Results 24,901-24,920 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The 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. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: North-South Interconnector (17 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: Decisions in relation to projects of the kind concerned are a matter for An Bord Pleanála. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Issues (18 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The details of the constitution of the Marine Licence Vetting Committee (MLVC) as part of the consideration of the application concerned are expected to be finalised shortly. This information will be forwarded separately at that stage.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Evictions (18 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 was signed by the President on 23 December 2016. The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) Order 2017 commences Part 3 of the Act, insofar as it is not already in operation, other than sections 44, 45, 48 and 49. This Commencement Order takes effect...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (18 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 to 134, inclusive, together. 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 2016 Summary which are available on my Department’s website at the following link: - . The 2016 results show...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (18 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 136 together. Information in relation to the number of social housing new builds and acquisitions is published on my Department’s website at the following link: . Information is confirmed and published up to Q3 of 2016. Material in respect of Q4 of 2016 is currently being finalised and will be published shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (18 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (18 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Dublin City Development Plan 2016-2022, adopted by the elected members in September 2016, sets out a coherent, robust and cogent development framework for the Dublin City Council area. During the consultation process on the making of the Plan, my Department, as a prescribed body, made submissions in December 2015 and July 2016 to Dublin City Council which included recommendations on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Elections (18 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: Notwithstanding any decision that might be made to review local electoral areas in advance of the 2019 local elections, there are no plans at present to review the boundaries of the 3,440 electoral divisions across the country. The electoral divisions in the Dublin area were last amended in 1986. These are specified in the County Borough of Dublin (Wards) Regulations 19 86 and the Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation Data (18 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. In accordance with section 37(2) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax (18 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department has no function in the matter raised, save for motor tax. The motor tax system in Ireland for private vehicles registered from July 2008 is based on carbon dioxide emissions (CO2), whereas the matter referred to in the Question relates to nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. There are, therefore, no implications for the motor tax system.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (18 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: Under my Department’s Social Housing Capital Investment and Social Housing Current Expenditure Programmes, funding is provided to local authorities to deliver additional social housing stock through new construction projects and through the acquisition of new and previously owned houses/apartments. Details on the number of properties constructed and purchased by all local authorities,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Investigations (18 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: In view of the fact that there are no ongoing Commissions of Investigation or Tribunals of Inquiry in my Department, there are no relevant costs arising for the Exchequer.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to clarify the situation. Social housing projects approved continued apace in 2016, adding to the sizeable pipeline in place to deliver significant additional social housing in support of the objectives set out in the Rebuilding Ireland action plan. Through major announcements in May 2015, July 2015 and January 2016 almost €680 million has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I take the point. It takes time to proceed from approval to the delivery and occupation of a social house. Obviously, the rapid build projects are an effort to try to make this happen faster. Some of the preparation and approval times in terms of Part 8 requirements for rapid build projects have been problematic. Once such a project moves to site, it moves a lot faster than a conventional...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: It is important to say we are ahead of target for 2016. The target for delivery across build, acquisition and long-term leasing for social housing in 2016 had been 4,240. The actual number was 1,000 more than that. This year, we obviously need to try to stay ahead of target as best we can. The Deputy, since he knows the local authority system, knows as well as I do that some local...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homeless Persons Data (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: It is important to distinguish between numbers in emergency accommodation and support accommodation and the numbers who are officially homeless. Sometimes the numbers are not the same. Sometimes people need to be in temporary care, perhaps because of domestic violence or mental health issues. It is not necessarily the case that the number in State care is the same as the number of people...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homeless Persons Data (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: My responsibilities are towards the areas that I control. I will speak to the other Ministers involved. I have a long briefing note. When these data were being put together initially, there were discussions around adding figures, particularly those from domestic violence refuges. It was not possible to do that at the time. Regarding the new community units, a series of other...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homeless Persons Data (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I will respond in my final segment.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homeless Persons Data (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: Regarding the numbers, various comments have been made, including by the Deputy, that are not accurate. The Dublin figures return to us separately from the rest of the country. We wait until we have the national figure before we publish anything. If I got figures on a Friday and waited until Tuesday to publish them because Tuesday was a Dáil sitting day, I would still be accused of...