Results 3,201-3,220 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: An Teanga Gaeilge (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Tuigtear go gcuireann údaráis phleanála coinníollacha go ginearálta le chead pleanála ar eastát cónaithe a chuireann gá ar an t-iarratasóir pleananna ar ainmniú an eastáit a chur isteach chun fhormheas a fháil. Tá coistí ainmneacha ag a lán údaráis áitiúil, a folaíonn oifigigh agus...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 632 to 634, inclusive, together. The Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015, which was approved by Government and published earlier this month, is primarily focused on addressing housing supply-related issues with a view to facilitating increased activity in the housing construction sector, particularly in the Dublin area where demand currently outstrips...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I move amendment No. 1:In page 6, lines 29 and 30, to delete “other than land owned by a housing authority”. Section 4 sets out the land to which the vacant site levy will apply, and an amendment is required to the application provided in the published Bill. It currently provides that the levy shall apply to residential land or regeneration land other than land owned by a...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. We might pose the question as to why we have the vacant site levy at all. This Bill is targeted at incentivising urban regeneration and the provision of housing in core areas of our cities and towns. We must start where infrastructure already exists. We all know cities and towns in this country that have sites in their centres which have...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Deputies asked how local authorities would levy themselves. Local authorities already apply rates to themselves. That is a known fact under our current rating system and, therefore, any liabilities that would result from a designation are identified and shown on the local authority books. It is my hope - this is the reason we are bringing in this legislation - that we would not get to that...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I will address Deputy Mulherin's concerns first. There are several strict criteria that must be adhered to for any designation to happen. This will be in the control of the local authority. One of the criteria is that a project must be economically viable. I assure the Deputy that no penal imposition will happen as a result of this Bill, as there are enough checks and balances within the...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I will make a very clear distinction between what is categorised as a derelict site and a vacant site. As we all know, there are shortcomings with the Derelict Sites Act and people may get frustrated within communities because of them. Essentially, if there is window dressing in the form of paint or nice boarding on a site, the issue can be seen as resolved. The criteria in this Bill go...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: That is correct.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I move amendment No. 6:In page 7, line 10, to delete "0.1 hectares" and substitute "0.05 hectares". I thank the Deputies for their contributions, the support for the amendment and for withdrawing their own amendments. Deputy Wallace is not the only Deputy with a background in construction. A few more of us have that also. The Government listens as do I. Deputy Wallace...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I am happy to clarify for the Deputy that the definition of "home" in the section he refers to refers to a dwelling where a person ordinarily resides or lives. Essentially, he is right that we do not want to target a home where somebody is living. The Deputy made some points regarding other jurisdictions where there are vacant houses in which no one is living. I know where he is coming...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: There is no doubt that it is an interesting debate and discussion. I have already outlined the situation with regard to the Constitution. Deputy Catherine Murphy makes a good point regarding the common good at which the Bill, in essence, is targeted. It is aimed at the common good of providing houses where there is a high demand and where services exist. Deputy Dowds referred to the CPO...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I am opposing amendments Nos. 8 and 14 to 17, inclusive, whose collective purpose is to bring the implementation of the vacant site levy forward by one year. While in certain circumstances the Constitution allows the State to delimit the property rights of individuals in the interest of the common good, such restrictions on landowners’ property rights must be reasonable and...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I am opposing amendment No. 9, which proposes to remove section 6(4), which provides the specific criteria to be used by a planning authority, or An Bord Pleanála on appeal, in determining whether there is a need for housing in an area, with reference to the following: housing strategy and the core strategy of the planning authority; house prices and the costs of renting houses in the...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I am opposing amendment No. 10, which places a duty on the owner of a vacant site to register with the local authority by 1 January 2016 or face a fine. Deputy Wallace also mentioned this earlier. Such a proposal would be in contravention of the principle of fair procedures and administration for such measures, which I have already referred to. The provisions of the Bill were drafted...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I am talking about the criteria in the Bill.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I am opposing amendments Nos. 11, 12 and 13 because, collectively, these amendments remove the provisions in section 9(2), (3) and (4) which outline the mechanism open to a site owner to appeal to An Bord Pleanála the entry of his or her site on the register. It is important in a measure such as this that clear and fair appeals mechanisms are in place. In this case, the proposed...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Amendment No. 18 relates to the levy and how it applies.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: We oppose the amendment.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I move amendment No. 20:In page 16, line 20, to delete “the residential land on which the site is situated” and substitute “residential land in the vicinity of the site”. Section 23 outlines how the proceeds of the vacant site levy are to be used by the planning authority. It ring-fences the proceeds to be solely used for the provision of housing on the...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I move amendment No. 21:In page 16, line 22, to delete “the regeneration land on which the site is situated” and substitute “regeneration land in the vicinity of the site”.