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SUSAN O’KEEFFE HAS been “unfairly scapegoated” for not being present at a vote to decide the composition of the Oireachtas banking inquiry.
That’s the view of fellow Labour senator Ivana Bacik.
Speaking on Radio 1′s Today with Seán O’Rourke, Bacik said that even if O’Keeffe was at the vote, there would not have been a government majority.
Clearly we should have adjourned the meeting, some of us looked for that at the time.
Bacik said she ”very much” regretted the situation that developed, whereby the government had to add two senators - O’Keeffe and Fine Gael’s Michael D’Arcy - to the committee after if failed to oust Fianna Fáil senator Marc McSharry and gain a majority.
The move led to Enda Kenny being compared to Hitler and Independent TD Stephen Donnelly threatening to quit the committee.
The Taoiseach described the response of some senators as “hysterical”.
Bacik added that the committee of 11 TDs and senators now reflected the composition of the government and said the addition of members “exposes a lot of the messy compromises that have to be made in politics”.
O’Keeffe missed a crucial vote of the Seanad selection committee, saying her absence was due to the fact her daughter was starting her Leaving Certificate exams and she wanted to be there to support her. She noted that she had asked for that particular day off last September.
Noting criticism O’Keeffe had received for her explanation, journalist Brenda Power said that she would have got a better reaction “if she said she was hungover”.
What non-psychopathic person would think that you’re not entitled to priortise your child?
Power went on to say that the government’s addition of two members to the committee showed that the inquiry was about “pointing the finger”.
You can only draw the conclusion that the only objective is to taint Fianna Fáil in the run up to the next General Election … It’s about pointing the finger … No one is going to go to jail, not a penny is going to be paid back.
McSharry said that the government’s actions yesterday were ”embarrassing and pathetic”and tantamount to ”gerrymandering”.
He went on to say that he had the “most parliamentary experience” of all of the committee’s members.
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Wouldn’t it be great if the houses were left in good condition by the tenants!
@Sean O’Murchu: how do you know they weren’t? How long have they been out of use? how old are they? what is the nature of the refurb? has there been damage done since they were empty? you clearly have great knowledge of this please share.
@Mick Wall: More than likely anecdotal which can’t be written off as you won’t see official figures on it. I’ve seen it myself through a friend who is a council worker in my town. There are huge numbers of tenants who make absolute s*** of houses and I’ve seen photos that he took of sinks torn from walls, refuse in the attic and countless other stuff. Not all thankfully as some do take care of their houses, but there has to be consequences who leave their house in a state like this.
@Sean O’Murchu: No matter what the condition the house is left in the LA will return it to basic condition before new tenants move in. That means if there are the likes of a fitted kitchen and the bathroom done up with walk in shower the LA will rip it out and replace it with the basics bath so nobody can complain that ‘so and so had a walk in shower in their house but we only have a bath, it’s not fair we want a shower as well’
@Sean O’Murchu: left a council house 4 years ago to move into our self build . All the former house needed was a fresh lick of paint. House lay idle for 3.5 years. Council eventually came in, gutted it and started again. Absolute disgrace and waste of money. Therefore I’ll take some issue with your sweeping generalisation.
@Longlin: having lived in a council estate for last 37 years I’m pretty certain you can change the word ‘most’ to ‘almost all’ and stop sounding so sanctimonious
@Michael Duffy: 30 odd years ago kildare co co were giving people the opportunity to build their own houses, you bought the fully serviced site from the co co, had about a year to build from planning permission, type of house and size was restricted there was a mixture of 2 story and single which gave a nice mix of houses, I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who would jump at the chance if councils bothered….
They will be counted as new builds to reach targets
Creative bookkeeping
@Michael Lyons: true.
@Michael Lyons: whether it’s a refitted or A New Build it’s a House For living in YET more important Question is who left them in such a State and will they pay towards the refit
Why do we have so many vacant properties during a housing crisis? The constant renovation when someone moves out needs to be looked at, not all of the properties will need renovation, however the council still carry out the work. How we invest in the stock and it’s management needs to be overhauled and stop giving money to private landlords via HAP.
@Mango mango: most landlords would be only delighted not to have to deal with HAP.
@Elizabeth Barry: what’s wrong with HAP
@Craig Clancy: Kinda hard to fiddle your taxes when the Government knows exactly how much you’re taking in.
@Craig Clancy: The problem with Hap is the red tape it’s a slow tedious paper based application system which trys to be all things, they even ask for the LPT registration number for the property and tax clearance certs which is revenues job. They also look for things like proof of ownership and it is replicated each time you change tenants it would be better if it was a one time application online by landlords and then tenants sign up too and you just add and delete. With that kind of messing ppl just avoid it
@Craig Clancy: it only inflates rental costs.
@Mango mango: One of the things that needs to be looked at is the number of 3/4bd state owned housing units that are inhabited by single people, elderly couples, ect. The ‘home for life’ model needs to be done away with.
