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HOUSING MINISTER DARRAGH O’Brien has said he will write to the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to ask if a further extension to the rent increase and eviction ban is merited.
During a debate on a Labour motion on rent arrears, the housing minister said that the initial ban on evictions and rent hikes was to last three months.
It was then extended to 20 July.
Under the emergency laws introduced at the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, the minister said tenants cannot be forced to leave a property, and rent increases are prohibited for the duration of the crisis.
The minister said the extension of the ban requires him to consult with the health minister and public expenditure minister.
An extension of the ban can be considered if it is in the public interest to push the date out further, and if there is a threat to the public health.
Another aspect taken into consideration is if the virus remains highly contagious and if a restriction on the movement of people is still recommended.
If accepted it that it needs to be extended beyond 20 July, O’Brien will move to do so, he said.
Earlier today, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the government is considering whether the rent freeze should be extended:
“We have to take legal advice in relation to it – research has taken place into the rent arrears issue and that will inform our response in terms of people in difficulty with that situation.”
O’Brien said the research indicates that a large amount of rent arrears has not built up over the last couple of months. He encouraged those facing difficulties in paying their rent to engage with their landlords.
He said any future extension of the rent freeze and ban on evictions “will be made at the appropriate time” if it is required.
Soidarity-People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett told the minister that he does not need to consult with the health minister on the matter.
Evicting people into homelessness during a pandemic is not compatible with the public health advice.
He called on the minister to make the call today stating that people who are homeless do not have the facilities to follow the public health advice, such as regularly washing their hands.
Boyd Barrett added that placing people in hostels or family hubs is also not compatible as they are congregated settings, and should not be allowed as long the virus with us.
The minister said those in rent arrears should get in touch with the Department of Social Protection as there are supports available.
Sinn Féin called for increased publicity of the rent supplement supports that are available, stating that the majority of people are not aware of the supports available.
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Always Remember and never forget!
Those who seek to covet your children’s water!
No votes not even a 10 th preference vote for pro Irish Water parties!
Phil Hogan got in on the 13 th count!
And Alan Kelly scraped in on the final count!
#notonepipe
Roll on # GE2018
@Jarlath Murphy: The people who vote for FF/FG/Lab/etc. are responsible for allowing the Irish Water Quango to hold the country to ransom. Are we to allow ourselves to be blackmailed by the reprehensible perfidious greedy conglomerate. Everyone in Dail Eireann should be under arrest for allowing this Treachery.
@Jarlath Murphy: Ha, ha. Deliciously pathetic Jarlath. You make me smile with your utter tripe and amateur dramatics.
Just keep changing the last digit(s) on your # and you’ll be right some day.
@MK76: I’m glad you find me so entertaining.
I can only conclude that your seeking something too fill the void of your apparently vacuous existence.
@Jarlath Murphy: The SCUTs appear to be relying on MK76 to defend the SCUT Unit, while Socks takes himself off to Washington to whimper and tremble and shake before Trump, with the bowl of weeds in hand.
@Patricia McCarthy: The sane Trump that supported Gerry Adams at a fund raiser in the US?
@Patricia McCarthy: It’s apparent the journal community have become tired and fed up with their childish contributions!
Even the most ardent FG supporters find their contributions embarrassing!
@Jarlath Murphy: Ah now Jarlath. You’re being a clever little rascal again. Turning my gag from yesterday back on me.
Like I said, you’re as clever as you are original.
@MK76: Same tired trite comments, so sad!
Maybe take a break and get yourself some new material?
@Jarlath Murphy: Deliciously and unknowingly hypocritical Jarlath. You’re just the gift that keeps on giving.
@MK76: I know and your so predictable, like I say get yourself some new material, I’ m happy to wait!
@Jarlath Murphy: Maybe Leo’s den idea will!
@MK76: stop giving yourself a thumbs up …. you’re just embarrassing yourself. Go consider some ideas for varadkar & co – no doubt they’d be bowled over by your odious charm & crazy right wing charisma!
@Patricia McCarthy: “Everyone in Dail Eireann should be under arrest for allowing this Treachery.” had a good laugh at that. Well Paul Murphy should be in Jail anyway!
