Results 22,781-22,800 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: The current National Spatial Strategy ( NSS ) was published in 2002 and was Ireland's first national strategic spatial planning framework, setting an overarching planning framework. The Strategy remains in force and as a result of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010, its statutory role and influence has been strengthened by new requirements for local authority and regional...

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

Simon Coveney: Regeneration projects funded by my Department in the Dublin City area target some of the country’s most disadvantaged communities, including those defined by the most extreme social exclusion, unemployment and anti-social behaviour. The projects seek to address the causes of disadvantage in these communities through investment in physical, social and economic regeneration. In the...

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

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Question Nos. 30 and 51 together. The Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016, which commenced second stage debate in Dáil Éireann on 24 June 2016, seeks to implement water elements of the “Confidence and Supply Arrangement” agreed with Fianna Fáil in the context of supporting the current minority Government. The Bill provides for the...

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

Simon Coveney: The May 2015 report of the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht on Developing the Seaweed Industry in Ireland puts forward 8 recommendations for developing the industry. However, I have no statutory role in the promotion or development of the seaweed industry. Under the Foreshore Act 1933, I am responsible for regulating only the harvesting of wild seaweed and the report...

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

Simon Coveney: Electoral law provides that a person who is entitled to vote at an election or referendum shall vote in person at a polling station allotted to him or her unless they are included in the postal voters list or in the special voters list for the constituency concerned. While electoral law is subject to on-going review, I have no proposals at present to amend the existing arrangements for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Under the 'Confidence and Supply Arrangement' agreed with Fianna Fáil in the context of supporting a minority government, the Government is committed to establishing an Expert Commission to consider and make recommendations on the long term funding of water services. The proposed terms of reference form part of that 'Arrangement', and I am satisfied that they cover all of the issues...

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

Simon Coveney: The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015, enacted on 4 December 2015, introduced a number of measures to address rent stability. The Act provides, inter alia,that the minimum period between rent reviews for tenancies is increased from 12 to 24 months and this new provision will apply for a 4 year period. In addition, the Act increased the minimum period of notice of new rent from 28...

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

Simon Coveney: The matter of apprenticeships in local authorities is subject to ongoing discussion at the Local Authority National Council (LANC), which is the sectoral management/union forum for discussing industrial relations matters pertaining to the sector as a whole. My Department is positively disposed to apprenticeships in local authorities and will support the outcome of the ongoing process at the...

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

Simon Coveney: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 prescribe maximum net income limits for each housing authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of income needed to provide for a household's basic needs...

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

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 113 together. There is a significant number of objectives in A Programme for a Partnership Governmentrelevant to my remit. My Department has reviewed the programme and has commenced work on the implementation of priority actions; with those due within the first 100 days well underway. One of the more urgent challenges facing my Department is the need...

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

Simon Coveney: The extent of the environmental challenge posed by climate change is well understood by Government and this understanding is reflected in the prominence given to climate change in the Programme for a Partnership Governmentand in the establishment of a new Department of Communications, Climate Change and Environment, pending the making of the necessary Government orders. Existing policy in...

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

Simon Coveney: The Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments (the Mahon Tribunal) was appointed by the Houses of the Oireachtas in October 1997 to inquire into and report on allegations of corruption within the planning system, set out in its terms of reference which have expanded since its establishment. As an independent Tribunal of Inquiry, the Mahon Tribunal is responsible for...

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

Simon Coveney: The decision to replace town authorities with a new model of municipal governance under the Local Government Reform Act 2014 was designed primarily to strengthen local government within counties and to address widely acknowledged and long-standing weaknesses and anomalies in the previous system, including divided administration between town and county authorities, for example, in relation to...

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

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 54 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-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments,...

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

Simon Coveney: The long-term solution to the challenge of homelessness, including those families with dependents that are homeless, is to increase the supply of homes. The Social Housing Strategy2020targets the delivery of 110,000 units for social housing purposes with 35,000 new units to be delivered by local authorities and approved housing bodies, and 75,000 households to be supported mainly through the...

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

Simon Coveney: I have engaged actively and intensively with representatives of the waste industry and have agreed a clear way forward that results in customers paying no more than their current rate for presenting the same amount of waste over the next 12 months - by means of a price freeze to end-June 2017. Under the agreement reached with the waste industry, customers will from 1 January 2017be able to...

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

Simon Coveney: My Department supports local authorities and approved housing bodies to acquire properties for social housing use through a range of funding methods and from a range of vendors. In 2015, local authorities acquired over 1,000 new properties in transactions ranging from individual units to large blocks of units.  In addition, with support from the Social Housing Current Expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (29 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: Ministerial Meetings (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Following receipt of a request for a meeting, I met with representatives of the Local Authority Members Association (LAMA) on 21 June 2016. During the meeting the LAMA delegation set out its views relating to elected member workload, following the implementation of the 2014 local government reforms, financial supports and social insurance issues affecting its members, as well as LAMA...

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

Simon Coveney: Funding from the European Investment Bank is available for use in the provision of social housing in Ireland. In 2015, a €300 million fund for investment in social housing was put in place by the Housing Finance Agency, with the support of the Government. €150 million of this fund was provided by the European Investment Bank. This funding is available to approved housing...