@Mango mango: Ireland is probably the only country in the world to have modified its Equality Legislation so that turning down a HAP tenant can see a landlord facing prosecution under this legislation. Which is bizarre because landlords don’t reject HAP tenants per se; they reject a system where rent is paid in arrears, there is an inspection regime, etc. If HAP was so attractive and lucrative to landlords they would hardly have to legislate to attempt to force landlords to take HAP tenants now would they?
@Tommy Roche: They would have to buy out lot’s of resident’s as they would have contracts. It would obviously increase supply if done but it would cost lot’s of €uro.
@Carpentoza: some good suggestions there. It’s a shame it won’t go further than a comment on here. (I’m not apportioning any blame by the way!)
@Craig Clancy: it’s poorly administrated and based on the records of council leases rather than the records of rent supplement.
People on rent supplement pays their rent, people not paying their rents is people with serious issues and very small. The officers changes to pay directly to the landlord when there is factual evidence and risk of not paying rent.
In HAP by default every tenant is treated a thief and disable.
The landlords don’t like the rule of payment in arrears (at the end of the service)
The rest of the rules of HAP are a must for anyone renting a dwelling. So only rogue landlords are against and landlords who have commit frauds (cash grants and loans to bring the standard up but the dwelling still substandard, this is the biggest issue, be caught stealing money of the taxpayers)
The law managing the scheme is from 2014, the law permits the councils to administer the payment as per the individual circumstances … they don’t do it …
The council officers have got into the habit to give away one full month to the landlords with the blessing of the RTB … unbelievable
And then comes the data protection issues, if a person needs assistance to pay their rent, it isn’t of the business of their landlords. If the landlord is no complying with the law, it’s his problem and fault, not the problem of the tenant
The principles behind of assistance to pay rents are an unfounded discriminatory perception of tenants, as inferior citizens with intellectual disability because of entering in a private contract to be live independently
@Daniel Kelly: Local authority tenants don’t have long-term contracts. They have rental agreements/leases which are renewed yearly.
@Maria Quinn: the own government knows the HAP rules are inadequate.
There is a new HAP called HAP Homeless were the rules is the payment is in advance and the flexibility of the limits is the double. So the landlord receives the rent in full from the HAP accountants. And the tenant contribution is truly the 16% of their income. Only homeless people in hostel homeless can be in this scheme.
The Sen Fain and Labour party as well as Threshold and other organizations asked last Christmas to the committee to extend this to anyone in the normal HAP. In these cases council mess is incredible, only because they refused to give the payment to the tenant and then pay the full rent to the landlord (as in rent supplement) it doesn’t change the date of collect the rent and the full rent comes as one from one source
These tenants are also paying more than the 16% of their income on rent and official they are classified as their housing needs have been met in equality to anyone in a council house. There are paying up to 60% of their income and lucky them they won’t lose their homes.
Do the maths, does it make any sense?
@Mango mango: Many landlords bitten by tenants that refuse/can’t pay, plus the high tax rate means that often renting out a property is often not worth the hassle.
The corporate landlords don’t have to pay the ridiculous tax
@Craig Clancy: What’s right with HAP more like
@Elizabeth Barry:
Lies
@Tommy Roche: do u wnat to kick people out of their homes for other people then?
@Tommy Roche: It’s the level of rent that is reviewed annually not the right to reside/contract. I can guarantee you anybody that pays money for a good or service has a contract. In addition, if your statement was correct, any young one could get pregnant and move out a single person due to need by demanding the local authority house they want. Your assumption is incorrect!
@ChronicAnxiety: that’s why that state paid €436m in HAP payments in 2020. Think of all the houses that would build.
@Mango mango: There are many good tenant under HAP, but if you fall into the trap of the bad ones you will regret renting to them. They will bleed you dry. You would have to provide everything for them save feeding them and if you don’t you would facing RTB and possibly court.
Apart from bureaucracy, most of the problems derives from private rental standard which landlords can’t avoid. How can the tenants look after the property if they have no skin in it?
When people compare rental properties in Ireland to Germany or other part of Europe, they forget that over there tenants have to furnish the house themselves making them a responsible tenant unlike here. Landlords will be happy there to give a longer lease at a low price HAP or not.
@Jacob: my point is that we have money in this country to solve the housing crisis, it should not sit within the private market to solve. The private market only drives up costs because that’s it’s purpose. The sate should be ashamed at how they are investing all of our money and their poor investment is not only creating a financial crisis but a very real social crisis.
Hard to believe 3,000 State owned houses empties because of funding to make them liveable …. while the paying hotel rooms to families homeless …. helping to pay rents to full-time workers … and doubling the rent a landlord can ask for taking a person registered as homeless in the homelessness section
Great math !!!
Do not the coalition government needs foreigners investors to balance the accounts
@Maria Quinn: Almost a thousand families living in hotels.
Wonder how many will accept a council house offer ??
Be surprised if its 50%
Selective homelessness should be a separate statistic.
Vacant in the first place for no reason. Many are perfectly fine and safe to live in. Why it takes a few months from expression of internet to moving in is beyond me. Should be done within 2 weeks. Otherwise move onto the next person on the list. And BUILD BUILD BUILD.
