Opposition smells blood in the water over RPZ changes
Ellen Coyne and Jack Horgan-Jones join Harry McGee to talk about the ongoing fallout from the Government's proposed changes to the rights of tenants and landlords.
They look at growing criticism from Opposition TDs of the finer points of the policy. Will the delay in rolling out RPZs to the whole country incentivise landlords to raise rents while they can? Do the new rules effectively prohibit short-term lets in tourism areas?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
€100 should be added to leap cards of anyone waiting more than 12 weeks for driving test, Dáil hears
Anyone waiting more than three months for a driving test should have €100 put on their Leap card as an incentive to use whatever public transport is available in their area, the Dáil was told. Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly said that given the backlog in driving tests for young people he called on the Minister for Transport to consider, as part of the next budget, putting €100 on learners' travel cards, for anyone waiting more than 10 or 12 weeks. 'This would give people an incentive to use whatever public transport is available be it rail or Local Link, he said. An estimated 100,000 people have applied for the test with an average waiting time of 20.6 weeks. READ MORE The Kildare North TD was speaking during a private member's debate on public transport. Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman said the programme for Government contains significant commitments on public transport but is 'completely lacking' on the amount of funding and 'there isn't a deadline in sight'. Introducing the motion, he said that with no clear timelines there is less pressure on agencies and 'without constant pressure from the top no big reform in this country will ever succeed', Mr O'Gorman said. The motion calls for a further 20 per cent reduction in fare prices across the lifetime of this Government, the establishment of a new public transport passenger experience office and ensure a transport security force is operational by the end of 2026. To ensure this target is met funding for it should be included in this year's budget. The legislation would have to be introduced in September or October this year, he said. 'It means putting drafters under pressure, but there is widespread agreement that we need to improve the perception of safety on our public transport services, so let's deliver that now.' Minister of State for Transport Seán Canney said there is a 'strong commitment' to establish a transport security force with similar powers to the airport police and customs officers and operating under the National Transport Authority (NTA). The department is working to examine options for the establishment of a force but he warned the legislation will have a 'significant lead-in time'. 100 per cent Redress Party TD Charles Ward said the lack of public transport in Donegal had led to 'chronic traffic issues' and 'Letterkenny is a disaster'. He said ambulances 'constantly struggling to reach Letterkenny Hospital and what used to be a five-minute journey now takes 45 minutes and it's putting lives at risk'. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy called for free public transport and said it was a 'question of political will to implement it'. He said it would cost €650 million but that 'needs to be matched with significant capital investment' to expand services. Independent TD Brian Stanley said it was time to tackle the 'nonsense' of drivers over the age of 70 not being allowed to drive schoolbuses when they drive private coaches with 52 passengers on board. Mr Stanley said the age limit should be pushed out to 75 with strict annual medical and driving tests for them. This would help reduce the shortage of bus drivers. Sinn Féin TD Pa Daly said 'we only have to look at Dublin's MetroLink, which has been stuck in the pipeline for decades, to see why Ireland regularly ranks as having one of the worst public transport systems in the EU'. The Kerry TD said there is still no rail in Donegal and that region 'ranks in the bottom 10 per cent of the EU's 234 regions in terms of transport infrastructure'. He said 'the Government cannot stand over that any more'. Labour TD Ciarán Ahearn there is 'no vision for public transport' in the Government's plans. 'There is no lodestar to work towards, and the programme for Government is beyond bare on details. Instead, it is bypasses for the boys, lay-bys for the lackeys.'
