Results 22,541-22,560 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (16 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, it is a matter for each individual Chief Executive to recruit and assign staff to specific divisions. My Department works closely with all...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (16 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Government is committed to introducing and supporting legislation in the Oireachtas, within six weeks of its appointment, to suspend domestic water charges for a period of nine months from the end of the current bill cycle. The proposed details of the suspension will be set out in the legislation when published. In line with the suspension of domestic water charges, and to ensure equity...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal (16 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 135 together. In an open market, it has been a matter for the collector to set charges, including service charges, at the level they consider to be competitive, in compliance with the requirements of environmental and other applicable legislation. Excessive pricing by individual companies will offer the opportunity for rival operators to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Data (16 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Under the terms of these various funding schemes supporting the delivery of social housing by approved housing bodies (AHBs), AHBs are the de factoowners of the properties and are required to make them available for social renting for the duration of the mortgage or, as the case may be, the availability agreement. My Department cannot unilaterally make provision for their sale to tenants....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (16 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department holds regular and on-going discussions with waste collection service providers with regard to various issues around the introduction of pay by weight. However, in an open market , it is a matter for the collector to set charges, including service charges, at the level they consider to be competitive, in compliance with the requirements of environmental and other applicable...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (16 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department funds a range of housing supports for persons with a disability, living in both privately- owned housing and local authority housing. The Disabled Person Grant Scheme provides fund s to local authorities to undertake adaptations and extensions to homes to meet the needs of local authority tenants with a disability, or to address serious overcrowding. The Housing Adaptation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (16 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the status of the housing project referenced, I have no function in relation to individual planning cases. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case, with which a planning authority, including An Bord Pleanála, is or may be concerned. The...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (16 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: 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; - a mandatory minimum setback distance of 500 metres between a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (16 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department funds a programme to return vacant social housing to productive use which has been in operation in its current format since 2014; under this programme, a total of €60 million was provided to local authorities between 2014 and 2015 to support the return of 5,000 properties to use. This substantial funding over 2014/15 supported local authorities to deal with a backlog of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (16 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Properties (16 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: In general, premises and sites occupied by my Department are rented or leased by the Office of Public Works, rather than directly by my Department. Details relating to premises and sites currently rented directly by Met Éireann are set out as follows: Location Landlord Upward only rent Office space - Dublin Airport Dublin Airport Authority No Office space - Shannon Airport...

Waste Collection Charges: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy should not be scaring people with spurious statements.

Waste Collection Charges: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 2:To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following: “supports the introduction of pay-by-weight charging for household waste collection from 1st July, as the most effective and proven means of managing and segregating household waste, in line with the polluter pays principle, to reduce residual waste going to landfills...

Waste Collection Charges: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: That is a reasonable approach to an issue that clearly was raising much concern in many households last week. We are responding to it. We now have a step-by-step process to encourage people to change their behaviour and to reward them - by means of a pricing model - for doing that on a voluntary basis. After 12 months - unfortunately Deputy Healy is not here - we have made no promise-----

Waste Collection Charges: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I will conclude on this. We have made no promise to the industry in terms of what will happen at the end of 12 months, except to say that we will hold a full review of its activities and, indeed, the progression towards a better way of charging.

Waste Collection Charges: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: They are not increasing their charges now. They are freezing their charges.

Waste Collection Charges: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Does the Deputy believe in paying by weight?

Waste Collection Charges: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: We have agreement on those charges, Deputy.

Waste Collection Charges: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: We are.

Waste Collection Charges: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I suppose I was asked to freeze charges also.