The media doing their part to make IW relevant again… When councils in control never much issues. The idea is to run it down so bad and publicise same, the public will pay this bankers tax…
@Willy Malone: sadly yes, varadkars spin machine, aided by the media, will turn the public, they’ll be fooled by a referendum which will enshrine “Irish water” not our water and it’ll be privatized before you can say bin charges.
And the saddest part of all, ff and or fg (likes there’s a difference) will still remain in power
Why have there been no press releases or communications about the Irish Water Quango from SCUT?(Strategic Communications Unit Trolls.
Is it not slightly suspicious that we had – 10 to – 12 in 2010 and none of these issues of cracked pipes or water shortages was mentioned, roll on 2018 a few feet of snow, – 7 at best, and all of a sudden this ( invented company which is merely council workers, who have been transferred over to Irish water) have all these so called issues.
Time for the spn to end FG.
@Trevor Hayden: Time for FG to end. Put them and FF and the other greedy predators in Dail Eireann under arrest. Enough is enough.
@Trevor Hayden: then you obviously have a very short memory of 2010, https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/avoiding-the-winter-water-crisis-1.1276852%3fmode=amp
@Conchuir: A paper never refuses ink.
Is the Irish times not part of INM, owned by the man who received the contract to install water meters?
Yet again Conchuir, more suspicion.
@Trevor Hayden: no that would be the Irish independent, Trevor, however they did run similar stories too, I’m sure it was all a media conspiracy and all the greater Dublin area was part of it by turning off the water so I could run to the shops to purchase water.
“Never waste a good crisis” said the dying wasp known as irish water
If an attempt to fix the infrastructure had been made first, instead of wasting money on metres, things may have been completely different. It’s like buying a second hand car before the repairs are done. People just won’t buy it.
How long? I’ve got absolutely no water and all I’m getting is nonsense replies from Irish Water customer care staff who I actually feel sorry for.
@Lisa Saputo: Irish water seen a chance and jumped on it!!! Snow?…….. let’s roll with it!!!
@Dessie Daly: Nonsense Dessie. The water system in Ireland is Victorian and needs modernisation. Please come and spend a day in my shoes and see how concerned you are then about your conspiracy theories.
@Lisa Saputo: No one denies that Lisa but the fact remains that Irish water was not set up to do this.
@Lisa Saputo: The article clearly states that the pipes are over 80 years old.
A metering program does not replace 80 year old leaking pipes.
Meters measure consumption only, Ultrasonic leak detection equipment measures leaks.
@Lisa Saputo: Dublin does have mainly Victorian pipes ,majority pipes 60-80 year old plus 30year old pipes.Even other cities like London still has Victorian pipes even with domestic water charges& massive investment!
I can be objective & I don’t blame IW staff for these severe weather conditions causing leaks and subsequent water shortages.
I Think Iw are starting to get the message. This article doesn’t mention customers.
Wasted €500 mn on meters instead of pipes,and you delivered water to OAP,s that signed up to iw but not to OAP,s that did not george lee announced on the news.that is discrimination and you should be punished,instead of iw punishing OAP,s that built this country.you are criminals.
@@mdmak33: Yes
They are criminals. Blackmailing criminals. The SCUTs sittimg in Dole Eireann are criminals for sitting on their rear end, looking on while this is allowed to continue. With no end in sight as the Irish Water mafia have publicly declared
@@mdmak33: It is outrageous when water services continuing to be paid through taxation for all water users to discriminate like this!
Metering a faulty infrastructure and attempting to divert water from the Shannon toward a fault infrastructure…
This company and any politician that backs it should be treated as a traitor.
@Myk_Oval_Balls_nRyt: That makes all of Fail Eireann traitors. There hasn’t been as much as a squeak of protest over this from any one of them.
@Myk_Oval_Balls_nRyt: you d think we would try to reduce our need for drinkable water first . Rain collection system for toilet and shower on new buildings should be the norm .
FF/FG/Labour will sell our water rights to the highest bidder and sell it back to us
http://www.thejournal.ie/michigan-town-water-nestle-3836344-Feb2018/
More propaganda.
DIE
IRISH WASTER
DIE
FFS
How come Leitrim is included in list of counties with leaks due to snow and frost.
They wasted a lot of money on meters instead of fixing the pipes.
