Results 24,081-24,100 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (17 Nov 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 the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Status (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department engaged with Kildare County Council on costs associated with the Ballyna Group Water Scheme in 2015. Kildare County Council did not include this scheme in its bid for funding under the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2016-2018. I understand that proposals for the Ballyna Group Water Scheme are dependent upon related investment in major public water supply infrastructure by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: House Purchase Schemes (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 75 together. The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. Under the Scheme, the tenant pays the market value of the house less a discount. It is the responsibility of the tenant to raise the finance to purchase the house....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: NAMA Assets Sale (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended by the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015, regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Act provides that rents may not be greater than the open market rate and may only be reviewed upward or downward every 24 months...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: There is a comprehensive process for the preparation and adoption of Local Area Plans (LAPs) which is set out in Sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). This process provides for extensive public and stakeholder consultation with the adoption of any LAP being a reserved function of the elected members of the relevant local authority. To assist the local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: River Basin Management Plans (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 161 together. The Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy) establishes a common framework for the protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwater. The overall aim of the Directive is to maintain high and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Pillar 3 – Build More Homes – of the Rebuilding Ireland:Action Plan for Housing and Homelessnessseeks to accelerate the increase in the supply of housing in order to overcome the current supply shortfall and increase annual output to over 25,000 new homes by 2021 or earlier if possible. Annual housing output for 2015 was 12,600 homes, meaning that housing supply must be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I understand that O’Cualann Co-housing Alliance was one of twenty-five bodies that made a submission to the Social Housing Proposals Clearing House Group in 2015. The Group reported in November 2015, and arising from its work, measures are being developed with a view to better facilitating private investment into social housing. My Department already has a range of funding programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Remit (17 Nov 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 is responsible for water services infrastructure including water supply pipes or sewers extending from a waterworks or waste water works to the curtilage of a private property. Under sections 43 and 54 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Details on the number of households on waiting lists in each housing authority area are provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments. The most recent figures available are the results of the 2013 summary and these can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: . The 2013 results show that there were 2, 471 and 2, 099 households on the Galway City...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The data referred to by the Deputy have been published on my Department’s website and are available on the following link:.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water Abstraction Regulation (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Water Framework Directive requires that abstractions of surface water or ground water which are likely to have a significant effect on water status must be regulated. My Department is currently examining how best to address this requirement in a proportionate and efficient way. While no decisions will be made on any proposals in this regard until thorough public consultation is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Presidential Elections (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Convention on the Constitution, in its Fifth Report, recommended that voting rights be extended in presidential elections to Irish citizens resident outside the State. The Government considered the Convention report in February 2015 and decided that it would be necessary to analyse the full range of legal, practical and policy issues arising before any decision could be made on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Social Housing Strategy 2020 provided for an investment with a capital value of €300 million in social housing through the public private partnership or PPP model. In total, the programme is expected to deliver 1,500 social housing units. The delivery of social housing through PPP is part of the plan to accelerate the supply of social housing, which is the second pillar of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water Charges (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: An Expert Commission has been established to make recommendations for the sustainable long-term funding model for the delivery of domestic water and wastewater services by Irish Water. The Commission will report to a Special Oireachtas Committee and consideration of recommendations on the funding model will ultimately be voted upon by the Oireachtas next year. Pending the outcome of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation Provision (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the provision of homeless services, including accommodation, on a regional basis. The four Dublin housing authorities have agreed that Dublin City Council acts as the lead local authority with regard to the provision and oversight of homeless services in the Dublin Region and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive carries out these...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: In May 2015, the first major direct build social housing programme for some years was announced with over 100 separate housing projects. This was followed up by further approvals and announcements in July 2015 and January 2016. These three major announcements saw almost €680 million allocated for over 3,900 new social housing units, mainly via new construction projects and also...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (17 Nov 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 Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Total funding of €933 million has been made available in 2016 for the provision of housing. This includes a capital provision of €180.12 million to support the provision of local authority housing through a programme of construction and acquisitions. To date in 2016, €137 million has been expended under the local authority programme, representing 76% of the 2016...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Pension Levy (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: In 2008, retained fire-fighters were given the option of joining the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS) and receive a pension and retirement lump sum based on their pensionable remuneration and length of service. Retained fire-fighters who opted not to join the scheme receive, on retirement, a gratuity of 1/8th of the annual retainer multiplied by the number of years of actual...