Results 5,501-5,520 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 884 to 886, inclusive, together. My Department has approved the request by Longford County Council to proceed with the preparation of contract documents for the housing refurbishment project at Tromra Road, with a view to advancing this proposal to tender stage as quickly as possible.
- Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: I am chairing the National Co-ordination Committee on Unfinished Housing Developments to oversee implementation of the Report of the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments, together with the Government's response to the recommendations. The Committee includes representatives from the Irish Banking Federation, local authorities, the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency, NAMA...
- Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: While planning authorities are making progress in securing the co-operation of developers, financial institutions and/or bond holders, thereby obviating the need to use Exchequer resources to fund such work the ongoing work of the Committee includes an assessment of the framework for the operation of bonds. This is taking account of existing legislative provisions, statutory guidance and...
- Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is the process by which the anticipated effects on the environment of a proposed development or project are examined. The document produced to facilitate this process is known as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). EIA requirements derive from Directive 85/337/EEC (EIA Directive) on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private...
- Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: As part of the process of preparing the National Housing Development Survey 2011, published by my Department in October 2011, local authorities provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four categories as follows: · Category one, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where...
- Written Answers — Private Residential Tenancies Board: Private Residential Tenancies Board (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: I have no function in the operational matters of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), an independent statutory body established under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. While the PRTB received Exchequer funding for a number of years, it has operated on a self-financing basis since 2010. The Table outlines the Exchequer funding received by the PRTB from 2004 -2009. Year...
- Written Answers — Private Residential Tenancies Board: Private Residential Tenancies Board (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: I have no function in the operational matters of the Private Residential Tenancies Board, an independent statutory body established under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. Accordingly, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the specifics of any individual case.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: I recently announced details of the 2012 housing capital allocations to local authorities, totalling some â¬251.5 million. In excess of â¬62 million has been made available for the various housing programmes in the Dublin City Council area. Of this, â¬660,000 has been allocated for necessary adaptations and extensions to meet the needs of tenants of local authority houses. The...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: There is no provision at present in the voluntary housing schemes for the purchase of individual houses by tenants. My Department is currently in consultation with the voluntary housing sector, through the Irish Council for Social Housing, with regard to the development of an enabling regulatory framework that will support the expanded role for the sector foreseen in the Government's housing...
- Written Answers — Alternative Energy: Alternative Energy (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: The planning system supports the use of domestic renewable energy including domestic wind turbines through specific exemptions or technologies, subject to certain conditions. The possible introduction of grant support for domestic wind turbines through, for example, an expansion of the existing grant scheme, Better Energy Homes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, is...
- Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: The very extensive provisions referred to in the reply to Question No. 379 of 21 March 2012 in relation to public participation and notification of proposed development pertain to all planning applications and not specifically to large-scale wind farm developments. I am satisfied that these provisions, supplemented by the specific and detailed guidance to planning authorities on wind energy...
- Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (18 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: Where any borrower, either from a local authority or from a private financial institution, is facing difficulties in meeting mortgage repayments, they should engage proactively and constructively with the lender to seek to achieve an agreed solution. The services of the Money Advice and Budgeting Service are also available to such borrowers and support is available through the Supplementary...
- Water Services (19 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputies for raising this issue and I am happy to respond on behalf of the Government. The overarching objective of our water reform programme is to put in place structures and funding arrangements that will ensure we have a world class water and waste-water infrastructure that meets all environmental and public health standards, can attract foreign direct investment and support job...
- Water Services (19 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: I disagree with both Deputies when they say this will not save water. I absolutely disagree with their contention that charging, over a certain level of free water, will not concentrate people's minds on saving water. People who are better off will not necessarily leave the taps on because they have a bit more money. One could not say the better-off are not engaged in recycling and the use...
- Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (19 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: The responsibility for zoning lands for specific purposes is a matter for planning authorities through their development plans and local area plans. Under the Planning Acts, the making, reviewing and varying of a development plan or local area plan is a reserved function of the elected members of the relevant planning authority. While my Department does not hold the data from planning...
- Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (19 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: As Minister for Housing and Planning I am responsible for ensuring that a strong policy and legislative framework exists to support the consistent operation of the planning system. A very extensive suite of statutory planning guidelines is already in place to promote best practice in planning authorities. My Department is currently developing further guidance for planning authorities in...
- Written Answers — Mortgage Protection Policies: Mortgage Protection Policies (24 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 486 and 487 together. The local authority mortgage protection insurance scheme is overseen by the Mortgage Protection Committee which is a sub-committee of the County and City Managers Association (CCMA) and is representative of the CCMA, local authorities, the Housing Finance Agency and my Department. One of the conditions of the plan, which is a group...
- Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (24 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: The Public Safety Initiative for Unfinished Housing Developments was launched by my Department in 2011 to address health and safety issues for members of the public, especially residents, where the responsible party was not pursuable in the short term. Estates were divided into four categories: Category one, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no...
- Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (24 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Public Safety Initiative my Department has made allocations totalling some â¬2.79 million to 21 local authorities from the funding allocation made available to address immediate safety issues in 2011. The types of works that have been approved to date include the fencing off of unsecured and hazardous areas, capping of pipes, installation of street lighting and other works to...
- Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (24 Apr 2012)
Jan O'Sullivan: I recently announced details of the 2012 housing capital allocations to local authorities, totalling some â¬251.5 million. In excess of â¬6.6 million has been made available for the various housing programmes in Cork County Council. Of this, â¬384,116 has been allocated for necessary adaptations and extensions to meet the needs of tenants of local authority houses. The administration of...