Results 501-520 of 5,844 for speaker:Alan Dillon

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. The capital funding available for 2024 is €21 million for the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Community (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. Travellers are entitled to use the services of all existing Ombudsman offices for any complaint...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: The Derelict Sites Act 1990 imposes a general duty on every owner and occupier of land to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the land does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site. The Act also imposes a duty on local authorities to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1147, 1157 and 1158 together. My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The allocation of local authority dwellings, including the prioritisation of certain households, is a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1169, 1170 and 1171 together. The acquisition of land or property by, and the provision of offices for the operation and administration of, a local authority are functions of local government which are recognised in statute: Section 11(7) of the Local Government Act 2001 (as amended) provides that a local authority shall be “a body corporate with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation list prepared by Tailte éireann under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2022. Tailte éireann has independent responsibility for all valuation matters, except appeals of valuation procedures set out under the Valuation Acts...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions and the discharge of their governance and other responsibilities. They provide in excess of 1,000 services on behalf of over 30 public bodies. Accordingly, the funding system for local authorities is a complex one, as authorities derive their income from a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: 1229.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will include a school (details supplied) in the breakfast club programme for September 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30891/24]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: 2061.To ask the Minister for Health the status of a tender process (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31302/24]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres (23 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: 2062.To ask the Minister for Health when construction will recommence on a building (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31307/24]

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: First, I want to thank all the Senators for raising the issues on Committee Stage of this Bill.There has been criticism of the guillotine on Wednesday but we are offering up to 25 hours to debate the Bill between now and then. It does not undermine the role and responsibility that Seanad Éireann has in the legislative process. The Bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: I thank all the Senators. First, I will address the comments from Senator Boyhan in relation to the chief planning officer. While his suggestions have merits, the directors of services have strategic leadership responsibilities in each local authority and a management role. They are equipped with several different competencies and do not just have a single profession or area of expertise....

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: We will be guided by the advice of the Attorney General and his office on the response. We will be open and transparent on Report Stage about what has been presented to the Government on the Aarhus Convention. Until then, I do not have anything further to add.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: Regarding Senator Burke's comment around local authority members and their engagement around development plans and the content, they must be in one sense consistent with the national plan and framework and policies of the Government but also with proper planning around sustainable development. At any stage, local authority members can make a variation to their local area plan or the country...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: I take the Senator's point. The key word in the section is "prescribed". For example, a retail warehouse is very different from a convenience supermarket. In that context, "prescribed" determines where this fits into the Bill.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: Senators raised points on what is prescribed for one particular use, and various analogies around takeaways, retail units and betting shops were made. What is important here is that the type of use of a facility has an impact in various ways, whether it relates to traffic management, opening hours, noise disturbance or size. The important thing is that we specify a premises' prescribed use...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: As I said previously to the Senator, it impacts on different types of originally prescribed planning that was previously granted in relation to that unit

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Alan Dillon: Yes, and I think there are implications for traffic, size and scale, opening hours, etc. and these are all factored in.