Results 2,501-2,520 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (8 May 2019)

Damien English: Traveller households in receipt of social housing supports are accommodated in a variety of different housing types. The majority of Traveller households in receipt of social housing supports live in standard housing, including local authority owned properties, Approved Housing Body owned properties and tenancies in the private rented sector supported through the Housing Assistance Payment....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Appointments (8 May 2019)

Damien English: The processes for the appointment of members to the Professional Conduct Committee and Appeals Board of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) are set out under sections 23 and 24 of the Building Control Act 2007. In accordance with provisions of the Act, I made the relevant statutory committee appointments and nominations earlier this year. These appointments and nominations...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (8 May 2019)

Damien English: Despite all the efforts of the fire and emergency services and local farming communities, using controlled burning at appropriate times of the year, wildland fires can unfortunately occur in certain areas of the country at dry times of the year. Where such fires result in the loss of property, particularly peoples family homes or livelihoods, this can be devastating. The priority of fire...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Policy (18 Apr 2019)

Damien English: Again, I need to address a number of those issues. First, I will address the issue of regulations. The Deputy will be familiar with projects in his area that were built to a poor standard. In fairness, I know he is not a supporter of the latter. I wish to clarify to everyone here that there is no intention of changing the regulations such that we will have a poorer standard of property...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Policy (18 Apr 2019)

Damien English: We entered government with a regulation process that had allowed too many developments to be built to a very poor standard. A lot of my time is spent working with people in Donegal and Mayo living in homes affected by mica, people in our counties whose homes are affected by pyrite, and people in apartment blocks in Dublin that are built to a poor standard. We are not going back to that.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Policy (18 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I am not stating that it is what the Deputy said. I will be very clear, however: there is no intention of relaxing regulations. We want top-class, quality houses, and that is what people are investing in. There are too many people out there who have high mortgages on poor-quality houses. That cannot happen again. The certification process is often blamed here. It is claimed it is too...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Policy (18 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Troy for raising this issue in a formal capacity so we can have a debate around it and bring some rationality to the conversation. Like Deputy Troy, I spend a lot of time meeting people for many different reasons on a weekly basis. There is a misunderstanding of what is happening in some parts of the housing market. When one spends time with people and has the chance to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Community Banking (18 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Penrose and I know his heart is close to this issue of public banking. I want to be clear. As I mentioned in my opening remarks on behalf of the Department of Finance, the Government recognises that there are a number of positive principles underlying the concept of local community banking in general and that includes the public banking concept the Deputy has put forward....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Community Banking (18 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Penrose for raising this issue and giving us a chance to make a statement on it. I apologise that the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, could not make it this evening. I am happy to take this matter on his behalf and pass on the views of the Department in answer to the Deputy's question. I will pass on the Deputy's concerns to the Minister as well. As Deputy Penrose...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Energy Rating Compliance (18 Apr 2019)

Damien English: The Building Control Act 2007 provides for the registration of persons entitled to use the professional title of Architect. Neither I nor my Department has any direct role in the operation of this register. This is a matter for the professional body designated as the relevant competent registration authority for the purposes of European and National law, namely the Royal...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (18 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I announced funding for 2019 of €71.25 million nationally for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, living in private houses. This is made up of €57 million exchequer funding, which is an increase of some 8% on the 2018 figure, with the balance of €14.25 million coming from local authority resources. ...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (17 Apr 2019)

Damien English: Two types of properties are involved. Under the regeneration scheme, properties might be deemed to be lying idle for the purpose of regeneration works. I recognise that some of those properties in Limerick have been brought back into use early on that scheme. Regarding voids, I have made it clear a number of times that funding has been made available to Limerick. Limerick City Council was...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (17 Apr 2019)

Damien English: The Minister restated those remarks at the joint committee this morning and I reaffirm that it remains the position. I will ensure there is correspondence to local authorities to confirm that as well.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (17 Apr 2019)

Damien English: We have increased the funding for the last two years and are committed to increasing it every year for the next couple of years. We recognise it is a very important area. The allocations provided to local authorities a few weeks ago will provide for the adaptation of 11,000 houses, which is a major improvement on the 8,000 adapted three years ago.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (17 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I understand the issue was raised in relation to Louth last year also. There is some difficulty with matched funding locally, which is a matter for Louth County Council. For our part, I guarantee that every local authority has received increased funding. We also seek to adjust funding based on population. Local authorities such as that of Louth and those with increased populations should...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (17 Apr 2019)

Damien English: We naturally want this scheme to be fully confirmed at Cabinet but the most important aspect was Cabinet agreement for the scheme to happen. That happened last September or October. All the groups involved know that it will take some time to put this scheme together. We moved quite fast on this in the past year and a half based on the expert report because we understand people need help...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (16 Apr 2019)

Damien English: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Service Act, 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (16 Apr 2019)

Damien English: The Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks was established by my Department in 2016, to investigate problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Counties Donegal and Mayo. In 2017, the report of the Expert Panel was published and included eight recommendations, which my Department is actively progressing with the relevant stakeholders, prioritising the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Control Management System (16 Apr 2019)

Damien English: In relation to building standards, regulation and homeowner protection, significant progress has been and continues to be made in the context of the many building defects that have emerged over the last decade in houses and apartments built during the 2000s. However, it must be noted that under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2014, primary responsibility for compliance of works...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (16 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 563 and 564 together. The Building Regulations apply to the design and construction of a new building and to certain works to existing buildings. The minimum performance requirements that a building must achieve are set out in the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations in 12 parts, Parts A to M. Part B (Fire safety) sets down the statutory minimum...