Results 3,421-3,440 of 7,024 for speaker:Willie Penrose

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (5 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Planning legislation places no specific restrictions on the height of hedges or trees nor does it make any particular provision for recognition of a right to light or remedy from any other nuisance which may be caused by trees in an urban residential area. Complaints relating to matters such as trees or shrubs overhanging a property are normally addressed, where necessary, under civil law...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: My Department is committed to supporting local authorities in maintaining and improving the quality of the national social housing stock through a range of measures including large-scale urban regeneration programmes, improving the standard and energy efficiency of dwellings, pre-letting repairs and improvements and refurbishment works to vacant properties in order to return these to...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (5 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: My Department received comprehensive responses from the planning authorities concerned in relation to particular planning issues in their areas as part of a broadly-based review of planning practices and policies, undertaken by the previous administration. These reports were assessed in my Department to inform further policy formulation at that time. No further inquiry has been undertaken...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (5 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Section 7 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010, which was commenced on 5 October 2010, amended the Planning and Development Act 2000 by requiring the inclusion of a mandatory objective in the development plan for: "the preservation of public rights of way which give access to seashore, mountain, lakeshore, riverbank or other place of natural beauty or recreational utility,...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 280 together. The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009, provides for a new process of housing needs assessment for applicants for social housing support. Until now there have been different practices in housing authorities regarding the way in which applicants for social housing support had their income means-tested. The Social Housing...

Ghost Housing Estates (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: The high level expert group on unfinished housing developments, established in October 2010 following the publication of my Department's national housing development survey database, is identifying practical policy solutions to address, effectively and promptly, the difficulties associated with unfinished housing developments. On foot of the interim analysis and findings of the expert group...

Ghost Housing Estates (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: I thank the Deputy for his question and am delighted to see a fellow midlander across the floor. Some of the points he makes are worth exploring. However, the first concern is the public safety aspect in terms of building compliance and health and safety. There are some 400 estates requiring that attention, which is a huge number. Phase two involves collaboration and co-ordination, that...

Ghost Housing Estates (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Had certain legislation been passed we might have reaped a social dividend, but it is slow. Perhaps Deputy Stanley will contact me directly in advance of next week setting out his proposals. I will pursue these issues with the NAMA representatives with a view to ensuring people get that to which they are legitimately entitled.

Local Authority Bonds (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Sections 34(4)(g) and 180(2)(b) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, enable planning authorities to attach conditions to grants of planning permission for development requiring the provision of financial securities sufficient to safeguard the satisfactory completion of essential infrastructure and amenities in those developments, and, if a development is not subsequently...

Local Authority Bonds (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: There are clearly issues in regard to bonds, especially where developers can no longer be contacted or have gone out of business. This is a particularly difficulty when working with an insurance bond rather than a cash bond, the latter being far more accessible and liquid. Bonds were never designed to deal with the nature of the difficulties that have arisen. Their intended purpose was to...

Planning Issues (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: The planning review announced last year by the former Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. John Gormley, was intended to assess the application of planning legislation, policy and guidance within the development plan and development management systems at local level and to inform further policy development in these areas. A number of planning authorities,...

Planning Issues (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: The local authorities have replied to the various specific issues and in conjunction with my Department, I will review those replies after which I will publish that statement. As for any recommendations that may arise therefrom, Deputy O'Dea is familiar with section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2002 and it is important to keep political involvement some distance away from any...

Planning Issues (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Deputy O'Dea may rest assured in that regard as the 2010 Act constitutes a significant advance in these terms and will deal with many of the issues. This is the reason the process will be opened up more widely as part of the programme for Government to get greater public consultation and input from community groups. I assure the Deputy that the 2010 Act will be the basis on which the...

Social and Affordable Housing (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 provides for a new process of housing needs assessment for applicants for social housing support. Until now there have been different practices in housing authorities regarding the way in which applicants for social housing support had their income means-tested. The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, which came into force on 1 April...

Social and Affordable Housing (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: I am plainly surprised by that response as someone who was a member of a local authority for almost 20 years. Income limits were in place and a person with €25,000 net had a significant income, as it is net of all the charges. However, the overall impact of the new arrangements and amended regulations is expected to result in an increase in the number of households eligible for social...

Social and Affordable Housing (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Yes, I will do that. I note that a number of other colleagues across the floor of the Chamber also had concerns in this regard and there is an increase for them as well. I certainly will keep an eye on it. While a small number of people on the housing lists in certain local authorities may fall off, I suspect the number will be few. I checked briefly the Deputy's local authority and I do...

Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 44 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 5 of today which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in relation to the planning area. These include: § better coordination of national, regional and local planning laws in order to achieve better and more coordinated development that supports local communities; § improving local transport access by requiring, inter alia, that local authorities develop a transport plan in...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: The Government is acutely conscious of the difficulties many households are facing in terms of mortgage arrears and our Programme for Government sets out a range of credible and meaningful measures that will help households challenged to meet mortgage commitments. In terms of arrears among borrowers from local authorities, I believe it is essential that such borrowers should expect at least...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 279 and 280 of 5 April 2011 which outline the position in this matter.