Results 26,181-26,200 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Thirty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Water in Public Ownership) (No. 2) Bill 2016: Discussion (4 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy can deliberately ask for answers which he knows are not available, or he can listen to what is available to us. We sent a briefing note to the Attorney General's office a number of weeks ago. I understand it was made very clear during the deliberations of the water committee that the holding of a referendum to change the Constitution to reassure people on public ownership of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Thirty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Water in Public Ownership) (No. 2) Bill 2016: Discussion (4 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: As I said, although this is not my legislation, I do have an obligation to make sure we get it right, particularly given the construction of the Dáil and the Seanad. That is why the Government is providing both advice and legal expertise. I hope we will not have a situation where I will be appealing to other parties not to support legislation on Report Stage on the back of the Attorney...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: There are no plans currently in train to change the basis of charging for motor tax. However, policy in the area may be subject to review at any time in the context of wider fiscal or environmental policy considerations, such as the Clean Air Strategy currently being developed by my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: There is no ring-fenced amount set aside under the Capital Assistance Scheme in relation to young persons exiting State care. My Department is working with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on the promotion of suitable projects for this particular housing need and the approach that is being followed is to monitor the demand and requirement for such housing and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (9 May 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 Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water shall collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: There are a range of funding and delivery mechanisms available to local authorities to deliver social housing supports in partnership with Approved Housing Bodies, i.e. through the Capital Assistance Scheme, the Capital Loans and Subsidy Scheme, the Communal Facilities Scheme, the Approved Housing Body Mortgage to Rent Scheme, the Capital Advance Leasing Facility and the Social Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Rural Development Policy (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 226 and 228 together. Arising from the 2013 Judgement of the European Court of Justice referred to, my Department is currently engaged in consultations with planning authorities regarding potential modifications required to the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing, with a view to ensuring that rural housing policies and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: The table below provides data on the total number of dwellings let by local authorities and the number of active Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) tenancies at end 2015. - Total Number Dwellings directly let by local authorities 137,937 HAP tenancies 5,853 In relation to homes provided by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), there are 546 AHBs in Ireland, ranging from small voluntary-led,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Data (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: Since the introduction of the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) Scheme for borrowers of private commercial lending institutions in 2012, a total of 3,672 cases have been submitted under the scheme to the end of March 2017.  Of the 3,672 cases submitted, 2,816 were ineligible or terminated during the process.  Of the remaining cases submitted, 235 have been completed and the remaining 621 are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (9 May 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 levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. Commercial rates form an important...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Boundaries (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: The statutory provisions relating to local government areas and local authorities are set out at sections 10 and 11 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended.  Section 11 provides that the administrative area of each local authority is the relevant county, city, or city and county, as set out in Schedule 5 to the Act, including County Kilkenny in the case of Kilkenny County...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Boundaries (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 232 and 239 together. I refer to the reply to Question No 474 of 2 May 2017. As stated, I will address all relevant issues arising from the boundary report on Waterford, and from other recent and forthcoming reports on local government arrangements, as part of an overall report on local government matters which I will be submitting to Government and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Boundaries (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: I refer to the reply to Question 259 14 February 2017.  The legislation governing local authority boundary alterations is set out in Part V of the Local Government Act 1991. As specified in section 31(1)(a) of the Act, alterations of the boundaries between local authorities may be made by Ministerial Order, but any such Order would require approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commencement of Legislation (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: I am proposing to make certain amendments to section 28 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 relating to the extension of duration of certain planning permissions within the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016, which is currently progressing through the Oireachtas.  It is intended that this Bill will be enacted before the Oireachtas...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242 and 243 together. Applications to deliver new social housing under the Capital Assistance Scheme should be made by an Approved Housing Body (AHB) to the relevant local authority. As with all social housing projects, it is a matter for the local authority, as the housing authority for the area, to prioritise projects on the basis of how they meet the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Data (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: There are currently over 21,000 households being supported by the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme in 31 local authority areas. The HAP scheme is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. The  exchequer outturn for the HAP scheme in 2016 was in excess of €57 million. The majority of this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Data (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: There are currently two Mortgage to Rent (MTR) schemes funded by my Department. A scheme exists whereby a local authority (LA) can acquire ownership of properties with unsustainable local authority mortgages, thus enabling the household to remain in their home as a social housing tenant (LA-Mortgage-to-Rent). The other scheme provides for an Approved Housing Body (AHB) to acquire ownership...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Irish Water (9 May 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. Irish Water is responsible for water services infrastructure including water supply pipes or sewers extending from a waterworks or waste water works to the curtilage of a private property. Irish Water has established a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 May 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: Planning Issues (9 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: I have no proposals to change the existing position whereby a change in the use of a holiday home to permanent accommodation requires planning permission.