Paul Murphy urges fix to MUD Act delay, regulate OMCs
Paul Murphy spoke about delays in transferring responsibility for the Multi-Unit Development Act to the Department of Housing and called for urgent regulation of owners' management companies (OMCs). He argued that mothers should not be separated from their children and urged legislative action to restore oversight.
The speaker said the Programme for Government commits to moving responsibility for the Multi-Unit Development Act from the Department of Justice to the Department of Housing, but that the implementation is stalled. He explained the Mulcavy judgment means primary legislation must be amended because the MUD Act currently refers to the Minister for Justice rather than the Minister for Housing.
Officials from the Department of Housing have been unable to attend Housing Committee meetings about the issue because the Line Minister is not yet officially responsible. The Housing Agency has also not been allocated funding to carry out regulatory work on OMCs, the speaker said, leaving oversight unfulfilled.
The speaker emphasised that proper regulation of owners' management companies is essential and raised fundamental rights concerns for residents in affected complexes. He insisted regulatory oversight is important for governance and for ensuring people - including mothers and their children - can have a normal family life.
The speaker said he will pursue the matter with the relevant Minister and check progress on the required amendment to primary legislation. He also said he will engage with the Minister for Housing and the women's office to seek direction and action to enable regulation and funding for the Housing Agency.
Legislative obstacle
The speaker said the Programme for Government commits to moving responsibility for the Multi-Unit Development Act from the Department of Justice to the Department of Housing, but that the implementation is stalled. He explained the Mulcavy judgment means primary legislation must be amended because the MUD Act currently refers to the Minister for Justice rather than the Minister for Housing.
Operational hold-up
Officials from the Department of Housing have been unable to attend Housing Committee meetings about the issue because the Line Minister is not yet officially responsible. The Housing Agency has also not been allocated funding to carry out regulatory work on OMCs, the speaker said, leaving oversight unfulfilled.
Rights and regulation
The speaker emphasised that proper regulation of owners' management companies is essential and raised fundamental rights concerns for residents in affected complexes. He insisted regulatory oversight is important for governance and for ensuring people - including mothers and their children - can have a normal family life.
Next steps and commitments
The speaker said he will pursue the matter with the relevant Minister and check progress on the required amendment to primary legislation. He also said he will engage with the Minister for Housing and the women's office to seek direction and action to enable regulation and funding for the Housing Agency.
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Transcript
Please entitle them to have a normal family life. These mothers should not be separated from their kids. The programme for Government says that the Government will move responsibility for the Multi-Unit Development Act to the Department of Housing, that is from the Department of Justice, and will establish a unit in a housing agency to regulate owners' management companies to ensure effective governance. That is very important work that needs to happen. The problem is that it is not happening currently, so it is agreed, but effectively what is holding it up is that, as a result of the Mulcavy judgment, the primary legislation needs to be changed. At the moment the Mudd Act refers to the Minister for Justice, not for the Minister for Housing. A simple amendment is needed to change the reference to the Minister for Housing. Until that happens, basically all this work of regulatory oversight of OMCs and so on is simply not taking place. There was a meeting of the Housing Committee to discuss these issues, they invited various officials from the Department of Housing, and were told, no, we cannot come yet because our Line Minister is not yet responsible for this. The Housing Agency has not been allocated funding for doing any regulatory work as a result. This needs direction action. Deputy Murphy wants to regulate, yes, I will talk to the Minister who is responsible. There has to be proper regulation of management companies. There are fundamental rights involved there in terms of those complexes. So I pursue that with the Minister and see where we are in terms of amendment to primary legislation. And I will talk to the Minister and see where we are with the Minister for Housing and the women's office we're in the state. Ladies and gentlemen, please, please, please, please. Okay.