Thanks for not calling us “customers” someone needs to educate RTE or close it down
Reap what you sow. Cancelling of WC was a victory for the brainless.
You will pay.
@MK76:
I agree with you but give it a rest.
That battle is lost.
@MK76: How much is the Ransom going to be?
@MK76: Only an idiot would think that this water shortage due to no IW charges even they get SIGNIFICANT water services funding according to Government through taxation,even IW said that & look at UK & significant burst pipes & water shortages WITH water charges!!
@MK76: I know I’m wasting my time and you’ll come back with some “shinner” comment but it has been proven that 100% compliance wouldn’t cover the cost of sending out the bills.
Irish water were not set up to look after the infrastructure but you already know that.
Cue shinnerbot comment….
@William Clay: I assume you understand the concepts of financial leverage and long term capital investments William, right?
@P.J. Nolan: Well here’s the depressingly hilarious bit.
It hasn’t sunk with in the Won’t Pay Brigade that the water infrastructure will be upgraded and paid for by ADDITIONAL taxes/tax reductions forgone. Waters charges by another name, as well as a higher amount to be paid over a shorter period of time.
@Nuala Mc Namara: Ho
@William Clay: shinerbot !!! … the id!0ts were calling those who dared speak out against the FG spin unit as been anti-Semitic.
@Nuala Mc Namara: How long is that ridiculous excuse going to last Nuala? Another 12/24mths?
@MK76: You didn’t answer my question. How much is the Ransom demand? How much do the citizens have to pay to quench your SCUTs thirst for money?
@MK76: long term investments MK? Like the fleet of Audi’s for the top brass paid for with tax payers money? Or the half a billion on household meters when 90%+ of the leaks are from the mains.
Might they be the investments you talk about?
Or how about, in the age of Skype, flying people over from Australia , business class obviously, for an interview!
@MK76: You dismiss expert Oireachtas Committees,majority of Dail,water expert Maude Barlow leading expert on water and sanitation provision &previously served as Senior Advisor on water and sanitation provision to UN, Government saying IW had significant funding to 2027,IW saying these water shortages due to burst pipes,etc & would have happened anyway.
Look at UK/London wt domestic water charges didn’t prevent burst pipes and water shortages!In no part of articles was people running taps as the cause!
To use these severe weather conditions affecting water pipes leading to bursts and subsequent water shortages (which IW said)on no domestic water charges despite SIGNIFICANT funding through taxation is completely false and misleading!
It’s spin overload now at this stage& will backfire!
@William Clay: Em William. Not sure what rick you’ve been hiding underneath, but the meters were installed predominantly to measure people’s usage.
Crazy concept of paying for what you use, I know. Instead we chose to get the other guy to pay.
@Nuala Mc Namara: Oh dear Nuala.
So who claimed that the infrastructure would be upgraded immediately or even in the short term? And at what point in the future will you and the rest of the Won’t Pay Brigade start blaming the lack of ADDITIONAL investment in our water infrastructure for the constant problems with basic water services, rather than focusing on the impact the non-existent water charges wouldn’t have made?
@MK76: You’ve no problem paying €6-€7B a YEAR to service debt including banking debt converted to sovereign debt without any fight from FG which Prof Mody said FG Gov could have done!
You’ve no problem paying for people who got debt writedowns.
You’ve no problem with companies paying less than 12.5% corporation tax including 0.005%!
You’ve no problem with vulture funds declaring charity status and paying no tax.
You’ve no problem with banking allowed pay no Corporation tax for 21years.
You’ve no problem with banksshares sold and paid off debt instead of essential services.
You’ve no problem with private company IW getting €11B of water infrastructure assets transferred from councils for free but not put under jurisdiction of Public Accounts Committee or C&AG.
But you have a problem with our water services being continued to be paid for through taxation which Maude Barlow leading world expert on water and sanitation provision said “The Irish system of paying for water and sanitation services through progressive taxation and non domestic user fees is an exemplary model of fair equitable and sustainable service delivery for the entire world”
@MK76: Do you do any research?The LAs had 660 different construction and conservation projects on the go costing billions before IW took over and had got supplies on Remedial Action Lists down from 339 to 140 supplies in just 5 years with another 70 supplies to be taken off lists year IW took over!
