Results 23,241-23,260 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Regeneration Projects Funding (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: Regeneration projects being funded by my Department target the country’s most disadvantaged communities, including those defined by social exclusion, unemployment and anti-social behaviour. My Department currently supports a programme of large-scale regeneration projects in Dublin, Cork and Limerick and smaller projects in Tralee, Sligo and Dundalk. The 2016 allocation for existing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a key Government priority and it is now available in 19 local authority areas including Kildare and Meath; the roll-out to Wicklow is planned for later in 2016. The Government recently increased the rent limits under HAP, allowing for a greater level of assistance from the State from 1 July 2016. The capacity of local authorities to make discretionary...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269, 277 and 279 together. The Social Housing Strategy 2020 – Support, Supply and Reform, published in November 2014, included a commitment to undertake summaries of social housing assessments on an annual basis from 2016. Arrangements to carry out the 2016 summary, which will provide updated figures of national housing need later this year, are...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The official homelessness data provided by housing authorities are produced through the Pathway Accommodation and Support System (PASS). These data capture details of individuals and households utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. Quarterly reports from lead housing authorities are published on my Department's website as soon...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The new Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme and applies to all existing local authority houses, other than those classes of houses excluded under legislation. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 272 and 273 together. The provision of fire services in local authority areas, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigades, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Library Projects (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The development of Virginia Library will be supported by my Department under the Libraries Capital Investment Programme 2016-2021. My Department will provide a contribution of €850,000 under the capital programme towards the overall cost of the proposed development, which is estimated at €3.5 million. The matching funding will be provided by Cavan County Council, which has...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Library Projects (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: I refer to the reply to Question No. 476 of 20 April 2016 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Assets (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The development of this site is a matter in the first instance for Kildare County Council. I understand that the site was purchased by the local authority for the purpose of developing a new library, social housing and a community amenity facility. My Department has approved €1.65 million for the development of the library, of which €700,000 was provided as a contribution to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Living Wage (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: Payment of salaries to staff of my Department is made in line with pay scales approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. If a minimum payment of €11.50 an hour were introduced, the additional costs for my Department are estimated to be in the region of €10, 000 (not including Employer’s PRSI). This figure reduces as and when the staff concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Living Wage (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Living Wage is voluntary, has no legislative basis and is therefore not a statutory entitlement; it cannot be imposed on suppliers or contractors. Matters of employee payment rates are a matter for the employer and employees concerned, subject to compliance with employment legislation. My Department has consequently had no discussions with suppliers or service contractors in regard to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: Longford County Council has included the Group Sewerage Scheme in question in its application to my Department for funding under the new Rural Water Multi-Annual Funding Programme for the period 2016 to 2018. My Department is currently considering local authorities’ bids for funding and allocations to authorities for funding under the new programme will be provided shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Funding (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, this week I published Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan forHousing and Homelessness. Over the period of the Plan, 47,000 homes will be delivered under the various social housing programmes, together with an expansion of the Housing Assistance Payment scheme nationwide. This delivery will be achieved through collaboration between local authorities, Approved Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Freedom of Information Data (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: As of 20 July 2016, a total of 239 Freedom of Information requests have been received by my Department in 2016 , of which 35 have not yet been decided. Of the finalised requests, 61 were partially refused and 50 were fully refused.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Ministerial Remuneration (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Information sought by the Deputy is available on my Department’s website at:, and .

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Ministerial Advisers Data (21 Jul 2016)

Simon Coveney: The information requested is set out in the following table: Name Grade Equivalent Salary Scale Caitríona Fitzpatrick Special Adviser Principal Officer (Standard) Non PPC Scale €75,647 – €87,248 Bob Jordan Special Adviser Principal Officer (Standard) PPC Scale €79,401 – €91,624 No request has been made for an increase above the...

Government Appeal of European Commission Decision on State Aid to Apple: Motion (7 Sep 2016)

Simon Coveney: I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak to the Government motion. Not to appeal the European Commission's ruling on the Apple state aid case would fundamentally undermine the credibility of the Revenue Commissioners and be an acceptance of the serious and flawed overreach by the European Commission in its attempt to change tax policy retrospectively through a state aid ruling. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (14 Sep 2016)

Simon Coveney: I thank the committee members who came to the Department last week. I hope they found it useful. We are trying to ensure everybody has access to all the information they need on the action plan which will be a feature of the lifetime of this Government. The more people who know the detail of what we propose, costing, numbers and timescales for different targets, the better for everybody. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (14 Sep 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have a briefing note which members can take away afterwards so they know what we are doing. There is no great mystery to most of this stuff. It is about streamlining the planning process, extensions of planning in certain circumstances, protecting tenants in terms of security of tenure when there is a sales process in a development and beefing up the RTB in certain areas to get decisions...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (14 Sep 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have a speaking note but there is also an explanatory briefing note which I believe members might find useful. We can go through it pillar by pillar.