Latest news with #CATU
Irish Times
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
‘Our cities are dying': Large turnout at Dublin housing demonstration
Large crowds gathered outside the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin city on Saturday afternoon as part of an all-island housing demonstration urging the Government to act on the crisis . Led by the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU), and backed by more than 80 other trade unions and organisations, protesters marched through the city centre towards Molesworth Street. Oisín Doyle (28) and Cian Lawler (25) – who both live at home with their parents – travelled from Co Carlow to take part. Reflecting on the difference between his own housing situation and that of his parents' generation, Mr Doyle said he 'would like to get back to a place where we can prioritise housing as a basic need and right for people and not something that's just for the rich'. READ MORE Catherine Dineen (25), Cian Lawler (25) and Oisin Doyle (28) attended Saturday's demonstration on housing in Dublin 'I was living up in Dublin with a friend for a while but had to move back because the rent was too expensive. My dad was a civil servant and owned a home at the age of 23 in Dublin. It was just a completely different world.' For Mr Lawler, owning a home in the future 'seems completely inaccessible'. 'I think it's disgraceful that we're viewed as a progressive and rich country but we have so many families homeless, so many people in direct provision, people in asylum that come here for a better life and are forced into these dire situations,' he said. 'All these vulture funds are allowed to come into this country and suck the life out of it. Our cities are dying.' Clare Fortune and Carmel Lyons at the protest. Photograph: PA Catherine Dineen (25) has been renting for the past seven years. 'It takes up more than half of my income every month and it's quite depressing to face into the future knowing that I probably won't be able to afford a house unless I work a corporate job that I don't really like,' she said. Traveller advocacy group Pavee Point was one of the organisations represented at Saturday's protest. Director Martin Collins describes Ireland's housing issues as 'a humanitarian crisis'. Participants in Saturday's housing protest in Dublin. Photograph: PA 'For the Traveller community, we've always had an accommodation crisis. We've been let down by this State over many, many decades. We are disproportionately represented in the homeless numbers.' Mr Collins said racism towards Travellers and Roma people poses an additional challenge in the search for housing. 'Many private landlords are not renting out to Travellers and Roma so the private sector is not even an option for us. The strategy and the response has to be more social and public housing. The Government and successive governments have failed in this regard.' [ Where will vital student housing come from? Opens in new window ] Stephen Curran (32), a member of CATU's housing demonstration subcommittee and communications officer for one of its north Dublin branches, grew up living in social housing in the suburb of Coolock. Now renting in Phibsborough, he said the housing crisis has 'forced people like myself into the private market'. 'The place I was renting when I was in college was about a quarter the cost of what I have now. The standard was so much better,' he said. 'Communities are developed when people can go somewhere and put roots down and that's why we need an eviction bam. That's why we need rents to be affordable.' Speakers from CATU's national branches emphasised what they see as the interconnectedness of social issues such as the housing crisis, discrimination against migrants and economic inequality.
RTÉ News
05-07-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Protesters from across island take part in housing rally
Around 2,000 people are marching down O'Connell Street in protest against the Government's housing policies. Led by CATU, the Community Action Tenants Union, they are calling on the Government to provide more social housing, to build more affordable homes and to reintroduce an eviction ban to help tenants. The protesters have travelled from all over the island of Ireland, and are calling on both the Dáil and Stormont to immediately implement a number of measures to protect people in the 32 counties from homelessness. Hundreds are waving flags and carrying banners and are representing groups from many different counties. One woman carrying a loudspeaker shouted, "When housing rights are under attack", while the crowd chanted in response, "stand up, fight back". There are representatives from the Traveller community who say Traveller accommodation is unsuitable for many of them and that they are disproportionately represented within the homelessness figures. They said they are protesting today to highlight what they say are "decades of neglect" with many Traveller families living in unacceptable conditions. The Traveller community representatives said that people are living without adequate sanitation, maintenance, or access to safe, secure or culturally appropriate homes. The protesters will gather at Molesworth Street to listen to speeches and call for further Government intervention in the housing crisis.
