerated in Dublin or anywhere else.”
ends
New study on slum conditions only tip of iceberg – Ellis
May 8, 2013
Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Dessie Ellis has branded a new study by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland as only the tip of the iceberg in terms of slum conditions in Ireland’s cities.
He made his comment following the publication of a report on 500 flats which found only 10% had been given any permission to be divided up for separate accommodation.
Deputy Ellis continued;
“I have known for a long time that there were some incredibly poor, cramped and illegal conditions in Dublin and across the state. You only need to take a walk around some of the older parts of Dublin and see the up to eight doorbells on some modestly sized buildings.
“The reason these slums exist is the failure of successive government to provide housing.
“There is massive demand for affordable housing as rents rise. The state has failed and unscrupulous slumlords have stepped in to fill that need.
“The government needs to get serious about building social housing, delivering NAMA housing and services like the Residential Tenancies Board which receives no state funding.
“Otherwise this problem will continue and get worse.”
Ellis condemns crawling pace of NAMA housing delivery
Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Dessie Ellis has condemned the slow pace of delivery of promised social housing from NAMA stock. He made his comments in light of a response by the Department of Environment to a Sinn Féin Dáil question which stated that after more than three years of NAMA only 263 units of a promised 3,949 have been delivered.
Deputy Ellis continued;
“We have the highest level of housing need this state has ever seen with nearly 100,000 on waiting lists yet the delivery of this housing is allowed to be slowed to a snail’s pace. The government needs to take action to ensure speedy delivery.
“For the 263 families who might soon be housed by this initiative it is very welcome but this is not enough. Some 3,949 units were promised. At this pace it will take another four and a half years to deliver just 2000 units.
“We have been promised a social dividend from NAMA since its foundation over three years ago but no real dividend has been achieved and what has been offered is coming too slow at too great a price to be of any significant benefit.
“These units are to be leased from bailed out developers and will return to their control when the lease runs out, requiring refurbishment at the state’s expense.
“Sinn Féin has published details of how 9000 new homes could be started on in the next two years. This fell on deaf ears as the government continues to throw money at developers with little in return for those in housing need.”
Note: The relevant PQ and answer follows:
Question No. 59
Chun an Aire Comhshaoil, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil:
To the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government:
To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the delivery of the National Assets Management Agency units for social leasing; the number that are currently occupied, in the process of being occupied or ready for occupation with a breakdown based on the number that are in local authority or voluntary sector control respectively..
– Dessie Ellis.
For ORAL answer on Wednesday, 1st May, 2013.
Ref No: 20481/13
REPLY
Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Ms. J. O’Sullivan)
To the end of Quarter 1 2013, the transition of 263 properties from the NAMA portfolio has been completed, with contracts signed in respect of a further 76 properties. All but 24 of the 263 completed units are being made available for people that the local authorities have deemed in need of housing. These 24 units were part of a project of 58 apartments delivered in Sandyford. The other 34 apartments were delivered for social housing use and the project is a practical illustration of sustainable housing policy which aims to provide a balanced mix between social and private housing within a community.
Of the 339 units that have been completed or contracted to date, 257 units have been made available to Approved Housing Bodies with a further 82 available to Local Authorities.
A further 1,198 housing units are either under consideration or under negotiation.
Fine Gael and Labour failing those in need of housing – Ellis
Sinn Féin spokesperson has said today that government policy is failing to deliver anything for people in need of housing. He made his comments during a speech on the Housing (Amendment) Bill 2013 in the Dáil.
Deputy Ellis continued;
“We have waited so long for a Housing Bill from this government. Over two years now housing remains a major problem in this state. It is a problem which this government has failed to tackle, allowing need to grow, rents to rise, conditions to deteriorate and savvy landlords to make profit in the absence of public provision.
“This government has failed tenants, homeowners and those seeking a home and this Bill will do nothing to change that.
“This government, like the last one, have pursued the old policy of depletion of the public housing stock, the over burdening of the voluntary sector and the drive to subsidise private landlords and developers to provide often below standard housing at a very high price.
“Dublin and it is probably not alone in this regard is going back to the days of the slum and the slum landlord. This is not 1913, in this day and age these conditions will not be accepted.
“The government cannot get away from the fact that the private sector doesn’t want to and cannot provide the housing needed.”
ENDS
Slum conditions show need for better supports for tenants – Ellis
Sinn Féin housing spokesperson, Dessie Ellis TD, has described as “damning but not surprising” reports that nearly 90% of flats reviewed by Dublin City Council in the last six months do not meet basic standards.
