Results 25,001-25,020 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: It is a matter for each local authority to ensure that adequate financial governance measures are in place. My Department is responsible for the legislative framework governing local authorities, which include measures relating to the financing of local authorities and financial governance. In this regard, section 99 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that payments may be made out of...

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

Simon Coveney: In December 2013, my Department published proposed draft revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 WindEnergy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed: - the setting of a more stringent day- and night-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments, - a mandatory minimum setback distance of 500 metres between a wind...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Real Estate Investment Trusts (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: A lack of additional housing supply coming on stream over the past decade or so in the areas of strongest demand is one of the principal root causes of our current housing crisis. Activity by institutional and professional residential sector investment specialists such as Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) in purchasing housing and engaging in the building out of part completed schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (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 wide range of funding and delivery mechanisms available to local authorities to deliver social housing either...

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 to accommodate persons on their housing waiting lists, including those in emergency accommodation. There are also a wide range...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board Data (19 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: In relation to a register of owners who might be affected by the recent amendment of section 35A of the Residential Tenancies Act, my Department does not hold or collate the information requested. Insofar as the information may be available from the Residential Tenancies Board, the Clerk of the Dáil has requested that arrangements be put in place to facilitate the provision of...

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

Simon Coveney: As I advised in the reply to Question No. 169 of 10 November 2016, it is not appropriate for me to comment directly on any particular application which is before my Department for consent under the Foreshore Act. Officials from my Department did meet the company concerned on 7 November 2016, where they were fully appraised of the current position regarding this issue. My Department also met...

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

Simon Coveney: An extensive programme of engagement with all other EU Governments and the EU institutions, including the Commission’s Brexit Negotiations Task Force, is under way. This engagement is being intensified in 2017. On 18 November last, I attended the North South Ministerial Council meeting in Armagh where a discussion on the implications of the UK Referendum took place. While to...

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

Simon Coveney: Pillar 5 of the Government’s Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness – Rebuilding Irelandis specifically focussed on utilising existing housing stock with a key objective of ensuring that the existing vacant homes throughout the country and across all forms of tenure, in both the public and private sectors, are used to the optimum degree possible. In this regard, Action 5.1 of...

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

Simon Coveney: To date, my Department has approved funding for two schemes using the single-stage approval process. A number of other schemes, that may be advanced using this approach, are currently being discussed between local authorities and my Department, as part of the informal consultation that happens at technical level, in the development of new construction proposals.

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

Simon Coveney: As housing authorities, local authorities are responsible for the identification of the social housing need in their area and the development of appropriate responses to the need identified. This can include the development of single rural dwellings where identified and prioritised by local authorities. In responding to housing need, local authorities now have substantial pipelines of new...

Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The building control Bill is a priority for this term. We hope to have the heads ready to bring to Cabinet before the end of next month. I am sure we will have an opportunity to go through the detail of the Bill once it is introduced.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water Services Infrastructure (24 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The National Taking in Charge Initiative (NTICI) for residential estates with a pilot scheme funding of €10 million was announced in April 2016. The aim of the NTICI was to accelerate the taking-in-charge process of housing estates, including estates with developer-provided water services infrastructure. Survey data gathered from each of the 31 local authorities were collated in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 to 232, inclusive, and 260 and 261 together. The allocation of social housing support to qualified households is a matter for the local authority concerned, in accordance with its allocation scheme made in accordance with section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Regulations. This legislation requires all local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Vacant Sites Levy (24 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 introduced a new measure, the vacant site levy, with a view to 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: Housing Data (24 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department receives detailed monthly data from the ESB on the number of connections to the electricity grid; these data have for many years been used as a proxy for house completions as units are normally connected at the point at which the unit is ready for occupation. My Department maintains regular contact with the ESB to ensure that this data set remains relevant and consistent over...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (24 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The 2015 Annual Report of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) reported 319,609 registered tenancies with 170,282 landlords and 693,314 occupants. There are no definitive figures on the overall size of the rented sector in Ireland. However, a study by DKM economic consultants commissioned by the RTB and published in 2014 examined both Central Statistics Office data and RTB annual reports...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (24 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: The widely varying market conditions in the residential rental sector across the country mean that estimating rental income against landlords’ costs in providing rental properties in any meaningful aggregate manner is extremely difficult. Not only do rents vary significantly across the country but so do levels of indebtedness among landlords with buy to let mortgages and hence the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Jan 2017)

Simon Coveney: I believe there is a broad consensus that housing output needs to at least double, across all tenures, to provide the 25,000 new homes a year needed to meet demand. There is also consensus on the need for a significant portion of the increased output to be at more affordable prices and rents. Achieving these aims is the fundamental objective underpinning the Government’s Rebuilding...