Results 24,421-24,440 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney
- Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: With respect, I ask the Deputy to stop trying to fly kites and raise concerns that are not founded in fact.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: Yesterday the Labour Court indicated-----
- Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: The Deputies should listen; they do not like to hear the truth.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: Giving easy answers is the usual approach of Sinn Féin. Yesterday the Labour Court indicated-----
- Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: Is the Deputy making a statement for the Dáil?
- Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: Yesterday the Labour Court indicated that it would not issue a recommendation on the basis that the company was finalising a restructuring plan to be ready by the end of January. However, the Labour Court also stated it was available to the company and the trade unions in the interim, if required. I hope both sides will engage on a constructive basis to seek to resolve difficult issues....
- Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: There are a lot of comments and questions there. I first want to give a little bit of good news. We have a lot of work still to do to respond comprehensively to the homeless crisis we face in this city and in other parts of the State. Today we have the November figures on homelessness in Dublin and for the first time in a very long time the number of adults and families who are homeless in...
- Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: I take the point in terms of streamlined decision-making and in some cases it may well still be a barrier. Yesterday, I approved €18 million for 56 houses to be built as part of the redevelopment of O'Devaney Gardens in Dublin. This year we will see 4,240 new units in terms of new builds, acquisitions and voids coming back into the system. Do not forget that last year the number of...
- Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: In January we will publicly launch a plan for what Ireland should look like in 25 years' time, in 2040. We will take a long-term view and the plan will include an ambitious and proactive approach to our responsibilities on climate change. The Deputy spoke of people taking responsibility but there are many people in this House, the Deputy included, who had an opportunity to come in, be part...
- Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: In case I was misunderstood, I accept where the Deputy is coming from and can see how genuine and passionate he is about the issue. We have had many conversations on climate change and what needs to be done beyond what has been planned for. I agree with the vast majority of it. The programme for Government is very clear - it is in black and white - the Government's ambition is not to fudge...
- Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: It will be part of the dialogue on a national planning framework. All of these matters - how we move around, where we live, how we work, how we heat and power our homes and how we drive our cars - are interlinked. There will be an extra 1 million people living in Ireland. There will probably be 8 million people living on this island between 2050 and 2060 and we need to plan for it now in...
- Questions on Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: I will get the information for which the Deputy asked in the second question. I was very involved in the discussions on the part of the programme for Government that refers to Leader groups. The Government's view was that overall funding for Leader groups in the last round of funding should be reduced. There is a new structure in place with much more integration with local government in...
- Questions on Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: On the landbank issue, we have an audit under way not only of local authority lands, but of all State-owned lands whether in semi-State companies, State agencies or, indeed, local authorities. We need to get that full picture. I hope that we will then make decisions to transfer lands between agencies, in particular for some of the new social housing projects. Part of our rental strategy...
- Questions on Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: The Bill is next week or the week after.
- Questions on Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: Sorry, it is going to Cabinet next week or the week after. In fact, the Cabinet will be sitting on Christmas week, for the information of the House. The Bill will come to Cabinet next Tuesday or Tuesday week.
- Questions on Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: The Minister for Social Protection met recently with the chairperson of the Pensions Authority and has asked the authority to report back to him with an assessment of the current overall position in regard to such schemes. I will certainly refer the Deputy to the Minister on that. He is looking at it. This is a private company and, as such, the Government needs to be wary of raising...
- Questions on Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: The Government has already given approval to draft the heads of a Bill. I understand the Taoiseach gave a commitment that the Bill would be brought before Cabinet and, subsequently, to the House in the first quarter of next year.
- Questions on Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: I need to check the details of the scheme for the Deputy. My understanding is that the focus of these schemes is to try to help people back into employment. That is why they are of a temporary nature.
- Questions on Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: I will get the detail for the Deputy and correspond with her.
- Questions on Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2016)
Simon Coveney: The important thing to recognise is that the European Investment Bank is not a retail bank. It operates through other banks or registered financial managers. There are a number of examples of this. For example, it funds social housing through the Housing Finance Agency and it has funded an interesting loan programme linked to the dairy industry through a structure that Glanbia set up. It...