The Journal
08-06-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Plans to tie rents for new build apartments to inflation rate being brought to Cabinet
CABINET IS SET to consider plans that will see rents for newly built apartments tied to the rate of inflation rather than capped at 2%. It comes after Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that a decision on whether the Government would scrap or retain Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) was expected this week . RPZs are in parts of the country where rents are highest and rising, and where households have the greatest difficulty finding affordable accommodation. Rents in an RPZ cannot be increased by more than the general rate of inflation or 2% per year, whichever is lower. According to a government source, the plans being brought to Cabinet by Housing Minister James Browne this week will mean the 2% rent cap will not apply to apartments built after a certain date. It is understood that there will be no changes for existing renters if they remain in their current tenancy. However, if a person leaves a property, the landlord will be able to reset the rent at the current market rate. It is also understood that tenancy protections will also be brought in, which will see a six year security of tenure for renters. The move is being hailed as a significant development within Government, and it is being viewed as the ending of no-fault evictions for the first time in the State. A Dublin CATU branch presented their RPZ paper to Browne recently at a protest, and it is understood he considered it closely. RPZs were first introduced in Dublin and Cork in 2016 for a period of three years, but RPZs have since been expanded across the country. They were to remain in place until 31 December 2024 but last May, the Government agreed to extend them until 31 December 2025 . Browne recently said that the Government wants to 'strike a balance' in terms of driving supply while protecting renters. 'Utter madness' A landmark report by the Housing Commission last year recommended that the use of RPZs be replaced with a system of 'reference rents', which would peg rent increases to a reference rent for local dwellings of similar quality. Advertisement The Housing Commission said such a reference should be reviewed at regular intervals. Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has called the proposals 'utter madness'. He said there will now be four different rent setting rules and eviction rules for tenants: in RPZs and in existing tenancies; in RPZs and in new tenancies in existing rental stock; in RPZs and in new tenancies in newly built rental stock; and renters in tenancies outside RPZs. 'Renters are being punished for the Governments own housing failures with even higher rip off rents and greater uncertainty,' he said. He also raised concerns that the changes will incentivise landlords to evict tenants in existing rental stock to avail of the ability to reset rents to new market rents. For all tenancies created after 11 June 2022, tenants have a right to remain in a property for an unlimited duration after they have lived there for six months. However, for tenancies created before June 2022, tenants who have lived in a property for six months only have the right to remain there for six years. This is known as a Part 4 tenancy. Ó Broin told The Journal : 'If the Government allows landlords to reset rents in between tenancies for existing rental stock to the full market rent, and if – this year, next year or the year after – those Part 4 tenancies come to an end, then there is a huge incentive for landlords to fully legally evict their sitting tenants to avail of the reset to market rents.' He said it is 'a timebomb' that will affect tens of thousands of renters. 'This will put any renter in a pre-2022 tenancy in an incredibly risky position if [the Government] make this proposal as it currently stands.' Can't 'pull the rug from under renters' Fine Gael TD Micheál Carrigy, who is chair of the Oireachtas Housing Committee, has said that any decision the Government takes in relation to RPZs in the coming days 'cannot pull the rug from under renters'. 'There can't be just some sort of sort of cliff edge or some switch that just gets flicked in terms of supports and safeguards for renters,' Carrigy said. 'The level of rent people are paying in this country is extraordinarily high already and that is largely down to a lack of supply which must change.' Carrigy said the Government's goal is to increase the supply of new homes, and measures to do this 'must mitigate against any negative impact on supply linked to RPZs'. 'There is an opportunity in the coming days to change the game for renters forever at the same time as making necessary changes to rent regulation policy.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Daily Mirror
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Housing union holds protest in Dublin to highlight 'deepening housing crisis'
A protest was held outside the Property Industry Ireland Conference in Dublin City Centre on Thursday morning. The Community Action Tenants' Union (CATU) held the protest where Housing Minister James Browne was due to speak in response to recent Government announcements that limited rent controls through rent pressure zones will be lifted, and the decision to cut funding from the tenant in situ scheme. CATU members across Dublin joined the picket outside the property conference in protest of deepening housing crisis which recently saw average rents in Dublin rise to over €2500 per month - nearly the entire median monthly wage. CATU has called an all-island housing protest for Saturday July 5 at 1pm in Dublin City Centre to demand immediate housing action from the Government including a commitment to lower rents, and ensure no child is in emergency accommodation by the end of 2026. John Bohan, a member of CATU's National Committee, states that: 'Policy is being written for developers' profits rather than public good. 'Whether it's being evicted from your home with a few weeks' notice, or seeing your children emigrate due to lack of affordable housing, hardly anyone on this island has not been affected by the years of disastrous housing policy in Ireland that is being written by business. Bohan continued: 'No Minister should be making any concessions to landlords and property developers when the number of families living in hotels rises month to month. We are calling on everyone affected by this crisis to mobilise with us on July 5th in Dublin city centre to make it very clear to the government that enough is enough.' CATU is an all-island union and is calling on both the Dáil and Stormont to immediately implement a number of measures to protect people across the island from homelessness, including the introduction and reinstatement of the eviction ban. They are also calling for a commitment to ensure no child is living in emergency accommodation by 2026, and a full and proper resourcing of the tenant in situ scheme. The union is also demanding an end to the inhumane and exploitative direct provision system, and urgent resourcing and provision of culturally appropriate Traveller accommodation to end the discrimination which sees Travellers overrepresented in the homeless figures. The union also demands a rapid expansion of community mental health and addiction supports to address the complex harms experienced by many people forced into the homeless system. Aislinn Marchant, CATU member in Galway commented: 'The crisis is playing out across the country in so many ways. Rents in Galway have rocketed 70 per cent in five years - fueled in part by illegal short-term lets. Landlords flout regulations, with just four per cent of Galway's Airbnbs having proper planning permission, turning housing into illegal profit machines. 'Like so many aspects of the housing crisis, political will is what is needed, including proper enforcement of legislation, a cap on short term lets, and introducing the Short Term Tourist Letting Register.'
