Results 3,301-3,320 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Order for Report Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I acknowledge the valid concerns expressed by Deputies regarding the housing shortage we are currently experiencing. The question is how we respond to that shortage and utilise all available resources, not just those of the National Asset Management Agency but also those of local authorities, approved housing bodies and the private sector. The purpose of this Bill is to initiate changes...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The suggested amendment would not be accurate in terms of either the consistent meaning of "owner" already contained in planning legislation or to NAMA's loan connection with land assets. If anything, the amendment would potentially cause confusion and concern about inconsistency in the application of the levy by indicating the obligations of the actual owner may be different depending...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: That is very cynical.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (7 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 535 together. The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework within which the pyrite remediation scheme must operate. It is not a compensation scheme and Section 14(8) of the Act explicitly provides that homeowners cannot seek the recoupment of costs associated with the remediation of a dwelling undertaken outside of the pyrite...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites (7 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Section 9 of the Derelict Sites Act 1990 provides that it shall be the duty of every owner and occupier of land, including a statutory body and a State authority, to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the land in question does not become, or does not continue to be, a derelict site. Section 10 of the Act further places a specific obligation on local authorities to take all reasonable...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (7 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The most recent data from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) for Q1 2015 shows that on an annual basis, nationally, rents were 6.9% higher than in Q1 2014. Rents for houses were 6.5% higher, while apartment rents were 7.8% higher than in the same quarter of 2014. These annual rates of increase were driven mainly by the Dublin market. Overall, in the 12 months to the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: National Spatial Strategy (7 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Government recently approved the commencement of the preparation of a new National Planning Framework to act as a new long-term national planning and regional development framework as a successor to the 2002 National Spatial Strategy which was Ireland's first national strategic spatial planning framework. I intend that the new National Planning Framework will be developed to ensure the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (7 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Planning authorities may, when adopting the Development Plan for their areas, adopt policies to curtail an excessive concentration of takeaways in particular areas. Under planning legislation, the change of use of any premises to a takeaway or fast food outlet would require planning permission. In deciding whether or not to grant permission for a development, the relevant planning authority...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (7 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I refer to the reply given in response to Question No. 221 of 17 June 2015 which sets out the position in relation to this matter. The matter remains under active consideration within my Department.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Deputy Cowen had just finished yesterday.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Yes, it is my first contribution on the amendment. Yesterday evening we had quite a wide-ranging debate. Much of it went well beyond the amendment, but it was closely related to housing issues and regeneration. It is unfortunate that some Deputies are taking a cynical view of the Government's efforts with regard to the social housing strategy and the Construction 2020 strategy, of which...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: That is not true.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Deputy Ellis stated that no funding has been allocated for homelessness in Dublin. I want to make it clear that there is a 20% increase in the allocation of funds to address homelessness for Dublin. In 2015, an allocation of €37.16 million was provided. What is identified in the projections of Dublin City Council is that increased funding will be required. The Minister, Deputy...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I am opposing amendment No. 4, which proposes the removal of the requirement for a vacant site on residential land to be "in an area in which there is a need for housing". This proposal would weaken the criteria to be used by a planning authority when determining whether a site is a vacant site in the case of such land. Amendment No. 5 proposes the removal of the requirement for a vacant...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: On Deputy Boyd Barrett's point about the potential to seize houses that are not being utilised, the Constitution provides for property rights and we must be careful not to impinge on them. The Bill provides for due process and identifies clear criteria for designating a site as vacant. The statutory responsibility for this process lies with local authorities, which, as Deputy Wallace noted,...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: To be helpful to Deputy Cowen, the site must be zoned in a local area plan. The revised site size will be 500 sq. m, which equates to two or three houses in a streetscape.

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I am opposing amendments Nos. 9, 12, 15, 16, 18 and 19 as collectively they propose to bring the implementation of the vacant site levy forward by one year. Deputies have asked me to explain the reason for the timeframe set out in the Bill and I am happy to clarify it. There has been extensive engagement between officials of my Department and the Attorney General's office in developing...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I will respond briefly. The primary objective of this Bill is to stimulate activity on sites that are of high potential in areas of high demand. The objective, essentially, is not to put levies on sites but to stimulate activity. It is a carrot and stick approach, and this is the stick element. I believe it is fair and reasonable that due process be allowed for any owners of sites. We...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I have no doubt the Deputies are genuine in the concerns they have raised. I wish to make crystal clear, however, that the mechanisms and provisions set out in this Bill are concerned with targeting the urban regeneration of city and town centres where vacant sites are a blight on streetscapes and are not being utilised to their full potential. We all know where they are in our own towns or...