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Friday 9 June 2023 Dublin: 11°C

# barry cowen

All time
# Down tools
Housing minister publishes emergency legislation to close planning permission 'blunder'
An issue had arisen whereby planning permission granted for large-scale housing developments during the recession could run out, forcing workers to down tools.
# Housing Crisis
Should compulsory purchase orders be used for vacant properties?
Fianna Fail thinks they should.
# Water fight
€467m on meters, but bitter water war could end up costing a lot more
The water committee is meeting again today to vote on its final report, but there are fears we’re on the brink of an election.
# The Heat Is On
Fianna Fáil may not support new Fine Gael Taoiseach if water charges debacle not resolved
The impasse between the country’s two biggest parties shows no signs of abating.
# factcheck
FactCheck: Are there really 8,500 social housing units currently being built?
Part One of FactCheck’s two-part series on high-profile disputes over social housing, this week.
# factcheck
FactCheck: Did Right2Water this week support charging for excessive water use?
Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen made the claim this week, and the AAA-PBP’s Paul Murphy accused him of “mischief making”. FactCheck steps in.
# rental crisis
'New politics my arse' - Gerry Adams is not happy with the rent strategy row
Talks broke up without agreement late last night.
LIVE
Leaders' Questions: Mary Lou says maybe FF and FG can get a bit of mistletoe and “kiss and make-up”
The failure of both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to reach an agreement last night leaves renters in the middle of a mess.
# Fallout
Poll: If the Government falls over rents, would you vote the same way again in another election?
This morning the barely six-month-old government is facing a major crisis over Fianna Fáil’s objections to its rental plans.
# Your Say
Poll: Are you in favour of water services remaining in public ownership?
A bill is coming before the Dáil calling for a referendum on the ownership of Ireland’s water services.
# Irish Water
'There's a real chance of a referendum on the ownership of water, but we need FF to back it'
The bill, supported by 39 TDs, calls for a referendum on the ownership of Ireland’s water services.
# going going gone
Buyers are snapping up new homes in the town once dubbed Ireland's first ghost town
The first phase of a 177 new home development in Adamstown was launched this weekend.
# In the red
Ireland's local authorities are over €4 billion in debt
Minister Simon Coveney says he doesn’t believe that any of the loans are unsustainable.
# Homelessness
'Unacceptable' - Ireland's 2,751 vacant social housing units
Local authority figures released to Fianna Fáil show that, as of April, there were 372 vacant housing units in Dublin City alone.
# In hot water
Multiple calls for head of water charges commission to step down over "ill-judged" comments
In a media interview Joe O’Toole expressed his support for the charges.
# established practices
European Commission confirms its view that we are no longer exempt from water charges
The “Irish exemption” ended when we introduced water charges, the European Commission has told TheJournal.ie.
# Water fight
Is Ireland set to go to war with the European Commission over water charges?
The Commission today issued a statement apparently saying that Ireland is no longer exempt from water charges.
# Irish Water
Fianna Fáil TD says people should pay water bills, before calling the whole thing a 'sorry mess'
A Sinn Féin motion calling for the charges to be scrapped will be debated in the Dáil today.
# GE16 Fact Check
FactCheck: The truth and the lies from TV3's Deputy Leaders' Debate
TheJournal.ie’s GE16 FactCheck has sifted through the claims made by Kelly, McDonald, Reilly and Cowen.
# Ambition
Barry Cowen says he wants to lead Fianna Fáil
But he added that Micheál Martin is pitching himself as an alternative Taoiseach.
# Nowhere to be seen
Alan Kelly was canvassing last night while the Dáil debated homelessness
The Labour deputy leader, who has described the issue as his number one priority, was seeking votes in Roscrea.
# haven't gone away
'Delusional' Alan Kelly claims water charges have gone off the agenda
Others disagree.
# Cause for alarm?
Alan Kelly told to 'come clean' about meeting with company which won €3.6m State contracts
Kelly met with two representatives from the company, but says he did not know they would be there.
# waiting list
The housing crisis may be much worse than we thought
Figures released by Fianna Fáil show the social housing waiting list stands at 130,000 and not the 89,000 the government claims.
# Leave It Grant
'Every time Alan Kelly picks up the phone to a journalist, the Irish Water policy changes'
The government – and particularly Alan Kelly – are getting hammered over the latest controversy.
# complex issue
Fianna Fáil doesn't want to repeal the 8th Amendment
Micheál Martin didn’t respond to our survey, while others had an identical reply.
# Brothers in Arms
'Whatever questions are put to Brian he won't be found wanting'
We asked Barry Cowen about his brother’s appearance before the banking inquiry next month.
# Water you going to do?
What's the Fianna Fáil alternative to Irish Water and water charges?
We asked the party’s environment spokesperson Barry Cowen to outline his policy this week.
# The fightback
'It did not happen': Barry Cowen insists Averil Power wasn't laughed at
The Fianna Fáil TD gave his version of events to TheJournal.ie today.
# election mode
8 things we learned at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis
As expected, there’s been new policies … and more in-fighting.
# Housing
Government spin 'now seeping into the civil service'
Reports today reveal Department officials said housing figures had been spun.
# Water protests
'The temper of protest is changing' - Pat Rabbitte critical of 'thuggish' protesters
The former minister says such protesters are in the minority.
# Irish Water
One thousand water meters are being installed every day (but progress has slowed down)
Minister Alan Kelly says there’s now 2,000 fewer being installed per month compared to late last year.
# so there
Joan Burton thinks concerns about water meters are ‘a total ball of smoke’
There was a lot of finger-wagging and eye-rolling at Leaders’ Questions today.
# Housing Crisis
Here's a breakdown of how many people get rent supplement - county by county
The number of recipients has dropped by 15,000 since 2012.
# Price hike
Cost of water meters underestimated by €107 million
RTÉ’s This Week programme says the guide price provided to Government was way off.
# Compliance
We'll be aiming to collect "over 90%" of Irish Water charges - John Tierney
TDs on The Week in Politics also debate the Government’s security.
# tea with trotsky
'I was concerned if the car doors opened what would happen next' - Joan Burton
The Tánaiste and Mary Lou McDonald had another argument today, but this one didn’t lead to a four-hour sit-in.
# Leaders' Questions
Joan Burton: I'm delighted people are filming Irish Water protests
The Tánaiste has again moved to clarify her comments about Irish Water protesters with expensive phones and cameras.
# Conflict of Interest
Minister's driver resigns from Irish Water
It emerged today that Paudie Coffey has hired an Irish Water board member as his personal driver.