Results 5,521-5,540 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (24 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department approved the proposal by Sligo Borough Council to accept the tenders for these projects on 12 April 2012. This will enable the Council to conclude negotiations with the successful tenderer and allow the early commencement of the construction works.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (24 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The information sought is set out in the annual reports of An Bord Pleanála. These are available on the Board's website at www.pleanala.ie .

Written Answers — Housing Statistics: Housing Statistics (24 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of housing policy and those data are available on my Department's website www.environ.ie. Data on vacancy levels are not among that range as they are collected by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) as part of its Census work. The 2011 Census has recently been published and is...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (24 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: As Minister, I am precluded, under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, from exercising any power or control in relation to any individual planning application or appeal with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned.

Seanad: Report of Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments: Statements (24 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am pleased to attend the House to discuss the final report of the Mahon tribunal. By now, more than one month after its publication, Senators and those outside the House will have had an opportunity to begin to digest the full findings of the report. Its size - at more than 3,200 pages - makes this no easy task, but it is important for various reasons that we understand and, more...

Seanad: Report of Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments: Statements (24 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank all the Senators who participated in this high quality, wide-ranging and thought-provoking debate. I think 20 Senators from all sides participated. It is very important to state that not everybody was at this practice, that a small number were corrupted, whether they were developers, professional planners or politicians. Others resisted and stood up to what was going on, and as...

Seanad: Report of Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments: Statements (24 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: We must put measures in place to stop those who might be subject to corruption from succumbing to it and getting away with it. That is the reason we are putting in place the measures concerning planning, which I outlined in my contribution, as well as the whistleblowers, ethics and registration of lobbyists legislation to which Senator Quinn referred. We must put these measures in place. I...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (25 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 no...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (26 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: As it stands, the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) already places clear statutory obligations on planning authorities in relation to unauthorised development. A planning authority must issue a warning letter in relation to written complaints regarding unauthorised development, or other unauthorised development it becomes aware of (except in the case of trivial or minor...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department has reviewed the documentation in this case and a decision has been made to approve the payment of a mortgage subsidy. A letter, outlining the arrangements to be put in place for drawing down the subsidy, will issue to the applicant very shortly.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (26 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Local Authorities are directly responsible for addressing housing need within their administrative areas and do so using a range of supply options including permanent social housing, long-term leased units, units leased under the Rental Accommodation Scheme and voluntary and co-operative housing units. It is a matter for each authority to take decisions on individual cases in accordance with...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The general terms and conditions governing the Shared Ownership scheme are generated at Departmental level, and have been notified to local authorities by means of circulars. The last update on these conditions was contained in circular HMS 6A of 2003. The specific provisions and covenants contained in mortgage agreements entered into by local authorities and their borrowers are not matters...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Limerick Regeneration Programme there has been a requirement to move households within and from the regeneration areas to improve their living conditions and/or to facilitate development projects. This need will remain as the implementation plans are delivered, albeit at a much reduced level and mainly where the relocations will support construction projects elsewhere. It is in...

Written Answers — An Bord Pleanála: An Bord Pleanála (1 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 471 and 472 together. Comprehensive information in relation to both staffing, salary costs and compliance with the statutory objective period for the years up to and including 2010 can be found in the Board's annual reports which are available on the Board's website www.pleanala.ie. At the end of December 2011 there were 158.1 whole time equivalent...

Written Answers — Private Residential Tenancies Board: Private Residential Tenancies Board (1 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 473 and 474 together. I have no function in the operational matters of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), an independent statutory body established on 1 September 2004 under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The PRTB's annual reports and accounts are available on the website www.prtb.ie and the most recently published report and accounts relate...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (1 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the terms of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, which are administered by the local authorities, grants of up to €30,000 are available to assist households to have necessary repairs, adaptations or improvement works carried out in order to meet the accommodation needs of persons with a disability. A Housing Adaptation Grant of up to...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank the Deputies on all sides of the House who have contributed to the debate. Several contributors focused on the nature of dormant accounts, apart from the provisions of the Bill which serves to tidy some administrative matters, as well as dissolving the Dormant Accounts Board which will give rise to modest annual savings. I realise Deputies White and Ross sought a more accurate...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Should I finalise the debate rather than bring the House back on the same issue?

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I again thank everybody concerned and point out that the disbursement will continue to be made from the fund through the Votes of the relevant Departments, and it will be Exchequer neutral. Also, it will be laid before the House because there was some concern that questions could continue to be asked about it. The relevant joint committee of the Oireachtas has separate powers to require the...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011: Referral to Select Sub-Committee (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government pursuant to Standing Order 82A(3)(a)(6)(a).