Results 3,281-3,300 of 8,073 for speaker:Peter Burke

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: I absolutely disagree with that contention because if we look at the facts, 10,023 households directly benefited from interventions by the Department with regard to disabilities. We will increase this to more than 10,500 in 2021 because of the significant increase in the budget in recent years. With regard to local authority delivery, a steering group has been established in each of 31...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Planning Issues (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and the Deputy for the question. The LDA was established on an interim basis in September 2018 by way of an establishment order made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971 , pending the enactment of primary legislation when it will be established as a commercial State agency. The LDA is currently working on a HSE-owned 14.5-acre...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Planning Issues (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: I note that the Deputy has other proposals for the site but it is important to state our aim and primary focus is to deliver the 2,074 quality affordable housing units on it. We can only be accountable for what is under our jurisdiction in the Department. I have advised the Deputy that the planning application is expected to be lodged by the end of this year. There is a lead time of 16...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Planning Issues (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: I fully appreciate that many of these sites, no more than the one in my constituency, have a significant emotional history attached to them. I am sure the LDA will liaise with the local authority in respect of that. With regard to the application, I have given the Deputy a clear timeline, referring to the end of the year. Once the application is submitted, there will be a 16-week...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 64 and 95 together. Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The 2011 regulations prescribe maximum net income...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: I fully accept the well-made points of each of the three Deputies who have highlighted their concerns in this area. We all face these issues at our clinics every week. They involve people who are on the margins. We see people missing out on the housing list because of income that potentially should be disregarded. That can be most frustrating. I wish to set out the position of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputies for their well-made points. The sole focus of this Department is to ensure that we provide secure accommodation that all our citizens can access equally. We should always instil hope in people because there is hope. People who are on the margins can take consolation from the significant budget we have secured for the Department for 2021. As I have said, the Housing...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: The local infrastructure housing activation fund was designed to support housing supply by relieving critical infrastructure blockages. A total of 30 projects were approved with an overall budget of €195.7 million while €146.8 million was Exchequer funded and the remainder was funded by local authorities. Full details of the approvals are available on the Rebuilding Ireland...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: We can examine that within the Department and revert back to the Deputy. Of the five LIHAF projects at the end of October, Sallins in County Kildare is one that has been progressed, so there is good news. In terms of the sticking points, we will get back to the Deputy on the site in question.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: Under Call 1 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, Donegal County Council was allocated €1,942,536 in respect of the development of a Regeneration Strategy, strategic site acquisition and public realm works relating to the advancement of ‘Letterkenny 2040’, a long-term integrated strategic project intended to regenerate and rejuvenate the urban core of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Estates (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended provides for the taking in charge of housing developments by local authorities. The legislation sets out the process to be followed when a development is considered to have been satisfactorily completed, as well as where it has not been completed to the satisfaction of the planning authority. The Planning and Development...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: The Deputy helpfully clarified that her question referred to our joint policy statement 'Housing Options for Our Ageing Population' which was published by my Department and the Department of Health in February 2019. This statement builds on policy for the housing of older people as outlined in the National Planning Framework 2040. It sets out forty actions incorporating six principles from...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines in line with the “preferred draft approach” which was announced in June 2017 by the then Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, in conjunction with the then Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The review is addressing a number of key...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998 requires each local authority to develop, adopt and implement 5-year rolling accommodation programmes to accelerate the provision of accommodation for Travellers. The fourth Traveller Accommodation Programme (TAP) adopted early in 2014 ran from January 2014 to December 2018.To align the TAP to run concurrently with the term of office of elected...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 111 together. Recognising the difficulties faced by businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Programme for Government – “Our Shared Future” committed to set out how commercial rates would be treated for the remainder of 2020. One of the earliest priorities of Minister O'Brien and I was to secure funding to provide a waiver of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 99, 115 and 117 together. My Department has engaged extensively with representatives of the local government sector and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform over recent months concerning the financial challenges facing local authorities as a consequence of the pandemic. €600m was allocated by Government to fund the cost of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: Towns and villages across Ireland are facing many challenges, in terms of decline in population, viability of services and community facilities. The Government has provided a strong national policy response through The National Planning Framework (NPF) and the Action Plan for Rural Development, which identify the need to reverse these trends and revitalise rural towns and villages by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: While I have responsibility for broad oversight of the local government system and specific responsibility for certain local government functions and services, I have no function in relation to the operation of Christmas Markets. Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions. The matter of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, pending the enactment of primary legislation when it will be established as a commercial State agency. The LDA are working on a 0.75 acre site at the Meath Hospital in Dublin 8, currently in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Peter Burke: The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act, 2016 introduced new streamlined arrangements to enable planning applications for Strategic Housing Developments of 100 housing units or more, or student accommodation or shared accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more, to be made directly to An Bord Pleanála for determination. Under planning...