Results 24,261-24,280 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Establishment of Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Motion (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: -----and I have not even spoken for two minutes yet. We are trying to ensure everybody can have his or her say on the substance of the issue. On the appointment of the Chairman, no Chairman has yet been appointed. We are putting it in the motion for a democratic decision in this and the other House that Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh be supported by a majority of this House to...

Establishment of Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Motion (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Seanad can do that. It is up to the Seanad to choose.

Establishment of Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Motion (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: On a point of order-----

Establishment of Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Motion (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: -----we do not know what the commission will say.

Establishment of Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Motion (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I will try to be helpful here. When we were looking at proposals on how a committee would be established, as I said earlier we wanted to ensure that every group that wanted to be part of the committee and the debate could be. There were many proposals to use d'Hondt systems, which would have excluded some of the groups in the House. I rejected these because I wanted to bring forward a...

Establishment of Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Motion (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Let me make a point. What we are trying to do here is to propose a name that would be as neutral as we can make him or her-----

Establishment of Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Motion (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh has no connections with Fine Gael of which I am aware.

Establishment of Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Motion (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: His appointment to the Seanad-----

Establishment of Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Motion (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: He is an Independent Senator. We saw in the lifetime of the previous Government that the Taoiseach's independent nominees to the Seanad voted in all sorts of ways and often did not back the Government. We have also seen that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael do not share the same view on the issue of water. What we are trying to do with the committee is get the input of experts, and they are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Providing affordable, quality and accessible housing for people is a top priority for the Government, as outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government. As the Deputy will be aware, the root cause of the very challenging housing crisis lies in a chronic under-supply of housing across all tenures. At an overall level, while 25,000 new homes a year are needed to meet demand, annual...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Library Services (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 to 112, inclusive, together. ‘My Open Library ’ is an initiative under Opportunities for All, the national public library strategy 2013-2017 and is part of a strategy to address customer demand. It allows library members the freedom and flexibility to use the library at times that suit them. It provides additional opening hours from 8am...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I understand that the project in question has been approved for funding of €36,500 under the Limerick Regeneration 2016 Social Intervention Fund. The evaluation and selection of projects under this Fund are a matter for Limerick City and County Council together with the Social Intervention Grants Assessment Committee, which was established to evaluate funding proposals.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Agencies Staff Data (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115 and 123 together. Details in relation to the membership of State Boards including the dates of appointment and mechanisms of appointment of members under the aegis of my Department are available on the Department’s website at the following link: . The following table details the current vacancies on these Boards: BOARD NO. OF VACANCIES CURRENT...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board Administration (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 to 119, inclusive, together. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established in September 2004 under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, which regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The RTB was established as an independent statutory body...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 121 together. The local authorities in Cavan and Monaghan were notified in April 2015 of social housing delivery targets and provisional funding allocations out to end-2017. These are available on my Department’s website at the following link: . Together, these two local authorities have a target to deliver 445 social housing units for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (24 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Pillar 4 of Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessnesswhich deals with the Rental Sector, commits to developing a comprehensive strategy for the sector in Q4 2016. The strategy will be structured around 4 key areas: security, standards, supply and services. In terms of supply, the strategy will focus on maintaining existing levels of rental stock and encouraging investment...

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Like other Deputies, I welcome the Barry family to Dáil Éireann. I am sure this is an occasion tinged with sadness but much pride as well. As a Cork person who grew up on the Blackrock Road, approximately 100 yards from where Peter and Margaret Barry and their family lived, I remember very vividly as a young boy hearing about and revering Peter Barry as a pillar of society. He...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Government increased the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) (and Rent Supplement) rent limits in every local authority area, taking account of geographic variations in market rents, with effect from 1 July 2016 meeting its stated commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government and Rebuilding Ireland: An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. In addition, additional flexibility...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Archival Material (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is the responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with Section 80 of the Local Government Act 2001, to make proper arrangements for the management, custody, care and conservation of their records and archives and to provide public access to their archives. Similarly, the annual cost for the storage of records and archives is a matter for each local authority and is a matter in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Pension Provisions (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 to 252, inclusive, and 254 and 255 together. 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...