Results 5,901-5,920 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Seanad: Flood Prevention (4 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am talking this matter on behalf of my ministerial colleague, Deputy Phil Hogan. I thank Senator Clune for raising the issue. Met Éireann issued a severe weather warning at 4.54 p.m. on Wednesday, 27 June of torrential and possibly thundery downpours during the period from 11 p.m. on 27 June to 12 noon on 28 June. As predicted, there was heavy rainfall across the country with very...

Seanad: Flood Prevention (4 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My understanding is that the various authorities will collate the information and a comprehensive report will include all the information.

Seanad: Flood Prevention (4 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: With the assistance of the Office of Public Works, but I can clarify this for the Senator.

Seanad: Schools Building Programme (4 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Táim chun freagra a thabhairt ar an ábhar tráthúil seo thar ceann mo chomhghleacaí, an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna.Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis an Seanadóir faoin gceist a ardú mar tugann sé an deis dom staid reatha an iarratais ó scoil naisiunta Naomh Caitríona, Eachroim, le scoil nua ocht seomra ranga a shoiléiriú. I thank the Senators for their contributions....

Seanad: Schools Building Programme (4 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I will convey those points to the Minister.

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I agree with Deputy Stanley that it is appropriate to take all of these amendments together because, essentially, they deal with the same issue. The legislation proposes specifically to dissolve the Dormant Accounts Board and transfer the statutory functions of the board to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The Bill is being put through the House to give...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I again make the point that the role of the board is sometimes believed to be larger than it is. Following the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2005, there has in fact been very little involvement of the board in the approval process. Its main role is to do with drawing up the three-year plan and preparing an annual report. In terms of the actual disbursement, the board has had a very...

Written Answers — National Housing Survey: National Housing Survey (5 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The National Housing Survey 2012 commenced in June and will be conducted over the summer months. Following on from previous surveys, conducted in 2010 and 2011, it will assess those housing estates which remain incomplete and which were commenced from 1 January 2007. In exceptional circumstances, it may include estates which pre-date this but whose attributes merit inclusion; otherwise, the...

Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (5 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The issues faced by residents of unfinished housing developments are matters which my Department has been proactively addressing. 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 its recommendations. The Committee...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (10 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 316 together The scheduling of leave arrangements for staff and Board Members is an internal matter for An Bord Pleanála and my Department has no function in that regard. The information sought in relation to the number of planning appeals currently awaiting a decision from An Bord Pleanála for four to fourteen months is not available within my...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (10 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 167,169 and 171 of 28 June, 2012 which set out the position on this matter.

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (10 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The site in question was approved for inclusion under the Land Aggregation Scheme, and the Housing Finance Agency loan on it was redeemed by my Department in October 2011, following which the process of transferring the land from Limerick County Council to Housing and Sustainable Communities (HSC) Ltd was commenced. My Department understands that the transfer process from Limerick County...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (10 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Funding may be available under the Social Housing Investment Programme to fund major refurbishment works to dwellings with serious structural defects, including problems arising from pyrite. My Department has been liaising with Dublin City Council on this issue on an ongoing basis and is currently assisting the Council with regard to social housing schemes affected by pyrite at a number of...

Written Answers — Urban Renewal Schemes: Urban Renewal Schemes (10 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department currently supports an ambitious programme of regeneration projects to deliver integrated physical, social and economic regeneration, ranging from large-scale urban regeneration projects such as those in Ballymun and Limerick city to smaller estate-wide regeneration projects in Dublin city and in a number of regional towns around the country. This year my Department is providing...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (10 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Transparency has always been an essential part of the planning system. Insofar as the planning application process is concerned there is a facility for the public/third parties to make submissions, and to appeal a decision of the planning authority to An Bord Pleanála as the independent planning appeals body. In relation to development by a local authority the Planning Acts and Regulations...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (10 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Local authorities have long been the lenders of last resort servicing the housing loans needs of less affluent members of society. In the present economic circumstances it is to be anticipated that the ability of some borrowers to service housing loans may become restricted and that a number of loans may fall into arrears. Section 34 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (11 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 161 together. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 -2011 I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate to comment on the specific case in question.

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (11 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The funding application in question is being considered by my Department in the light of the additional information received from the City Council and a decision will be made as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (12 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: There are two types of house purchase loan available from local authorities: standard annuity loans targeted at lower income first time buyers and those under the Home Choice Loan scheme which are available to qualifying middle income first time buyers affected by the "credit crunch". The terms and conditions governing the operation, including eligibility terms, of annuity mortgages and the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 Jul 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 all housing authorities are required to make an allocation scheme (in place of a scheme of letting priorities). The making and amendment of such an allocation scheme for social housing is a reserved function of the elected members of each housing authority. The Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011, which commenced on 1...