When you’re done your research I’ll debate with you ,no problem but when you’ve only insults and fake news,it’s embarrassing for you!
@MK76: Who’s Rick?
@MK76: yes completely ignore the point I’m trying to make.
And I’ve been paying taxes for 25+ years, I’ve always paid for my water.
@Nuala Mc Namara: Rick must be a member of the SCUTs. (Strategic Communication Unit Trolls). No a whimper out of Socks SCUTs re Water charges. MK76 appears to be their last line of defence.
@MK76: LAs not just transferred €11B water infrastructure assets to IW but contracts as well including DBO contracts!Also supplies have been taken off EPAs RALs for several years by improving water infrastructure and improvements.There also wouldn’t be 30year old water pipes if LAs hadn’t invested in them!
IW have pipe replacement projects in plans over next few years with SIGNIFICANT funding guaranteed up to 2027.If you also look at EPAs RALs you’d see timescales for improvement!
@Nuala Mc Namara: So you admit we are paying water charges….awesome. Perhaps you should read up on how it’s going to cost the taxpayer more for the same investment in infrastructure than WC ever would.
As regards the rest of your points, what are the alternatives and the consequences thereof? Like most keyboard warriors you’re fantastic at pointing out the issues, but when it comes to solutions, thin on the ground.
@MK76: Water services & infrastructure have been paid through taxation way before IW set up!
I’ve outlined the facts but you ignore them and have no facts or figures yourself and don’t know the history of how much the LAs did in the past to improve remedial action list supplies , infrastructure and conservation projects!I pointed out infrastructure projects transferred to IW from LAs.
The €271m expected IW revenue through domestic IW charges would have just covered costs in collecting same,look at Stephen Donnelly’s analysis.
So continuing to pay for water services through taxation is the reality.
When FG Gov came in they reduced funding towards water infrastructure,etc in fact it was the lowest spend for several years.
So it makes sence to restore that funding to adequate levels through taxation.
It’s absolutely useless trying to debate with you because I use facts & figures& accurate history whereas you don’t!
@MK76: I have the solution. Arrest Socks and the Dail Eireann SCUTs and have them tried and convicted for theft from the Nation. Before they run off with the 13 Billion Apple owes the country. They are arranging to have the 13 Billion put in a Bank account in London. After all their squealing about Brexit and the North of Ireland they want to have it lodged in a Bank in London. Those SCUTs need a good kick up the rear end and then a long hard jail term.
@Nuala Mc Namara: excellent points Nuala. It’s nice to see someone that clearly knows what she’s talking about shut down the illogical & increasingly embittered troll with valid points & reasoned arguments. He is really, really bad at trolling the silly little twerp! Good job Nuala.
Bring back water charges
@Bob Joe: Bring the Water charges to Socks and the SCUTs before they take off to the White House. I want to have a statement from the SCUTs before he hits the runway. Or should I say runaway?
@Bob Joe: They’re already here through taxation for several years!
Saoirse Ronan fails to win any award,
Irish waster imposed restrictions,
Paddy’s day approaching,
Irish waster imposing restrictions
Ireland’s wettest ever February
Irish waster imposing restrictions
Get a life ffs
Youse are making people hate you more
With your relentless crawling
Nobody’s buying it
Free water comes at a price.
Patricia and Nuala, it is getting more and more difficult to understand what you are talking about.
@sean o’dhubhghaill: Let me try to simplify this for you seeing as you are so dull witted. I require the immediate arrest of Socks and the Dail Eireann SCUTs and to have them tried before the International Criminal Court at the Hague, for theft from the Nation. I want that done before they run off with the 13 Billion Apple owes the country. They are arranging to have the 13 Billion put in a Bank account in London. After all their squealing about Brexit and the North of Ireland they want to have it lodged in a Bank in London so they can do one better than the Banksters Bailout? The SCUTs need a good kick up the rear end and then a long hard jail term. Now do you understand what I am talking about?
@sean o’dhubhghaill: :some Hx LA’s re water services and infrastructure,
Environmental Protection Agency’s Remedial Action Lists,previous number of LAs construction and conservation projects,etc etc
If you don’t understand ask specific questions.
have your say