Latest news with #LouiseOReilly
Irish Times
5 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Shortlists for annual Business to Arts Awards announced
Shortlists for the annual Business to Arts Awards , which take place at the National Concert Hall September, have been announced. The awards, which recognise businesses that have partnerships with artists and arts organisations, will be judged by representatives from CBRE , ESB , Community Foundation Ireland, Irish Life, The Irish Times, and TileStyle. Louise O'Reilly, chief executive of Business to Arts, said this year's shortlists 'attest to businesses engaging at a deep and considered level, ensuring there is a positive impact on both partners and wider society'. The ESB is supporting a new category in the awards this year. Its creative sustainability award recognises partnerships that address issues around the environment, climate crisis, and the circular economy. ESB corporate reputation manager Sarah Sharkey said the group 'recognises the important role that artists play not only in recording and interpreting social and economic developments, but also in engaging communities by fostering creativity and innovation'. Denise Charlton, chief executive of Community Foundation Ireland, said access to the arts is 'an equality issue'. The Juggle: the issues facing women with young children when balancing childcare and their careers Listen | 44:30 'Our partnership with Business to Arts is to recognise and grow awareness around this important contribution by Irish philanthropy and its ability to deliver projects and work which elevate voices. Everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves through the arts,' she said. The awards have 10 categories and three bursaries, celebrating arts sponsorship, commissioning, philanthropy, staff engagement programmes, corporate social responsibility, sustainability, access programmes, and creative community initiatives. The companies shortlisted range from small-scale initiatives to large-scale and long-term engagements with national reach. The event will take place on September 8th. A total of €25,000 will be presented to successful artists and arts organisations through bursaries and awards on the night.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
‘The stress is inhumane': Second Dublin council pauses scheme to buy homes of tenants at risk of homelessness
The number of families at risk of homelessness due to the lack of funding for the tenant-in-situ scheme has risen to more than 160, after a second local authority in Dublin paused applications. The scheme allows local authorities to buy properties that host tenants facing eviction because the landlord is selling. It applies to tenants who have received a notice of termination, are deemed at risk of homelessness and who qualify for social housing support such as the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) or the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS). New restrictions were applied to the scheme this year, including a stipulation that the home must be in the HAP or RAS system for at least two years. READ MORE There have also been lengthy delays in the issuing of Government funding to the scheme, as Minister for Housing James Browne conducted a review of its terms. In June, Dublin City Council confirmed it had paused all new applications to the scheme as its 2025 budget had already been allocated. The council had 104 applications to the scheme by March. Fingal County Council has now confirmed it is in the same position and will not be proceeding with any more purchases under the scheme. In a letter sent to Sinn Féin TD for Fingal West Louise O'Reilly, the local authority said its budget for 2025 'has been exhausted' after it made 32 acquisitions under tenant in situ, with one remaining sale going through the conveyancing process. This compares to 121 tenant-in-situ acquisitions made in 2024. 'There were 60 tenant-in-situ applications that were paused at the beginning of the year and did not proceed due to limited funding,' the council said. [ More than 100 families in Dublin at risk of homelessness as tenant-in-situ applications paused Opens in new window ] One of those applications was by a woman and her young child who are living in rental accommodation in Balbriggan. Ms O'Reilly said the woman's child was due to start school in the area in September but now they are at risk of homelessness. The woman received a notice to quit in August 2024 and applied for the tenant-in-situ scheme in March. Ms O'Reilly said the woman understood she was accepted for the scheme until she learned last month about the council pausing applications. 'The stress she is under is inhumane. She has also lost valuable time that she could have been searching for somewhere to live while believing that the tenant-in-situ purchase was ongoing,' Ms O'Reilly said of her constituent. 'The Government has now literally removed the only homeless prevention measure that my constituents had. It is beyond heartbreaking to see the human impact of this decision on families and especially on children,' she said.
