Results 7,061-7,080 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (27 Jun 2017)

Damien English: The issue referred to in the question is a matter for local Building Control Authorities, who are independent in the use of their statutory powers under the Building Control Acts 1990 - 2014. Building Control Authorities are required to keep certain information pertaining to building works that come under the Building Control Regulations 1997-2015 on a statutory register, including...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Seanad Reform (27 Jun 2017)

Damien English: I thank the Senator for the chance to clarify the record and confirm that there is no change to the Government's commitment. We will go through the formalities. I must have missed the matter in the debate on the leadership contest. A Programme for a Partnership Government confirms the Government's commitment to pursue the implementation of the Manning report. I am pleased to have the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Seanad Reform (27 Jun 2017)

Damien English: I did not see the article the Senator referred to about the presidential vote, but the work has started in my Department and is ongoing. We are not doing that for fun. We are committed to it and I understand that there were delays with the nominations. I cannot explain six months of delays. I will check for the Senator to make sure that all of those nominations are now included. However,...

Topical Issue Debate: Military Aircraft (29 Jun 2017)

Damien English: As the Deputy will understand, my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, is engaged in important business elsewhere and is unable to reply in person. For this reason, I will respond on his behalf. As I do not have details of the aircraft to which the Deputy referred, I cannot respond to the specific matters raised by the Deputy. I was asked to respond to a...

Topical Issue Debate: Military Aircraft (29 Jun 2017)

Damien English: The Deputy contends that allowing US military aircraft to land at Shannon Airport amounts to a change in or weakening of our policy of neutrality which enjoys wide public support and has been pursued by successive Governments for more than half a century. As has been repeatedly stated in the House, that policy has not changed. Ireland is not a member of a military alliance and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (29 Jun 2017)

Damien English: Section 8(2) of the Building Control Act 1990 provides that an Enforcement Notice shall not be served in respect of building works after the expiration of the period of five years commencing on the date of the completion of the building or the works, or the material change in the purposes for which the building is used. Section 17(6) of the Building Control Act 1990 provides that summary...

Topical Issue Debate: Housing Adaptation Grant Applications (5 Jul 2017)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Danny Healy-Rae for raising this matter. As Minister of State with responsibility for housing and urban renewal in the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, I am aware of the challenges we face in delivering housing supports to a range of vulnerable households and groups throughout the country. We held a competition last week in regard to new...

Topical Issue Debate: Housing Adaptation Grant Applications (5 Jul 2017)

Damien English: I am very happy to confirm that our Departments has no rule relating to stone walls. The Deputy can go back to the council and tell the people there to check the rules. If there is any doubt about that, I can send the Deputy a letter on it. I am very conscious of the social benefits flowing from the housing adaption grants for older people and people with disabilities in terms of...

Quarterly Report on Housing: Statements (6 Jul 2017)

Damien English: I will facilitate the Acting Chairman in that regard. Many questions were asked during the debate and I will not get a chance to answer all of them, but we can come back. to them. We had a good discussion at the committee on the issue. On behalf of this side of the House, I thank everybody for his or her contribution. It has been a wide-ranging and well informed debate in which many...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (11 Jul 2017)

Damien English: I understand that things can change. I am sorry that I could not wait any longer. We have some appointments booked up as well. I thank Senator Mac Lochlainn for raising this important issue - I recognise it as such. I thank Deputy Mac Lochlainn's colleagues in Donegal and Mayo as well. Colleagues across parties and in both Houses have been raising this issue with me directly during the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (11 Jul 2017)

Damien English: Everyone here has been driving this issue for well over a year. I recognise that. It is cross-party, and I want to be clear on that. I am conscious of the effects in Donegal and Mayo. It would be wrong of anyone to try to claim this issue. People are being affected. It is not a political issue. I have met these people. I have told them that I will do my job to help them get a...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (11 Jul 2017)

Damien English: The residents I have met fully understand that. I met the Mica Action Group in Donegal and other groups in Mayo also. They understood that a report had to be done. We had to gather the evidence and get solutions. I have had it for a couple of weeks. We will deal with it. These people want to know that the houses will be fixed. I told them I will work with them on that, and that is as...

Topical Issue Debate: Naas Town Centre (12 Jul 2017)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this issue again. It could be the fifth or sixth time we have debated it-----

Topical Issue Debate: Naas Town Centre (12 Jul 2017)

Damien English: -----so I understand and appreciate the Deputy's eagerness to have the matter resolved. I have seen the site and understand even from the point of view of having passed through the town how important it is that this site be developed or resolved one way or the other. I therefore understand Deputy Durkan's and the council's desire to keep raising the matter at every opportunity they can in...

Topical Issue Debate: Naas Town Centre (12 Jul 2017)

Damien English: I agree with Deputy Durkan that we, as a planning Department, must do all we can to make this happen. If we can help in any way with planning queries or other issues surrounding this matter, and if Kildare County Council seeks our help in that regard, we will be able to engage with the council. There is no problem whatsoever facilitating a meeting if needs be. If there are any planning or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Standards (13 Jul 2017)

Damien English: The Government’s Strategy for the Rental Sector, published in December 2016, sets out a number of actions in relation to standards, with the combined aim of improving the quality and management of rental accommodation.   On 1 July 2017, the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017 came into operation with new requirements focusing on tenant safety,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (13 Jul 2017)

Damien English: The 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 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...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2017: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Damien English: Obtaining planning permission is one of the key steps in enabling housing providers to produce the homes we all need. The process of obtaining planning permission takes time, reflecting the importance of getting the location and design of new development right. Once permission is granted, it normally lasts for five years to enable the relevant development to be built out. However, due to...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2017: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Damien English: I will try to address as many questions as I possibly can. I thank all the Senators who spoke for their contributions, along with all the colleagues who spoke on this matter in the Dáil last week. The purpose of this Bill is twofold. The first purpose is to enable the immediate commencement of section 28(2) of the Planning and Development Housing and Residential Act 2016, enacted on...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2017: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Damien English: Under the principal Act the planning authority has discretion to say they do not need the five years. I think we are making progress with regard to Rebuilding Ireland. Compared with last year there are now 10,000 houses in the social housing pipeline. They are not all on site but over 2,000 are on site and being worked on at the moment. They were not there a year ago. That is progress....