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Crédit Agricole Assurances: Outstanding activity with record net inflows
Press release Paris, April 30, 2025 Outstanding activity with record net inflows Q1 2025 KEY FIGURES: Total premium income1 at a record high of €14.8 billion, up +20.7%2 Record net inflows of +€4,0 billion, including +€1.9 billion on the General Account 'In the first quarter of 2025, Crédit Agricole Assurances had continued dynamic activity across all business lines, both in France and abroad, and once again proved the usefulness and efficiency of our universal banking and insurance model. In particular, net inflows reached a record high of nearly €4 billion, including €1.9 billion on the General Account. These successes demonstrate the commitment of all our employees who work day after day to satisfy our customers and enable us to consolidate our leading positions in savings and property and casualty. In this year of our 40th anniversary, we will continue to build our new company project and will put conquest at the heart of the strategy with all our partner banks'.Nicolas Denis, Chief Executive Officer of Crédit Agricole Assurances DOUBLE-DIGIT ACTIVITY GROWTH, DRIVEN BY SAVINGS AND RETIREMENT BUSINESS In the first quarter of 2025, Crédit Agricole Assurances generated record total premium income1 of €14.8 billion, up +20.7%2 compared to the end of March 2024 driven by France (+23.5%) and international markets (+5.7%2). Life insurance business is particularly dynamic in France (+28.3%) thanks to the success of inflow collection by our partner banks. In savings and retirement, premium income1 reached €10.8 billion at the end of March 2025, up +26.8% year-on-year. The first three months of 2025 benefited from the full effect of the preferential profit sharing (PAB) offers on euro payments, launched at the end of the first quarter of 2024; these have boosted gross inflows3 on the General Account to €7.1 billion (+36.6%). Unit-Linked gross inflows3 totalled €3.7 billion, up +11.4% compared to the first quarter of 2024. As a result, the share of Unit-Linked within gross inflows3 fell to 34.3% (-4.7 points year on-year). Net inflows3 set quarterly record of nearly +€4.0 billion, up +€2.9 billion compared to the first quarter of 2024. By product, net inflows3 amounted to +€2.0 billion on unit-linked and +€1.9 billion on the General Account. Life insurance outstandings4 reached €352.4 billion at the end of March 2025 thanks to very strong net inflows and a positive market effect. They included €246.7 billion on the General Account (+1.4% over three months) and €105.7 billion on Unit-Linked (+1.5% over three months). Unit-Linked reserves represented 30.0% of total life insurance outstandings at the end of March 2025, stable compared to December 31, 2024. In property and casualty5, the business continued its momentum with gross written premiums1 up +8.0% compared to the end of March 2024, reaching €2.6 billion. Including CATU, a Polish non-life insurance subsidiary, the portfolio grew by +5.1% and exceeded 16.8 million contracts, representing a net contribution of 512,000 contracts over one year; in addition to the price increases induced by climate change and inflation of repair costs, the average premium benefited from changes in the product mix. Equipment rates within the Crédit Agricole Group's banking networks kept growing year-on-year, at the Regional Banks (44.2%6, up +0,8 point), LCL (28.0%6, up +0.2 point) and CA Italia (20.3%7, up +1.0 points). In personal protection (death and disability / creditor / group insurance8), gross written premiums1 increased by +4.3% compared to the end of March 2024, to €1.4 billion. Group insurance recorded an excellent first quarter of 2025 (+23.8%) in connection with the entry into force of a significant group health contract. Creditor insurance (+1.8%) and individual death and disability (+2.7%) are resilient. A SOLID CONTRIBUTION TO CREDIT AGRICOLE S.A.'S PRE-TAX INCOME Crédit Agricole Assurances contribution to Crédit Agricole S.A.'s pre-tax income was €631 million, stable2 year on year, supported by savings and retirement business (linked to the increase of life insurance outstandings) and property and casualty insurance, offsetting a tightening of technical margins in creditor insurance combined with