A one bed is fine for a lot of people
How long have these homes been vacant for. I bet years and years, but it takes the rise of SF for them to finally get off there holes and do something. Just shows the utter contempt they held (and still do with the rubbish restrictions they want to bring in) the people of ireland in.
@Alan Wright: Sinn Fein would like the whole country living in local authority houses
@John O: and FG thinks 400k for a 2 bed is “affordable”.
Go on minister Daragh O’Brien , blame covid again for the housing crisis that’s has been building up for the last 30 years. I dare ya.
I have seen a couple of council houses left in immaculate condition and before re letting the council have replaced what was new flooring and a perfect kitchen. Why do they have to replace that which is not broken. Such a waste of money.
And in Dún Laoghaire, the council knocked down a large row of social houses and now there is a big grocery store and abandoned plots
There’s been a housing shortage for years and it’s only now they decide to renovate their vacant stock? Why was so much money poured into Haps and Hotels when it could have helped renovate existing homes?
Everyone talks about building housing – What about building roads and infrastructure first to support such massive housing plans? Convoluted thinking!
And it’s high time apartments are prioritised (and incentivised) as building up is the only way forward…
Maybe – -just maybe
If someone wanted a house and wanted it badly from the council. Maybe assist them in doing it up. Rember in the UK many moons ago there was assistance if needed to self-build for new homeowners, loans, land, and expert advice. People if they want to put the work in would get a house a year later. Me, if I was looking for a flat or house would more then be willing to do it up from scratch ..
@Dan: they don’t let you do that. In fact if you do have a council house and do it up to your liking, despite it being to highest spec they rip out all you’ve done and moved on and replace it with their stock as they can’t (wont) do maintenance on any of it!
Yet Dublin city council are the reason behind 1000 apartments failing to get planning. Piecemeal approach again by gov who fail to tackle the complicated problem with a systemic and well thought through plan, instead just knee jerk reactions playing to the gallery and utterly failing those trying to get a house or a home they can call their own.
Takes too long for LA’s to refurbish houses.
W.T.F Why are there so many lying vacant in the first place?
@Gary: Usually because the last social tenants burned the doors, window frames and staircases before the councils’ re-housed them somewhere else to repeat the whole process
@John Mc Donagh: These vacant properties could house 3000 family’s that are currently homeless. Living in hotels or receiving housing assistance payment. It would be far more cheaper to fix up a house. 2017 figures state it costs €155 on average for a family per night in a hotel. That’s €56,000 over a year. And for the people causing the damage and getting moved somewhere else. Take money from there social welfare until the money has been paid back
@John Mc Donagh: Eh no its not, it’s because no matter what the house is like even if it is immaculate with new kitchen, bathroom, wooden floors etc the council rip them all out and return it to a basic standard, it happens with every council house after a Tennant moves, it’s nothing to do with “burning doors” and whatever else your cousins aunts, dogs, friends, brothers hairdresser told you. Do you honestly think if a Tennant done what you describe they would be rehoused by the local authority, not a chance
@John Mc Donagh: that’s definitely not true in all cases, loads of council houses in Galway in perfect condition and left empty, one two doors down from me, that anyone would be happy to live in, has been empty for the last two year’s
@Simon Carroll: Do I honestly think that a tenant that did that would be re-housed?—–I do I have seen it happen!
@Sean. I left a council house 4 years ago to move into our self build . All the former house needed was a fresh lick of paint. House lay idle for 3.5 years. Council eventually came in, gutted it and started again. Absolute disgrace and waste of money. Therefore I’ll take some issue with your sweeping generalisation.
Whoopy s#ite that’s a drop in the ocean. Deliver public housing for workers who cannot afford to buy, or pay outrageously high rents for sub standard hovels not just social welfare recipients. We need a general election to get the FFGG/vulture fund cabal out and out for good.
@Welk wrangler: fffg will still get close to 50% of the seats.
Sf have destroyed the chances of a left alliance government as no party will work with them as they are a populist party mainly.
Even their leader is a populist and will switch parties at a wim to advance her personal career.
why are there 300 local authority homes empty in a house crisis. baffling
@ed w: 3000 even!!
Funny how they are spinning the fact that they have just left them to rot in the middle of the worst housing situation in our history. And now they are making out they are the heroes
Who will do it? Due to extraordinary bad foresight by various Governments since 2010 there has been very few construction apprentices registered and we are now suffering the consequences. They disbanded FAS and created a useless organization called Solas which sat on their hands and dreamed up new apprenticeships that were already there and claimed credit for them. Took there eye off the ball.
is it just me, or does it sort of stand out that the percentage of units requiring repairs is about 10% in all counties mentioned?
In the small village where I live there are two vacant houses suitable for an older person or a lone parent. One had a fire and needs a lot of work , the other one next door as they are semidetached was also slightly damaged but cannot be lived in until repairs are done. Fire was 3 years ago.
In the ongoing housing shortage crisis, refurbishing 3000 vacant local authority homes will help to address that need for some people in a relatively short timeframe, as long as the building of new social housing continues in tandem with this, then it’s a good thing.
Says the man with the extraordinarily large heed
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