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Virgin Media received ‘nothing' after requesting €30m from State
Virgin Media Television received 'nothing' from the Government after requesting €30 million last year to fund its news and public service content, the broadcaster's managing director has told an Oireachtas committee. Áine Ní Chaoindealbháin, who has led the commercial television company since last year, also said on Wednesday that the criteria for media organisations to receive funding from the Coalition's proposed Media Fund are too restrictive, and the cost challenges associated with producing its existing news output will remain. Ms Ní Chaoindealbháin was giving evidence at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communication, Culture and Sport, which is conducting pre-legislative scrutiny of the Government's Broadcasting Amendment Bill. Among other things, the bill proposes to convert the State's existing Broadcasting Bill to a general media fund, which will help Irish media outlets to fund public service content across different platforms. READ MORE In her opening statement, Ms Ní Chaoindealbháin broadly welcomed the proposal but raised a concern that funding under the newly formed scheme will be granted only for the production of new categories of public service content. This principle of 'additionality' means the cost challenges associated with maintaining Virgin Media's existing public service content output will 'remain', she said. Ms Ní Chaoindealbháin said: 'Delivering our public service content remit on a purely commercial basis is not viable under current funding arrangements.' Referring to the decision to cut the Tonight Show's air time to two programmes a week from four, she said: 'Last year, we did have to make some difficult decisions [about] our existing content because of the commercial situation that we were in. 'So we don't want to reduce our public service broadcasting content. We're committed to our public service broadcasting content.' However, Ms Ní Chaoindealbháin said that 'to push that further, to add more bulletins, to add more current affairs content' so as to qualify for the media fund 'would be a real strain on the system that is already very tight'. Last year, Virgin Media, which is owned by US telecoms billionaire John Malone's Liberty Global group and is funded through commercial revenues and advertising, wrote to then-minister for media Catherine Martin, requesting €30 million to fund its news and public service output. In the letter, Ms Ní Chaoindealbháin raised questions about the sustainability of Virgin Media's competition with RTÉ, given that the State broadcaster receives €200 million in annual Government funding, along with 'annual multi-million-euro taxpayer-funded top-ups'. Asked on Wednesday by Fianna Fáil TD Peter 'Chap' Cleere what Virgin Media had received in response to the request, Ms Ní Chaoindealbháin said: 'Nothing.' Labour Party TD Alan Kelly , who chairs the committee, later said its members are 'not clear' what the principle of 'additionality' means in the context of the media fund proposal, despite having interrogated the bill in detail in recent sessions.
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
‘Nuclear option' to close nursing homes must be used, says Taoiseach
The 'nuclear option' to close nursing homes for significant failings 'has to be on the table', Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said, describing it as a 'fundamental power' of the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), the monitoring body. Mr Martin told the Dáil it was up to the Health Service Executive 'to resolve the consequential crisis that occurs when a decision to close is made. 'But we shouldn't baulk from that decision because of that.' He was responding to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Labour leader Ivana Bacik, who highlighted what they said was a lack of power at Hiqa. READ MORE Wednesday's debate followed the publication of Hiqa's interim report on the Emeis Ireland nursing homes – Beneavin Manor in Dublin and The Residence in Portlaoise on Tuesday night. Both featured in the recent RTÉ Investigates programme. Mr Martin said there were some 'very disturbing clear facts' in the report, citing the non-adherence to fire regulations. 'Now, to me, that's a red alarm,' he said, adding that when fundamental issues like the health and safety of residents are at stake, then closure is an option. [ Taoiseach Micheál Martin's Cork office vandalised amid 'personal threats' Opens in new window ] Ms McDonald said it was clear Emeis did not fear Hiqa. 'Quite frankly, they didn't give a toss about regulations or inspections,' she said. 'Little wonder, because Hiqa's hands are tied behind its back. They don't have the legal power to impose fines. The corporate entities that own these nursing homes are out of their reach. And Hiqa badly needs new powers'. She asked how it took an RTÉ programme to expose a scandal when the report showed there were 198 allegations of abuse at a single nursing home. Opposition smells blood in the water over RPZ changes Listen | 35:51 The Dublin Central TD said 20 years ago, 30 per cent of nursing homes were in private hands but that had since risen to 80 per cent. During testy exchanges, Mr Martin said Hiqa's powers had been broadened since 2017 and stressed that 'if there is a series of noncompliance as seems to be the case in respect of the interim report of Hiqa', the option of closure 'should be on the table'. Ms McDonald said the culture of abuse 'was obviously endemic, hard-wired into the operation of the homes, and went on for a very long time'. Ms Bacik said trust in the model of private and for-profit nursing home care 'has been shattered' since the RTÉ programme and that 'faith in the system of inspections has also been greatly damaged', requiring Government action. [ Ireland's EuroMillions winner bought their €250 million winning ticket in Munster Opens in new window ] The presentations of Hiqa's chief executive and inspectors at Wednesday morning's Oireachtas health committee had raised more questions than answers, she argued, claiming the chief inspector had been 'frankly evasive' when asked about reports of abuse in a third nursing home. Mr Martin said the power to cancel nursing home registrations existed and that it had been used in eight cases last year. 'It can and has happened,' he said.
