Results 24,821-24,840 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (16 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: There are currently two house purchase loan offerings available to lower - income first - time buyers from local authorities. The first is a standard annuity mortgage available from all local authorities. A first-time buyer unable to get a loan from a building society or a bank, may be eligible for a mortgage from the local authority concerned to purchase a new or second hand property or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Forestry Management (16 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: The principal Planning and Development Regulations were amended in September 2011 by the Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2011 to provide that initial afforestation shall be exempted development. This activity is exempted from the requirement to obtain planning permission, as it is subject to a separate statutory development consent system under the European...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (16 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: 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 authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (16 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: 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 authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Private Members' Business - Anti-Evictions Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: That is the legal advice.

Private Members' Business - Anti-Evictions Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: It is not.

Private Members' Business - Anti-Evictions Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: It is now six years.

Private Members' Business - Anti-Evictions Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 1:To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following:Dáil Éireann, while recognising the acute pressures that tenants are under and the importance of strengthening security for tenants, and to move towards longer term tenancies, declines to give the Anti-Evictions Bill 2016 a second reading for the following reasons:(a) the proposals in...

Private Members' Business - Anti-Evictions Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: No, they will not. I asked them to act in a manner that is consistent with the spirit of the legislation before it was actually enacted and they did that. It is important to recognise that.

Private Members' Business - Anti-Evictions Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: It is not possible for me to legislate retrospectively. I cannot apply a law to two years ago. Even if I would like to do so, I could not. I will happily meet people in Tyrrelstown who are still in difficulty. I have told Deputy Coppinger that I would set up that meeting in order that we can talk through the issues and I will do so. I will see what I can do but I do not want to promise...

Private Members' Business - Anti-Evictions Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: In terms of notice periods, significant improvements were made prior to the rental strategy, at which time Deputy Alan Kelly was Minister. Important amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act introduced in December 2015 provide that the minimum period between rent reviews for tenancies was increased from 12 to 24 months. The minimum period of notice of new rent was increased from 28 to 90...

Private Members' Business - Anti-Evictions Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: There is no problem with funding for direct building in Galway, as the Deputy knows.

Private Members' Business - Anti-Evictions Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: We are spending €500 million on it.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water Quality (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: Pursuant to the European Union (Water Policy) Regulations 2014, I am responsible for the making of River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) in accordance with Article 13 of the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy). That Directive establishes a common framework for the protection of inland...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Nitrates Usage (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended, give legal effect in Ireland to the Nitrates Directive and to our Nitrates Action Programme (NAP). The objective of the Regulations is to protect ground and surface waters, including drinking water sources, primarily through the management of livestock manures and other fertilisers. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Government Fund (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The audited accounts of the Local Government Fund, with a breakdown of all income and expenditure for the years 2003 – 2015, are available on my Department's website at the following link: An estimate of the income and expenditure of the Local Government Fund for the years 2016 and 2017 is available in the published Revised Estimates for Public Services 2017(page 174), which is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: In order to qualify for the commercial rate of motor tax, a vehicle must be constructed or adapted for use as a goods vehicle and used solely for the carrying of goods in the course of trade or business. In the case of an adapted vehicle, the vehicle must meet the criteria currently in place for conversion from a passenger vehicle to a goods vehicle. The conveyance of persons other than...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016, any person or body may, within the requisite period and on payment of the appropriate fee, make a submission or observations to An Bord Pleanála in respect of an application for permission for a proposed strategic infrastructure development (SID). I...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Data (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: More than 16,500 households are currently having their housing needs met through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, which has now been rolled out to all categories of households in 28 local authority areas. The Dublin Region Homelessness Executive (DRHE) is also managing a HAP Homeless Pilot for the four Dublin local authorities. 12,075 HAP tenancies were set-up in 2016 meeting the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Library Services (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 455 and 508 together. 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 library related services. My Department has no direct role in these matters. However, a national tender for book stock...