methodological effects. The combined ratio9 stood at 93.2%, an improvement by -0.6 point year-on-year thanks to contained net undiscounted combined ratio decreased by -0.4 point over one year to stand at 95.9%, with a broadly neutral effect of discount. The Contractual Service Margin10 amounted to €25.8 billion at the end of March 2025, up +2.2% since December 31, 2024, benefiting from a new business contribution which is higher than the release through P&L. RATINGS Rating agency Date of last decision Main operating subsidiaries Crédit Agricole Assurances Outlook Subordinated debt S&P Global Ratings October 3, 2024 A+ A Stable BBB+ HIGHLIGHTS SINCE THE LAST PUBLICATION Crédit Agricole committed to supporting France Parkinson Crédit Agricole Assurances strengthened its presence in the regions by inaugurating two new low-carbon Claims Management Units, in Saint-Etienne and Pau Press Release for availability of the 2024 Group CAA SFCR Call for projects for caregivers 2025: Crédit Agricole Assurances committed to mental health Crédit Agricole Assurances partners with Whysol Investments to support the growth of Whysol Renewables in renewable energy sources and battery storage in Italy Crédit Agricole Assurances has successfully placed its first issue of €750M of Tier 1 super subordinated notes at an initial fixed annual rate of 6.250% Crédit Agricole Assurances opened a new branch for its subsidiary Crédit Agricole Creditor Insurance, in Stuttgart Release for availability of an Investor Presentation CAA – March 2025 (FY-24 figures) Crédit Agricole Assurances: 2024 results and 2025 outlook Spirica partners with PERmute, the fintech that makes retirement savings plan transfers more streamlined and reliable About Crédit Agricole AssurancesCrédit Agricole Assurances, France's leading insurer, is Crédit Agricole group's subsidiary, which brings together all the insurance businesses of Crédit Agricole S.A. Crédit Agricole Assurances offers a range of products and services in savings, retirement, health, personal protection and property insurance. They are distributed by Crédit Agricole's banks in France and in 9 countries worldwide, and are aimed at individual, professional, agricultural and business customers. At the end of 2024, Crédit Agricole Assurances had more than 6,700 employees. Its 2024 premium income (non-GAAP) amounted to 43.6 billion Press contactsGéraldine Bailacq +33 (0)6 81 75 87 59Nicolas Leviaux +33 (0)6 19 60 48 53Julien Badé +33 (0)7 85 18 68 Investor relations contactsYael Beer-Gabel +33 (0)1 57 72 66 84Gaël Hoyer +33 (0)1 57 72 62 22Sophie Santourian +33 (0)1 57 72 43 42Cécile Roy +33 (0)1 57 72 61 « Non-GAAP » revenues2 Excluding the 1st consolidation of CATU (Crédit Agricole Towaraystow Ubezpieczeń, property and casualty insurance subsidiary in Poland) on 30 June 2024 with retroactive effect from 1 January 2024, changes are: +20.7% for total premium income, +5.4% for international premium income and +0.1% for Crédit Agricole Assurances contribution to Crédit Agricole S.A.'s pre-tax income3 In local GAAP4 Savings, Retirement and Protection (funeral)5 At constant scope: +7.7% growth in non-life gross written premiums, +2.9% increase in the portfolio, net addition of more than 467,000 policies; at March 31, 2025, CATU's portfolio comprised nearly 348,000 policies, including net addition of more than 45,000 policies over one year6 Percentage of Regional banks and LCL customers with at least one motor, home, health, legal, mobile/portable or personal accident insurance policy marketed by Pacifica, French Crédit Agricole Assurances' non-life insurance subsidiary7 Percentage of CA Italia network customers with at least one policy marketed by CA Assicurazioni, Italian Crédit Agricole Assurances' non-life insurance subsidiary8 Excluding savings and retirement9 P&C combined ratio in France (Pacifica scope) including discounting and excluding undiscounting, net of reinsurance: (claims + operating expenses + commissions) to gross earned premiums10 CSM or Contractual Service Margin: corresponds to the expected profits by the insurer on the insurance activity, over the duration of the contract, for profitable contracts, for Savings, Retirement, Death and Disability and Creditor products Attachment Press release - CAA Q1 2025 resultsSign in to access your portfolio
