Results 25,981-26,000 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Electoral Commission Establishment (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: In 2015, on the basis of a consultation paper prepared by my Department, and at the invitation of the then Minister, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht undertook a public consultation process on the establishment of an electoral commission. The Committee published a report on the consultation in January 2016. This report contains a series of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme Expenditure (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department provides funding to support young, unemployed persons through the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), which is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State.  SICAP was rolled out in April 2015 and will run until 31 December 2017. Its aim is to tackle poverty, social exclusion and long-term unemployment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes, in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 provide for global valuations of utility undertakings to be carried out by the Valuation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I have no plans at present to re-introduce an Affordable Housing Purchase Scheme because there are a range of measures being taken under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness to increase housing supply overall, with the aim of creating a functioning and sustainable housing system which can meet housing demand at more affordable prices.  The plan is divided...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: National Planning Framework (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The new National Planning Framework (NPF), titled Ireland 2040 – Our Plan, will act as the successor to the National Spatial Strategy 2002 (NSS) and will serve as the Government’s strategic 20 year-plus framework for the development of Ireland out to 2040.  The NPF will set a new strategic planning and development framework for the co-ordination of a range of national,...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 1:In page 5, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: "(2) This Act, other than Part 4 and Schedule 3 at reference numbers 12 to 18, and the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2016 may be cited together as the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2017 and shall be construed together as one.". Section 1 contains the standard provisions relating to the Short...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 2:In page 5, line 21, to delete “Part 14and section 2” and substitute “section 2and Part 4and where otherwise expressly provided for”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 3:In page 5, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following:“ “Act of 2016” means the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016;”. I would like a little guidance from the Chairman. I can deal with the Government amendments in this group of amendments. Does the Chairman want me to deal with the Opposition...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: In moving amendment No. 3, I will address Government amendments Nos. 3, 22, 47, 54 and 55 first, followed by Opposition amendments Nos. 57 to 59, inclusive, together. Regarding amendment No. 3, section 2 provides for the necessary definitions of terms used in the Bill. The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 has been enacted since the publication of this...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I think the Deputy and I would have much agreement on these areas. If he wishes to talk to us about redrafting the amendments in such a way that they would be ruled in order as opposed to out of order, we could try to accommodate the thrust of those concerns at a later Stage. We will happily work with him on that if he so wishes.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 4:In page 5, line 27, to delete “Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government” and substitute “Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government”. Amendment No. 4 is a minor amendment to correct the definition of the term "the Minister". I am sure other people might like to do that in a different way. In section...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: If I may speak generally, this is not a Bill that should be dealt with in any kind of party political way. The Government should not be trying to force anything through that is in any way inappropriate. I am very anxious to work with other Deputies to get the legislation right. We are talking about our planning structures and procedures. My only goal is to ensure that we have as much...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I will make a general comment before going through the individual amendments. A judgment call is required here in what we are trying to do as regards where the buck should stop on decisions to intervene to correct an inappropriate decision or to respond to corruption, although if it is a breach of the law it should involve the Garda. Ultimately, we are proposing in the Bill that the office...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I accepted amendment No. 14.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I will respond, in particular, to some of Deputy Ó Broin's comments. I made the comparison with a beefed up chief planner's office in the Department. That is in the context of the recommendation for a Minister to intervene in terms of a local area plan or whatever. We have had this discussion in the Department. The question has been put to me: "What if one gets a pig-headed...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: We are spending a lot of time on this but it is the core of the whole thing so we will be able to zip through the other amendments quickly. That is up to the Chair, I am sure we will spend some time on them. The actual powers and the interaction between this office, the Minister and local authorities is key to this legislation. We are trying to get the balance right with democratic...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Yes. I have a speaking note on the amendments but I would rather speak directly on them. I would not accept that people have not been working to ensure that we have compliance and consistency with some of these directives. We had a very active debate on the water framework directive in recent days, which would respond to one of Deputy Eamon Ryan's points. My concern is that if we list the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I have just said we will look at doing that.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I want to make sure I am being consistent in what I am saying. In the proposed draft legislation there is a specific mention of the habitats directive and the birds directive. We also mention the environmental impact assessment directive and the strategic environmental assessment directive. We refer more generally to the requirements of relevant Acts of the European Union. Please allow me...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 22:In page 15, line 14, to delete “(2) Where” and substitute “(3) Where”.