Results 22,361-22,380 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Rates (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Motor tax on cars registered prior to 2008 is based on engine capacity. To incentivise reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases, cars registered from 2008 onwards are taxed on the basis of CO2emissions. In the case of cars taxed on engine capacity, the banding is structured so that the level of tax payable increases as the engine size increases, with bands ranging from €333 to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Generation (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 352 and 357 together. In December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed: - the setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments, -...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Aviation Issues (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Fingal County Council granted permission on 7 July 2015, subject to 15 conditions, for the part of the pipeline project in its administrative area. On 26 April 2016, An Bord Pleanála granted permission on appeal, subject to 33 conditions, for the part of this project in Dublin City Council’s administrative area. Both permissions are for a period of 10 years. The development...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Scheme to Support National Organisations (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The organisation in question is currently funded through the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) which aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. The current round of funding commenced on 1 July 2014, for a two year period. The organisation in question was allocated €175,950 for the 24 month...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Administration (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the Leader programme will transfer to my colleague the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht shortly. In this regard, the allocation of additional funding to Leader groups, which is referred to in the new Programme for a Partnership Government, will be considered in due course. I believe there is sufficient funding allocated under the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Animal Breeding Regulations (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I assume the question refers to the so-called 'puppy farm' in County Cavan, recently referred to on a British Broadcasting Corporation Panorama investigation programme. The regulation of dog breeding establishments is a matter for local authorities in accordance with the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 and I understand that Cavan County Council is dealing with the matter referred to in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Services (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is the responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with Section 80 of the Local Government Act 2001, to make proper arrangements for the management, custody, care and conservation of their records and archives and to provide public access to their archives. Similarly, the annual cost for the storage of records and archives is a matter for each local authority and is a matter in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Remuneration (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: A 10% cut in the annual salaries of the 31 Chief Executives would amount to a total annual saving of €418,000.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Administration (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The first Leader contracts will issue to local action groups (LAGs), including those in County Cork, on a phased basis over the coming weeks as the respective Leader local development strategies are finalised and discussions on contract and implementation arrangements are concluded with the respective LAGs. The new Leader Programme will be delivered in three separate sub-regional areas in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The figures produced by the Housing Agency, drawing on Census 2011, highlight the extent of vacant properties in the country at that time. The Agency has also highlighted the importance of utilising existing housing stock to meet the housing shortage where possible. In this regard, vacant units in areas that are already serviced may provide opportunities. In order to fully ascertain the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I will shortly bring forward draft legislation to implement water elements of the “Confidence and Supply Arrangement” agreed with Fianna Fáil in the context of supporting a minority government. This draft legislation will provide for the suspension of domestic water charges for a period of nine months, clarify the position on late payment charges during this period and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management Regulations (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 to 365, inclusive, together. Under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007, as amended, there has been a requirement since 1 July 2015 for collectors to weigh household waste collected at kerbside, using approved weighing instruments and to make this information available to the householder. From 1 July 2016 , there will be a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I will shortly bring forward draft legislation to implement water elements of the “Confidence and Supply Arrangement” agreed with Fianna Fáil in the context of supporting a minority government. This draft legislation will provide for the suspension of domestic water charges for a period of nine months and provide for the establishment of an External Advisory Board to build...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electoral Reform (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department held a public consultation on the control of postering for elections and referenda in Autumn 2008. Following on from this, a number of measures, including restricting the number of posters per candidate and the display of posters in designated areas only, were pilot-tested during the 2009 Local and European Elections. Local authorities were canvassed for their views on these...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) (formally the Social Housing Leasing Initiative) was announced in February, 2009. Since then the Programme has been expanded a number of times to provide for new types of supply and to involve a greater range of agencies and bodies in providing accommodation. SHCEP currently supports the delivery of social housing by providing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters Data (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. This includes the domestic water metering programme. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to or by telephone...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Derelict Sites Act 1990 requires 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 become, or continue to be, a derelict site. To this end, local authorities have been given substantial powers under the Act in relation to any such sites, including powers to require...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Data (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water customer billing and collection levels are a matter for the utility and one in which I have no function. Irish Water has published information on bill payment levels to the end of its fourth billing cycle on its...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Statistics on unoccupied housing across the State, including County Louth, has most recently been set out in a report by the Housing Agency, which is available at the following link: Louth County Council had 59 vacant social housing units as at 27 May 2016, which represents 1.6% of their stock. A number of these are vacant/derelict units which the Council has recently acquired from private...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (31 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 and 395 together. The new Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme and applies to all existing local authority houses, other than those classes of houses excluded under legislation....