Results 23,021-23,040 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: Am I limited to two minutes now in terms of answering questions?

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: I thought people could speak three times.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: Well then I will mention it after the vote.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: I am trying to answer people's questions.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: Is Deputy Paul Murphy going to sum up on the debate now?

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: Sorry, these are amendments.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: Would the Deputy like me to answer the question?

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is already catered for.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social Contracts (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 293 and 301 together. Local authorities have scope to include social contracts in social housing or library construction projects, as evidenced by Limerick City and County Council, which has incorporated a social benefit clause, targeting long term unemployed and youth unemployed, into their framework agreements for contractors. Similarly, Dublin City...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is a targeted scheme catering for the accommodation needs of persons in receipt of Rent Supplement from the Department of Social Protection, generally for more than 18 months, and who are assessed by housing authorities as having a long-term housing need. Under the RAS, the procurement/sourcing of accommodation is the responsibility of the local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Library Services (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The provision of public library services is a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority, under the Local Government Act 2001. This includes the procurement of books and other services. My Department does not have a direct role in these matters. Local authorities must adhere to national and EU requirements when undertaking procurement processes. These...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Scheme to Support National Organisations (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: 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 a highly competitive assessment process. I approved...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which includes adopting the annual budget and authorising borrowing, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority. As such, it is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 298 and 299 together. Section 12 of the Water Services Act 2014 states that public water services property is not rateable for the purposes of the Valuation Act 2001. This exemption applies to Irish Water for the provision of water supply and waste water treatment. Government subvention is not paid directly to Irish Water to fund this cost; instead, it is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Funding (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: Drawing on the Report of the Special Committee on Housing and Homelessness, which was published on 17 June 2016, the “Action Plan for Housing” 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. I have made the development and implementation of this...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Funding (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: In accordance with section 10 of the Housing Act 1988, my Department does not fund homeless services directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the costs of homeless accommodation and services. The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 1993 provide that the recoupment to housing authorities by my Department under section 10 arrangements shall not exceed 90% of such...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Service Staff (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: Fire services are provided by local authorities in accordance with the provisions of the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. Under section 10 of the 1981 Act, a fire authority is required to make provision for the delivery of fire services in its functional area, including the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises. In relation to the staffing requirements in each local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU Funding (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: Pre-financing applies in the case of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) in my Department. SICAP rolled out in April 2015 and will run until 31 December 2017. It is the successor programme to the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP). Its aim is to tackle poverty, social exclusion and long-term unemployment through local engagement and partnership...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have no function as regards the number of local authority staff employed as litter wardens. This is a matter for individual local authorities to decide, taking into account their specific priorities and circumstances. Under the Litter Pollution Act 1997-2009, a local authority may confer authorised status on a member of their staff to act as a litter warden by making such an authorisation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. It is now available to all qualified households in 19 local authority areas with over 11,000 households supported since the scheme commenced. At this point HAP is only available to all qualifying households in one of the four Dublin local...