Results 26,381-26,400 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Service Staff (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: The role of responding to incidents of fire is assigned to fire authorities in the Fire Services Act, 1981 to 2003. The information requested is not available in my Department but may be sought from individual fire authorities directly.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Construction Regulations (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: 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 objectives contained in county development plans comply with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: The nationwide roll-out of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme scheme was completed on 1 March 2017, meaning that eligible households in all 31 local authority areas can now avail of the HAP Scheme.  In order to be eligible for HAP support, a household must first qualify for social housing support and be placed on a housing list.  A...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Administration (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together. I am not aware of any delays in processing of applications for housing assistance payments (HAP). HAP is deemed to be a social housing support under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. As a long term housing support, an assessment of housing need must be completed in order for a household to qualify for HAP. Any...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Funding (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department provides capital funding to Local Authorities for Improvement Works In Lieu (IWILs) to enable them to repair, improve or extend privately owned houses that are occupied by approved housing applicants as an alternative to the provision of Local Authority housing. IWILs are administered under the Disabled Person’s Grants (DPG) scheme. It is a matter for the Local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. In line with the commitment given in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, a review of the first 12 months of the scheme’s...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: The terms and conditions governing the operation of the House Purchase Loan provided by local authorities to first-time buyers are set out in the Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2012. To support local authorities in operating their housing loan scheme in a consistent and efficient manner, the Housing Agency provides a central underwriting service to local authorities. The final...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water Services (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for delivering public water services. Irish Water is also responsible for water services infrastructure including water supply pipes or drainage pipes extending from a waterworks or wastewater works to the curtilage of a private property. Under sections 43 and 54 of the Water Services Act 2007, responsibility for maintenance and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Refugee Resettlement Programme (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: Under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, an operational sub-group under the auspices of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) Taskforce, composed of all relevant Departments of State and other bodies such as representatives of local authorities and the Irish Red Cross, was established to support the process of housing the families referred to by the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: The details requested by the Deputy on housing expenditure in 2016 and the allocation for housing programmes in 2017 are provided in the following table: 2016 Expenditure €million[1] 2017 allocation €million[2] Capital Programmes 534 732 Current Programmes 401 566 Total 935 1,298 [1] Includes expenditure by local authorities from surplus LPT receipts. [2]...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Service (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Service Act, 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (30 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. Energy consumption is an operational matter for the utility and one in which I have no function. 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 (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: The units referred to have been part-funded by my Department through the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) which is available as a low interest loan provided by local authorities (and recouped by my Department) to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). This funding allows AHBs  access to early working capital (up to 30% of the relevant costs) for the purchase,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: All projects that are listed in the recently updated Social Housing Construction Status Report are being advanced through initial design, planning approval - with potential planning conditions - detailed design, tendering in line with public procurement requirements, placing of the contract and construction. In that context, the advancement of each of these projects is a matter for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 242 together. Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, a tenant sources their own accommodation, the tenancy agreement is between the tenant and the landlord and is governed by the Residential Tenancy Act 2004 (as amended). The Government increased the maximum rent limits available under the HAP and Rent Supplement schemes across the country...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Costs (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: Under the Strategy for the Rental Sector, a range of measures to improve the supply of rental accommodation that meets the needs of ordinary households are being progressed including: - build to rent models; - use of State-owned lands to deliver affordable rental in areas of high demand; - measures to increase the supply of dedicated student accommodation to free-up...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together. It is recognised that hotel accommodation is inappropriate for accommodating homeless families for anything other than a short period of time. Accordingly Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, includes the objective that, by mid-2017, hotels will only be used in limited circumstances as emergency accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Graffiti Policy (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not provide specific funding allocations for the removal of graffiti. Local authorities receive income from a variety of sources including grants from Central Government, Local Property Tax proceeds, commercial rates and other locally-raised charges. It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities, having regard to both locally...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (30 May 2017)

Simon Coveney: As I indicated to the Deputy in my reply to Question No. 145 of 18 May 2017, draft Regulations under the European Communities Act 1972 are currently being progressed relating to the establishment of a new consent system for large-scale peat extraction. These draft Regulations have been the subject of detailed and focused stakeholder input from relevant Government Departments, State...