He made his comments following the release of figures by the council from their current intensified inspection campaign which found 1,384 out of 1,499 failed the test.
Deputy Ellis continued:
“To anyone working with people on low incomes this is no surprise. I see people everyday living in very poor conditions and I am constantly raising issues with the authorities from DCC and the Department of Environment.
“A walk around the older parts of the city will enlighten anyone. There are blocks of very old buildings with often five to eight buzzers on the doors.
“These are Dublin’s modern slums which have long been outside of acceptable standards and turning great profit for landlords.
“Inspections like this must continue and problems identified and dealt with. The unfortunate reality is though that Dublin has a housing shortage. The state is not building enough social housing and demand is already at an all-time high.
“The government need to get serious about providing decent housing for people who otherwise will fall to the prey of slumlords. It must also properly fund the Tenancies Board which has had to cut staff numbers and outsources it services in recent times with absolutely no government grant for its vital work. If this is not done then conditions will only worsen.”
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/dublin-bedsit-blitz-finds-over-90-of-flats-do-not-meet-basic-standards-1.1373158#.UXorgd8KDMU.twitter
Further Education Protest
Please see below:
I wish to advise you there will be a protest outside Dail Eireann against the change in the pupil-teacher ratio in the Further Education sector at 5.30 on Thursday, 25th April.
The purpose of the protest is to defend the Further Education sector against a change which carries with it the very real possibility that many courses would cease to be offered. This would deny a great number of students access to education, thereby limiting their potential to engage productively in the workforce or to progress to higher education.
A large proportion of the students in Further Education colleges come from backgrounds which would not traditionally be associated with a high participation rate in education; the change in the pupil-teacher ratio will therefore only serve to deepen educational inequality.
Your support would be greatly appreciated.
Yours, Donal Griffin
Tenant evictions due to repossessions must be avoided – Ellis
Sinn Fein spokesperson on Housing Dessie Ellis TD has called on the Minister to work to develop a binding code of conduct to avoid rental tenants be evicted in the event of repossessions. He made his comments during a debate requested by him in the Dáil today.
Deputy Ellis continued:
“Across the state and especially in Dublin we are facing a crisis within a crisis. This is the problem of landlords who are not paying their mortgages and in doing so are jeopardising the housing of potentially thousands of people.
“In the last few weeks I have personally dealt with five families in Dublin who are facing eviction due to the repossession of their rented homes. The lenders want to sell and wash their hands of the property, in some cases forcing the landlord to evict the families before they take over.
“I spoke to Emma, a mother of two from Drimnagh: 13 years on waiting lists afraid to leave her home to go to speak to the council because she might come home to find that she has been evicted.
“The long term solution is to provide sustainable public housing which is not endangered by the whims of the market, lenders or profit driven landlords. The more immediate solution is to force lenders to enter into a code of conduct in relation to tenants, especially those with an assessed social housing need who are particularly at risk of homelessness in the event of eviction.
“Banks need to honour tenancy agreements in conjunction with a strategy from Local Authorities to ensure that no tenant is left homeless. As we face increased repossessions due to government policy this will only become worse if nothing is done.”
Rent Supplement limits unrealistic as rents rise – Ellis
April 11, 2013
Sinn Fein Housing spokesperson Dessie Ellis TD has blasted the Minister for Social Protection for setting unrealistic limits for rent supplement. He made his comments as it was announced by the CSO that residential rents have increased 3% in the past year.
Deputy Ellis said;
“In Budget 2012 Minister Burton increased the contribution for tenants on Rent Supplement by 25%. These are people who were already struggling to make ends meet and have nothing more to give. The move put many at risk of homelessness and undoubtedly forced many out of their homes also.
“Now the people on Rent Supplement are being sent letters telling them that their rent is too high and that they must get it lowered. They are told to renegotiate or find new accommodation.
“Is the Minister living on a different planet? Rents have continually gone up as this government refuses to deliver housing.
“Rents have risen 3% in the last year. Landlords have their pick of tenants and can ask what they want for their properties. The ordinary tenant has no power or ability to drive a lowering of rents.
“Minister Burton must change how Rent Supplement is administered so that the department negotiates rents with landlords and drive a better deal for tenants and the public purse.
“Penalising the poorest tenants in the country for high rents is not acceptable in the short term though and limits must be revised to address the reality of rents on the ground.”
ENDS