Results 5,401-5,420 of 10,577 for speaker:Barry Cowen

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: NAMA Social Housing Provision (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: What discussions were held with NAMA to increase the supply of social housing units? What percentage of the 20,000 units committed to in the budget will the agency deliver? Can the Minister of State clarify whether this number is separate from last week's announcement of 20,000 units for Dublin? With regard to the interest rate clients of NAMA are charged, competitors are reputedly being...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: NAMA Social Housing Provision (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: I thank the Minister of State for his response but I refer him again to the questions I asked. What discussions were held with NAMA recently regarding the budget announcement to increase social housing supply and when were they held? Notwithstanding the grave mistake to reduce the Part V contribution from 20% to 10% of private developments, the Minister of State said that of the 20,000...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: NAMA Social Housing Provision (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: Housing provision is currently in crisis. That has called for better delivery by NAMA in respect of the social dividend that was promised when it was set up. It now appears that there was nothing new in last week's announcement in respect of providing additional units and that there will be fewer units available to the State in the form of a social dividend by virtue of the change made to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: NAMA Social Housing Provision (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: I agreed with that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: NAMA Social Housing Provision (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: Can the private sector apply to NAMA for funding?

Other Questions: Private Residential Tenancies Board (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: 8. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when the new deposit retention scheme will come into operation after the residential tenancies Bill has been enacted; if this will be a custodial model fully operated by the Private Residential Tenancies Board or if it will be an agency that outsources some of the operation of the scheme; and what level of increase in...

Other Questions: Private Residential Tenancies Board (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: One element of the recent Residential Tenancies (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2012 was the new deposit retention scheme. I welcome that element of the Bill because it is long overdue. I was surprised to learn since its passage that it could be up to 18 months before that element of the Bill comes into force. I would like the Minister of State to comment on that and explain the reasons for what...

Other Questions: Private Residential Tenancies Board (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: I thank the Minister of State for his response and the great detail he went into to describe the various aspects of the scheme which he acknowledged that I welcome. It has been a long time in the offing and a long time being called for from this side of the House. That being the case, I had hoped and presumed that the preparatory work for its enactment would have allowed for it to be put...

Other Questions: Private Residential Tenancies Board (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: I again acknowledge the commitment and effort of the Minister to advance this but unfortunately the consequences of the 50% reduction in staff numbers within the PRTB since the Government came into office are plain to see across a wide range of issues. Perhaps, more specifically, it appears obvious the staff were not in place to do the preparatory work necessary for this element of the...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: The main purpose of this Bill is to give a basis to one of the recommendations of the Mahon tribunal report, namely, that the Minister should have the power to prescribe expressly specific planning policy requirements to be applied by local authorities in their county development plans. The Fianna Fáil Party welcomes this change to planning powers. I will use this opportunity to...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: The Bill covers a broad spectrum of issues, including apartment guidelines. Planning and development legislation offers ample opportunity to refer to the Mahon report and note the unfortunate fact that the Government has not seen fit to implement many of the recommendations emanating from the various tribunals. This Bill deals with but one such recommendation. The Fianna Fáil Party...

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue, clarify some matters and seek information from the Department regarding its response. I empathise with everyone who has been and continues to be affected by what has been happening since the weekend. We can only hope and pray that their homes, businesses, livelihoods, farms and so forth can be saved from the disaster that...

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: I thank the Minister of State for his response and clarifying the total commitment of local authorities to working with everybody concerned to ensure the public is informed and assisted and that no stone is left unturned in helping everybody affected. I am conscious that the Minister of State said the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, will be updating the Cabinet on Tuesday on the perspective...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: 11. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government given that capital-funded social housing provision targets, including new-builds and units provided under the rental accommodation scheme and long-term leasing are well-below the level targeted for 2015, if he will revise his targets for capital funded social housing provision for the 2015 to 2017 period downwards; and if...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: NAMA Social Housing Provision (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: 15. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the discussions and negotiations he has had with the National Asset Management Agency on increasing its provision of social housing units, if the agency is doing all within its authority and mandate to increase the supply of social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44119/15]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: 20. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government why he places a limit of €30,000 when considering applications for the funding of vacant housing units owned by local authorities and long-term voids, given that there is such a large number of vacant social housing units in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44123/15]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: 28. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of revenues from commercial rates to local authorities as a result of the global revaluations undertaken by the Valuation Office; how this will effect local authority budgets in 2016 and 2017. [44121/15]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Social Housing Provision (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: 72. To ask the Minister for Finance the arrangements under which the National Asset Residential Property Services Limited, the National Asset Management Agency social housing special purpose vehicle, will directly lease properties to local authorities in order to fulfil its Part V obligation, associated with its construction of the private housing units announcement; if, in the leasing of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Social Housing Provision (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: 73. To ask the Minister for Finance the arrangements under which National Asset Residential Property Services Limited, the National Asset Management Agency's social housing special purpose vehicle, will retain ownership of the housing units to be leased to local authorities for social housing provision; whether the National Asset Residential Property Services Ltd vehicle will have to remain...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: NAMA Social Housing Provision (10 Dec 2015)

Barry Cowen: 203. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if an agreement has been made with the National Asset Residential Property Services Limited, the National Asset Management Agency social housing Special Purpose Vehicle, on whether local authorities will be able to lease the social housing units to be constructed by the National Asset Management Agency at below market...