Results 22,661-22,680 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (23 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Information in relation to the number of new local authority loans advanced and associated total loan value, broken down by local authority for the years in question, is available on my Department’s website at: .

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (23 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 152 together. With effect from 1 July 2016, a cut of 0.25% will be applied to the variable mortgage interest rate charged to local authority borrowers. This cut will reduce the current variable rate of 2.55% to 2.30%. The interest rate applied to the Home Choice Loan scheme has also been reduced from that date, from 3.5% to 3.25%. Further information...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (23 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The information requested is set out in the table. The Home Choice Loan (HCL)  is a mortgage for first time buyers provided by local authorities. The terms and conditions of this loan are set out in the specific regulations – the Housing (Home Choice Loan) Regulations 2009 – a copy of which is available at . Further details in relation to the Home Choice Loan can be found...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Data (23 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: As announced in Budget 2015, the moratorium on recruitment has been lifted throughout the Local Authority Sector. 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...

United Kingdom Referendum on European Union Membership: Statements (27 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I thought the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, was ahead of me, but it seems not.

United Kingdom Referendum on European Union Membership: Statements (27 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have only five minutes and I wish to focus on a few issues. Firstly, on a personal level but also as a Minister in Government, I believe the UK has made a bad decision. It is bad for the European Union and it is certainly bad for Ireland and for Northern Ireland. In time I believe that many people in Britain will live to regret the decision also. From Ireland's perspective, the...

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I welcome the opportunity to respond to the commentary from colleagues on all sides of the House. I thank Members for their contributions to the debate. This is a very short Bill and there has been little discussion on the technicalities of the legislation. I hope we will have an opportunity to do this on Committee Stage in the coming days when we will go through the Bill line by line to...

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Unanimous support.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Referral to Select Committee (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government pursuant to Standing Orders 82A(3)(a) and 126(1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business and paragraph (8) of the Orders of Reference of Select Committees.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (28 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-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments; - a mandatory minimum setback distance of 500 metres...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: While investment in the physical regeneration of Ballymun is largely complete, my Department has been continuing to support certain social and economic interventions in Ballymun with funding allocated on the basis of agreed annual work programmes. An allocation of €1.7million is available for these social regeneration initiatives in the Ballymun area for 2016. My Department will be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Rates (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: There have been no changes to motor tax rates for commercial vehicles since the reductions announced in Budget 2016 and given legislative effect in the Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Act 2015. The reductions applied to all vehicles with an unladen weight in excess of 4,000kgs, with no change to rates for smaller commercial vehicles. To be taxed as a commercial vehicle, a vehicle...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Sector Funding (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 225 together. The organisation in question submitted an application to Pobal under the Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector. In total 148 applications were received and assessed by Pobal on behalf of my Department with 70 organisations to receive funding. The quality of applications was very high, leading to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Standards (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, as amended by the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2009, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. The Regulations specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management Regulations (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Responsibility for environmental functions in relation to waste and resource efficiency, including waste management, regulation of waste collection companies and regulation of recycling facilities, will transfer to the Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources. That Department will be renamed as the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment following...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 170 to 172, inclusive, together. In an open market, it is a matter for a waste collector to set charges at the level they consider to be competitive, in compliance with the requirements of environmental and other applicable legislation. However, since the waste industry began releasing its planned pricing plans in relation to the nationwide roll-out of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Planning legislation places no specific restrictions on the height of trees, nor does it make any particular provision for remedy from any other nuisance which may be caused by trees in an urban residential area. However, there is currently a civil remedy available concerning branches or roots of neighbouring trees encroaching on a person’s property. The previous Minister of State...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 179 together. Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs) have been established in each of the three existing waste regions, with responsibility for coordinating waste enforcement actions and ensuring consistent enforcement of waste legislation while still leaving local authority personnel as first responders on the ground to specific...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 175, 177, 178 and 183 together. A Study of Pay-by-use Systems for Maximising Waste Reduction Behaviour in Ireland, published in 2011, estimated that: - 46% of households used differential bin-based charges (a flat fee), - 34% used tag-based charges (either pay-by-lift or tags), and - 20% used weight - based charges . While the Study does not break down...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants....