Results 2,821-2,840 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department does not maintain a statistical database of the Building Energy Ratings of dwelling units owned by local authorities.The national database of building energy ratings is maintained by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.  I understand that the software used to maintain the database was modified in July 2012 to allow for the identification of BER certificates relating...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: As I indicated in my reply to the Question referred to by the Deputy, decisions on granting priority to households in the allocation of dwellings are a matter for the housing authority concerned, in accordance with section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011 .

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I understand the scheme referred to was introduced by a local authority to enable older people to downsize from homes that may have become too large for them to more suitable accommodation, thus potentially freeing up homes for larger families. While I have no proposals to introduce a national scheme along these lines, it is open to housing authorities, in the context of implementing the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Compliance (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2014, primary responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations rests with the designers, builders and owners of buildings. Enforcement of the Building Regulations is a matter for the 31 local building control authorities who have extensive powers of inspection and investigation under the Acts. While I appreciate and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I have no proposals for the introduction of a fund along the lines suggested. The remediation of defects is a matter between the contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder /developer and/or their respective insurers. Where a structural guarantee is in place , there may be obligations on the guarantee provider if the defects fall within scope of the structural guarantee. In the event...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Insurance Coverage (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: HomeBond is a private limited company providing structural guarantees for new houses and, since November 2008, the HomeBond Insurance scheme is underwritten by Allianz Insurance. As is the case for any private company, its operations are a matter for its management and Board of Directors. My Department understands that HomeBond Insurance Services Ltd is regulated by the Central Bank of...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Uimh. 2) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (6 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I acknowledge the work of Deputy Brian Stanley and his colleagues in bringing the Bill before the House. Although it is relatively short, the matter it addresses is significant in electoral terms and I am happy to set out the Government's position on it. There are few more important matters than the right to vote or, to put it more precisely, the question of who has the right to vote....

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Uimh. 2) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (6 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: This has been a very interesting, topical and welcome debate and I thank Deputy Brian Stanley for introducing the Bill. I thank Deputy Peter Mathews for his contribution. In any debate we need to have opposing and alternative views which he expressed strongly. Some of these views I would agree with but others I would oppose vehemently, particularly on Alexis Tsipras. Both his and his...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Uimh. 2) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (6 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Government is not opposing the passage of the Bill on Second Stage, simply because we agree with its principle. A strong case has been made in the House in favour of reducing the voting age to 16 years. Some of these points were made at the Convention on the Constitution which voted 52% in favour of reducing the voting age, while 47% voted against. The views of Deputy Peter Mathews...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (10 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department does not maintain a database on the percentage of buildings which are wheelchair friendly. The Building Regulations 1997 to 2014 provide for the health, safety and welfare of persons in and around buildings and set out the legal requirements for the design and construction of new buildings, including houses, extensions and material alterations and certain changes of use to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Compliance (10 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I refer to the reply given to Question No. 519 of 18 November 2014 which sets out the position in relation to this matter. I welcome the decision by Quality Qualifications Ireland to facilitate the development of a common standard for architectural technology in line with the National Qualifications Framework which is an important step towards the development of a statutory register. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licence Applications (10 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department is engaged with the Office of the Attorney General to establish how the provisions of the Foreshore Act interact with folio and other purported rights to harvest seaweed. Applications to harvest seaweed are being progressed as far as possible within this context. With regard to the application from the first named company, public and prescribed bodies consultations have been...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (10 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Section 2 of Schedule 9 of the Planning and Development Regulations, 2001, as amended, prescribes the scale of fees for planning applications. Class 4 of section 2 provides that the fee for the provision of a building, other than a house, the alteration of an existing house, the construction of a structure within the curtilage of an existing house, or an agricultural building, shall be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Charges Application (11 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The charging of development contributions is intended to allow local authorities to recoup some of the costs to public funds of servicing land for private development. Without such contributions, this servicing would not proceed or the full cost would have to be borne by the taxpayer. Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, income from development levies must be ring-fenced...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licence Conditions (11 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Under the provisions of Section 13A(1) of the Foreshore Act 1933 a request for supplementary information issued to Irish Water on 18 December 2014. My Department expects the supplementary information to be submitted shortly.  Depending on the specific additional information provided, the consultation period of this application may need to be extended.  Following completion of the...

Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (11 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I assure Senators that both housing and the private rental sector are priority issues for the Government and I thank the Labour Party for tabling this motion in the Seanad. I thank all who have contributed to the debate. They are right that this is an important opportunity to discuss the challenges society faces in regard to housing provision. As Minister of State with specific...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (12 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together. MacCabe Durney Barnes Consultants were appointed in February 2014 to carry out an independent planning review on the performance of planning functions in six selected planning authorities (Carlow, Cork, Galway and Meath County Councils and Cork and Dublin City Councils) in accordance with section 255 of the Planning and Development...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board Staff (12 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 246 and 247 together. The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The primary functions of the Board are to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants in the private rented residential sector. Details on...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (12 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank Senator Byrne for raising this matter and I am happy to clarify it for him. Exchequer funding of over €37 million was provided in 2014 for the housing adaptation grants for older people and people with a disability. This was combined with a contribution of an additional 20% by individual local authorities, to give an overall spend of €46.3 million. I am pleased to...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (12 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I have outlined in detail to the Senator the manner in which the grant allocations have been made. We need to acknowledge those local authorities that have been more proactive and kept these schemes open, for which they have been rewarded. Others, however, closed them. A local authority, essentially as the housing authority, is ultimately the responsible authority for how the scheme is...