Results 7,021-7,040 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: As set out in the Strategy for the Rental Sector published in December 2016, the commitment to develop an affordable rental model contained in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan is now to be progressed through kick-starting supply in rent pressure zones. Lands held by local authorities in such zones are to be brought to market on a competitive tendering basis, with a view to leveraging the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (25 May 2017)

Damien English: There are currently two housing loan finance offerings available from local authorities for first time buyers unable to get adequate loan finance from a building society or bank.  In the case of the House Purchase Loan, the gross income (before tax) is €50,000 or less for a single income household or €75,000 or less in the case of a double income household. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: Government policy, as set out in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, is to deliver sustainable communities with an appropriate tenure mix for all our citizens, irrespective of the method of housing provision. An appropriate and balanced mixture of tenures in new developments is necessary in order to avoid the significant effects of social isolation and limiting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (25 May 2017)

Damien English: The aim of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is to relieve critical infrastructural blockages in order to enable the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites in urban areas with high demand for housing.   On 28 March 2017, Minister Coveney announced funding of €226.5 million for 34 projects under the LIHAF to build...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Boundaries Review (25 May 2017)

Damien English: The report of the Waterford Local Boundary Review Group is one of four such review processes initiated under the previous Government. The groups were asked to carry out a review of the boundaries between the relevant local authorities and to make recommendations with respect to those boundaries and any consequential matters that they consider necessary in the interests of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (25 May 2017)

Damien English: Pillar 5 of the Government's Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness is specifically focused on Utilising Existing Housing Stock, with a key objective of ensuring that the existing vacant housing stock throughout the country and across all forms of tenure, in both the public and private sectors, is used to the optimum degree possible. In this regard, Action 5.1 of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Reports (25 May 2017)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 63 together. An expert panel on concrete blocks was established by my Department in April 2016 to investigate the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Donegal and Mayo. The panel have the following terms of reference: - (i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme Expenditure (25 May 2017)

Damien English: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and while the Act provides that the scheme can be amended, replaced or revoked, this can only be done in accordance with the scope of the Act. In this regard, any proposal to revise the pyrite remediation scheme is ultimately a matter for the Pyrite Resolution Board and would require detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Animal Breeding Regulations (25 May 2017)

Damien English: In late 2015, my Department agreed to begin a process of review of the current Dog Breeding Establishment Guidelines, under the auspices of the County and City Management Association Dogs Working Group. The work undertaken to date has been to produce a first draft revision of the Guidelines. It was considered essential to broaden the review of the Guidelines to a more formal public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (25 May 2017)

Damien English: In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: National Spatial Strategy (25 May 2017)

Damien English: The new National Planning Framework (NPF), titled Ireland 2040 - Our Plan, will act as the successor to the National Spatial Strategy 2002 (NSS) and will serve as the Government’s strategic 20+ year strategic planning and development framework for the co-ordination of a range of national, regional and local authority policies and activities, planning and investment. On foot of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (25 May 2017)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 115 together. The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency.  The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: Based on ESB connections data, around half of the 15,000 new homes completed last year were one-off houses, mainly built in rural areas, which account for less than 40% of the national population. The high proportion of overall national house-building taking place in rural areas points to the degree to which indigenous communities in rural areas are being facilitated in meeting their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Estates (30 May 2017)

Damien English: My Department launched the National Taking-in-Charge Initiative (NTICI) in an attempt to accelerate the taking-in-charge process of housing estates, including estates with developer-provided water services infrastructure such as private treatment plants.  The initiative was set up by my Department on a temporary basis in order to stimulate the taking-in-charge process, due to a build-up...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (30 May 2017)

Damien English: My Department launched the National Taking-in-Charge Initiative (NTICI) in 2016 to support and accelerate overall national and local action on the taking-in-charge process of housing estates, including estates with developer-provided water services infrastructure (DPI). A specific focus of the initiative was to expedite progress by local authorities and relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (30 May 2017)

Damien English: The aim of the building regulations is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings. The building regulations apply to the design and construction of a new building (including a dwelling) or an extension to an existing building. The minimum performance requirements that a building must achieve are set out in the second schedule to the building regulations. These...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (30 May 2017)

Damien English: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme by the Pyrite Resolution Board for certain dwellings affected by significant pyrite damage. The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its application and scope. The full conditions for eligibility under the scheme are set out in the scheme, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Library Services Funding (30 May 2017)

Damien English: In January 2016, my Department launched the Libraries Capital Investment Programme 2016-2021. Over the lifetime of the programme, the Department will invest approximately €23m in 17 capital projects and the roll out of the My Open Library service. This will be matched by some €35m of local authority own funds. All funding has been allocated under the programme since January...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Animal Breeding Regulations (30 May 2017)

Damien English: I refer to the reply to Question Number 10 of 25 May 2017 which sets out the position in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (30 May 2017)

Damien English: An expert panel on concrete blocks was established by my Department in April 2016 to investigate the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Donegal and Mayo.  The panel have the following terms of reference: (i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the...