Results 3,881-3,900 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Child Care Services Provision (3 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. I am pleased to outline the Government's position on recent measures introduced in budget 2016. Budget 2016 implemented a key recommendation of both the expert advisory group on the early years strategy and of the interdepartmental group on future...

Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Child Care Services Provision (3 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I note the Deputy's genuine concerns about staffing, recruitment and training and retention of staff in the sector. He makes a very important and valuable point which I will pass on to the Minister. The restoration of capitation rates to pre-2012 levels from September 2016 and the introduction of additional capitation payments under the new model of support to ensure children with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Marine Plan (3 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is a relatively recent discipline which has developed in different ways in different places. UNESCO defines it as a practical way to create and establish a more rational organisation of the use of marine space and the interaction between its uses, to balance demands for development with the need to protect marine ecosystems, and to achieve social and economic...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (3 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: A reply to the correspondence referred to in the Question has recently issued from my Department.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Energy Policy: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (3 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Today's meeting is being carried live on Virgin Media channel 207, eirVision channel 504 and Sky channel 574. Members should switch off their mobile phones or turn them to airplane, safe or flight mode, depending on their devices. All sittings are broadcast on the channels I have mentioned in a replay loop over the following week. I remind those present that any sound interference affects...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Energy Policy: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (3 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I will call members of the joint committee first, with other members to follow.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Energy Policy: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (3 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: We must finish at 4.45 p.m. Owing to the time constraint, perhaps the Deputies and Minister could be brief in their contributions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Energy Policy: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (3 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Will the Deputy conclude?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Energy Policy: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (3 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: We said you have four minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Energy Policy: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (3 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I suggest that Senators Brennan and Byrne ask their questions and the Minister will reply to both. We agreed to finish the meeting at 4.45 p.m. because an Estimates meeting will be held here immediately afterwards.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Energy Policy: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (3 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Minister and his officials for engaging with the committee on Ireland's energy policy which is crucial to the economic and social well-being of the country.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Incidence (8 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: In March of last year, my Department met with a number of private homeowners from County Mayo whose homes are affected by structural problems. The problems appear to concern approximately 15 private houses and the period of construction for the houses involved was 1997 to 2002. My Department was also made aware of problems associated with the cracking of concrete blocks in approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rent Controls (8 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. Section 19 of the Act provides that in setting the rent under a tenancy, whether at the outset or by way of a review, the rent must not be greater than the market rent. Section 20 provides for the frequency...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board (8 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended, regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. The Act applies to every...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (8 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: In order to assist the parties directly involved in reaching a satisfactory resolution to their difficulties, I recently announced my intention to establish an expert group to investigate the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in both Donegal and Mayo. While building defects are, in the first instance, matters for resolution between the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (8 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 598 and 599 together. The new incremental tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses will come into operation on 1 January 2016 and will provide opportunities for tenants to become homeowners, while also promoting sustainable communities and generating additional funding from sale proceeds for local authorities to refurbish and replenish...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (9 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Under section 90(12)(a) of the Housing Act 1966, a person who bought a house from a local authority under a tenant purchase scheme must obtain the authority’s consent to re-sell the house within a specified period after tenant purchase (20 years in the case of the 1995 Tenant Purchase Scheme). The enactment empowers the housing authority to refuse to consent to the resale of the house...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Flood Relief Schemes (9 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I understand that this project comprising a cycleway proposal as well as flood alleviation works to address higher tides and sea levels was originally approved by An Bord Pleanála in 2011 under section 226 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, relating to foreshore developments. The environmental impacts of the project were assessed as part of this process. Dublin City...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (9 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: A significant quantity of land has been zoned for new residential development along the northern edges of Dublin City, situated within the Fingal County Council and the Dublin City Council administrative areas. The future development of these lands has been comprehensively planned by the relevant planning authorities through the preparation of several local area plans (LAP’s)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (9 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) is at present playing an ongoing role in the delivery of social housing. To the end of September 2015, a total of 1,600 NAMA residential properties had been delivered for social housing use, comprising 1,241 completed properties and a further 359 that have been contracted and where completion work is on-going. A further 486 properties are considered...