Results 22,761-22,780 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Other Questions: Housing Policy (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Mick Wallace is being help up.

Other Questions: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I see the Deputy has been enjoying his time in France.

Other Questions: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I believe that. I do not take much convincing.

Other Questions: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 18 together. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides for the transfer of water services functions, with some exceptions, of the city and county councils to Irish Water. The provision, operation and maintenance of sewers other than storm water sewers are among the functions transferred to Irish Water. However, the operation and maintenance of...

Other Questions: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: While the responsibility for storm sewers remains with local authorities, responsibility for combined sewers, which carry both foul sewage and storm water, has been transferred to Irish Water. A memorandum of understanding to establish principles and mechanisms through which Irish Water and each local authority will co-operate with respect to sewer flooding and storm water management is...

Other Questions: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I know a bit about the agriculture side. There are pretty demanding directives with which farmers must comply to get their CAP payments and to avail themselves of benefits under the various schemes we operate. Cross-compliance criteria require farmers to ensure they do not undermine directives such as the Water Framework Directive and wildlife directive. Therefore, there are many...

Other Questions: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The emphasis is away from clearing land under the new CAP. Obviously, there is a market that farmers want to access in terms of productive farming, which sometimes incentivises trying to create more productivity on farms and a greater output in terms of land management. However, if we examine all the support programmes that exist and the €4 billion rural development programme, it can...

Other Questions: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Sorry?

Other Questions: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: My understanding is that responsibility for the combined sewers, which carry both foul sewage and storm water, has been transferred to Irish Water but that responsibility for the water run-off infrastructure for storm water management, etc., remains with the local authorities. I will clarify which body is responsible for which pieces of infrastructure afterwards if it is helpful. My...

Other Questions: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Not really. There are many areas in respect of which there are multiple agencies working together to achieve better outcomes.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Funding (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: In seeking to address the shortage of housing supply I am open to considering different delivery models, including those that utilise private sector funding to deliver additional units to be used for social housing and for affordable rental, whilst at the same time providing value for money. To this end, three specific measures are currently being developed and implemented by my Department....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended by the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015, at least 10% of the housing development on Poolbeg West Strategic Development Zone, as in all residential development areas, must be reserved for the provision of social housing. Subject to the finalisation of a planning scheme for Poolbeg West, up to 3,000 new homes are considered...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Action Plan on Housing (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Programme for a Partnership Governmentincludes a commitment to the preparation and publication of an ‘Action Plan for Housing’ within the Government’s first 100 days. The Action Plan is currently being drafted in my Department, with input from key Government Departments and Agencies, and other stakeholders working in the housing and homelessness sector . The Action...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: A range of actions is currently being considered to provide for the much needed boosting of supply of all types of housing, including increasing the delivery of social housing, in the immediate, medium and longer-term. These actions, including possible legislative changes, will be brought forward in the context of the new “ Action Plan for Housing ” which will be published in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management Inspections (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: While issues concerning the enforcement of waste legislation are a matter for local authorities who have significant powers under the waste regulations to secure compliance by waste collectors, my Department has introduced a number of measures to strengthen efforts to improve enforcement generally. Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs) have been established in each of the three...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Marine Plan Implementation (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Ireland intends to institute a network of Marine Protected Areas within our maritime area to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems and biodiversity as required by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). This network will incorporate existing and future maritime special areas of conservation established under the Habitats Directive and special protection areas designated under the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Functions (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Rural Affairs and Social Enterprise (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2016 took effect from 9 June 2016. This Order provides for the transfer of certain community-related functions from my Department to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, which will be renamed as the Department of Arts, Heritage, Rural, Regional and Gaeltacht...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (29 Jun 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 has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. They may be contacted via email at oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on 1890 578 578. With regard...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The agreed Programme for a Partnership Governmentrecognises the potential role that credit unions can play in housing finance and supports the efforts of the Registrar of Credit Unions at the Central Bank to gradually lift current lending restrictions as appropriate, including for housing. The Programme further provides that we will investigate with all stakeholders how credit unions can...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Fund (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Commissioner for Valuation is responsible for valuation matters, including the global valuation of property of public utility undertakings under Part 11 of the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 come under the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality. This legislation provides for global valuations of utility undertakings to be carried out by the...