Results 24,981-25,000 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Vacant Sites Levy (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 introduced a new measure, the vacant site levy, which is aimed at incentivising the development of vacant or under-utilised sites in urban areas. Under the Act, planning authorities are required to establish a register of vacant sites in their areas, beginning on 1 January 2017, and to issue annual notices to owners of vacant sites by 1 June 2018 in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: Dublin City Council proposes the development of up to 640 new homes on the site referred to in the Question. The 640 new homes, will comprise a mix of private, public and affordable homes, 30% of which has been designated for social housing, with the objective of delivering a sustainable mixed tenure housing development. It is proposed that the remaining units will be 50% private and 20%...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Government Management Agency (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The LGMA is a state body under the aegis of my Department. The oversight arrangements in relation to accountability, systems, practice and procedures for state bodies in general are set out in Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016 which is available at the follow weblink: . Related provisions are included in the Agency's Establishment Order which also provides for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: In line with the commitment under Social Housing Strategy 2020, statutory summaries of social housing assessments will be carried out on an annual basis from 2016, rather than every three years as was done in the past. These regular summaries will provide up-to-date and comprehensive data on the numbers of households qualified for social housing support on an on-going basis. The results of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Applications Data (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The processing of applications for social housing support is a matter for individual housing authorities and is carried out in accordance with the timescales and rules set down in current housing legislation. Under the application process, there is an obligation on applicants to notify their housing authority of any changes in their household circumstances such as change of address,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Applications Data (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not hold information on the allocation of social housing supports to households on the waiting list. The allocation of such support is a matter for each housing authority in accordance with its allocation scheme made under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: NAMA was established as an independent commercial body to operate under the direction of its Board of Directors, in accordance with the NAMA Act. Under Section 10 of the NAMA Act, NAMA is mandated to act in a commercial manner to obtain the best financial return for the State. As such, NAMA's dealings with its debtors, as well as the management, funding and sale of assets are all commercial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Loans (19 Jan 2017)

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 build...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Eligibility (19 Jan 2017)

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: Local Authority Housing Provision (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119, 120 and 122 together. The publication of Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, has seen a new level of ambition in respect of tackling the housing crises and I am confident it represents a well judged and comprehensive response to the urgent need for social housing and to respond to the need for an increased general housing supply....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 142 together. My Department is working closely with all local authorities in relation to increasing and accelerating the delivery of a range of social housing programmes and supports, including rapid build homes. At the end of 2016, a total of 350 rapid build homes were advancing through various stages of delivery, including construction, with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department published Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housingin April 2005, which set out the national policy framework for planning authorities in drawing up their statutory development plans in relation to the issue of housing in rural areas, taking into account local circumstances and the type of area involved, including areas near large cities and towns, which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (19 Jan 2017)

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. If Deputies have any queries on specific issues in relation to water services, they may be aware that Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: Of the 47,000 new social housing units targeted under Rebuilding Ireland, it is estimated that 26,000 will be delivered via construction activity, while 11,000 will be acquired by local authorities and AHBs directly from the market or the Housing Agency, with a portion of these being newly built units. 10,000 units will be leased by local authorities and AHBs. This indicates clearly the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I refer to the reply to Question No. 1 on today’s Order Paper.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: National Spatial Strategy (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 145 together. I refer to the reply to Priority Question No. 3 on today’s Order paper.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: Under Action 1.12 of Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) is committed to tripling the target for tenancies under its ‘housing first’ programme to 300 by end-2017. The aim is to provide permanent, stable and supported housing to long-term homeless individuals and thus reduce the reliance on emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Rent Controls (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: Action 4.6 of Rebuilding Irelandprovides for the introduction of an affordable rental scheme to enhance the capacity of the private rented sector to provide quality and affordable accommodation for households currently paying a disproportionate amount of disposable income on rent. As set out in the recently published Strategy for the Rental Sector, this commitment is to be progressed through...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: Funding is provided to local authorities under my Department’s Social Housing Capital Investment programme, to deliver additional social housing stock through new construction projects and through the acquisition of new and previously owned houses/apartments. There are also a range of funding and delivery mechanisms available to local authorities to deliver social housing in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Library Services Provision (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The provision of public library services, including the procurement of books, is a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. In this regard, a national tender for book stock procurement was run recently by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on behalf of local authorities. The tender documentation, including...