Results 25,781-25,800 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Animal Breeding Regulations (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: In late 2015, the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government agreed to begin a process of review of the current Dog Breeding Establishment (DBE) Guidelines, under the auspices of the County and City Management Association (CCMA) Dogs Working Group. The work undertaken to date has been to produce a first draft revision of the Guidelines. I considered it...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: State Properties Data (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Office of Public Works (OPW) has the central role in managing the State’s diverse property portfolio, and is responsible for co-ordinating policy in maintaining and efficiently organising the property asset portfolio of the State. However, I presume that the Deputy's question refers to lands in public ownership or held in trust by the State, specifically in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I have published a comprehensive status list of social housing schemes that are advancing nationwide, which can be accessed at the following link:. This status report lists the 504 approved social housing construction projects and their locations and contains a range of information relating to their advancement, including those delivered in 2016 and those progressing through planning, design...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Service Staff (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: International research indicates that the retirement age of 55 is the optimum age to ensure that fire-fighters are capable of satisfactorily performing the tasks expected of them. The retirement age of 55 years of age was introduced because of health and safety considerations related to the job. Since the enactment of the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 1989, underpinned by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Constitutional Convention Recommendations (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The 8th report of the Convention on the Constitution deals with economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to housing. It raises substantial questions on the balance of rights, proper governance and resources. As stated in the Programme for Partnership Government, the intention is that it will be referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Planning, Community...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I understand the Question refers to the settlement of compensation and public liability claims by local authorities, which are matters for the local authorities concerned. Local authorities are independent in the execution of their powers and the directly elected members are democratically accountable for all expenditure of the authority. Accordingly, I have no...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: In terms of supply, the focus in the Strategy for the Rental Sector is on maintaining existing levels of rental stock and encouraging investment in additional supply. There are shortages in the supply of rental accommodation in key locations, particularly in urban areas. In some of these areas there is also significant demand for transitory short-term accommodation. In this context,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, chronic under-supply of housing across all tenures, for several years during the economic downturn, is at the heart of the significant challenges which exist in the housing sector. Housing output fell by over 90%, from peak construction of 93,000 homes in 2006 to just over 8,301 in 2013, and while current levels of house...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Election Management System (5 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 231 together. My Department endeavours to ensure that the voting process is as accessible and inclusive as possible, while ensuring the integrity of the ballot. To that end I made regulations on 20 October 2016 - the Electoral Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 537 of 2016) - which provide for ballot paper templates to be provided at polling stations at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (5 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The promotion of higher densities of physical development along transport corridors and other strategic urban locations promoted through high level planning policy frameworks must be accompanied by investment in enabling physical and social infrastructure. This broad approach is enshrined in the 10 principles of national policy set out in the National Planning Policy Statement 2015, Principle...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (5 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The holding, transport or management of waste is a matter for the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and I have no function in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (5 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 and 213 together. My role, as Minister, in relation to the planning system is mainly to provide and update the legislative and policy guidance framework. The legislative framework comprises the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, (the Act) and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended.  With regards to policy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (5 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: In response to the current very challenging housing crisis, rooted in a chronic under-supply of housing, the Government has published the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, with the objective of increasing and accelerating housing delivery, across all tenures, to help individuals and families find homes.  Clear and well defined governance structures are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Control of Dogs (5 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Control of Dogs Acts 1986 (as amended) set out a range of requirements for all dog owners or any other person in charge of a dog. The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 (as amended) set out further requirements that owners of specific breeds of dogs have to follow, namely that such dogs must be muzzled and led, on a sufficiently strong leash or chain not exceeding 2m in length, by a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Data (5 Apr 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. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the supervisory authority for public water supplies. The procedures to be followed where there is non-compliance with the parametric value for lead of 10 microgrammes per litre,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Consultancy Contracts Data (5 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency is as follows. email address for each agency Agency Email address An Bord...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Brexit Issues (5 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together.   Matters in relation to Brexit are managed by the team responsible for the existing coordination of EU and international business in my Department, with input from relevant line sections and experts across the organisation, as necessary. The relevant team, in the Assistant Secretary led Corporate and Business Support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (5 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 232 together. My Department has published a comprehensive status list of all social housing construction schemes that are advancing nationwide, as at end-Quarter 4 of 2016. Over 500 approved schemes were listed that, when completed, will deliver some 8,500 new social homes. The schemes range from those that are being designed, through to  those...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (5 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The official monthly homelessness data report published by my Department is compiled from information provided by housing authorities and produced via the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements overseen by housing authorities. The 'family hubs' currently being...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (5 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing and planning statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy. Details regarding the volumes of new build local authority completions (which do not include voids or regeneration units) can be found on the Department's website at: .