Results 7,421-7,440 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Licence Applications (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: My Department issued a licence to Donegal County Council in 2012, 2013 and 2014 approving the installation of temporary pontoons in Greencastle Harbour.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Seaweed Harvesting Licences (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1709 and 1718 together. The Foreshore licence in this case was approved in principle in 2011 by the then Minister. The legal documents giving effect to the licence were finalised in 2014 by the then Minister. This licence allows for the harvest of specific seaweeds in specific areas of Bantry Bay by mechanical means. In accordance with the conditions attaching...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Licence Applications (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Report for the Marine Institute (MI) foreshore licence application for an underwater fibre optic cable at Spiddal, Co. Galway (FS005751) was completed by Water and Marine Advisory Engineer, Mr Edwin Mooney of my Department's Water and Marine Advisory Unit (WMAU).  Internal advisers in the WMAU are appointed to their roles...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme Expenditure (16 Jan 2018)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (16 Jan 2018)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (16 Jan 2018)

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. This responsibility includes carrying out the necessary health and safety checks on individual...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Eligibility (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: I have no plans to review the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability at this time. The terms and conditions governing the schemes were examined in 2013 by a review group that included representatives of grant beneficiaries and the local authorities. They considered how the benefits of the grants could be spread as widely as possible to achieve...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: As part of a review commissioned by Eurostat, the EU Statistical Office, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) were asked in October 2016 to review the classification of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for Government accounting purposes. The classification was last reviewed in 2014, with a recommendation from the CSO to Eurostat at the time that these Bodies would remain outside of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1764 and 1784 together. Following engagement between the European Commission and my Department regarding the 2013 European Court of Justice ruling in the Flemish Decree case, a working group, comprising senior representatives from my Department and planning authorities, was established in May 2017 to review and, where necessary, recommend changes to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1766 and 1769 together. The Expert Panel on concrete blocks was established by my Department in 2016, to investigate problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Counties Donegal and Mayo. The panel had the following terms of reference: 1.To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1776 and 1777 together. My Department intends to publish updated Development Plans: Guidelines for Planning Authorities shortly for planning authorities in relation to their role in making Development Plans. The updated guidelines will consider the role of building height as part of a broad strategy to increase housing delivery and choice,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: My Department is currently undertaking a focussed review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines.  As part of the overall review, a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is being undertaken on the revised Guidelines before they come into effect. This is in accordance with the requirements of EU Directive 2001/24/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Planning Framework (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: As part of the National Planning Framework (NPF) consultation process, my Department has engaged in various consultative fora including a Cross-Department Steering Group. Colleagues at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport have contributed significantly in the drafting of the NPF document by actively engaging in the work of this Group.  The views of Transport Infrastructure...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Strategic Infrastructure Provision (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: I intend to amend the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, in order to classify data centres above a specified threshold as strategic infrastructure developments.  This change will mean that applications for planning permission for specified data centres will be made direct to An Bord Pleanála and will not have to be submitted to the relevant local planning...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (16 Jan 2018)

Damien English: Information on the allocations to each local authority under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability for 2017 is available on my Department’s website at the following link: .The detailed administration of this funding, including the apportionment across the individual grant schemes, is a matter for the local authorities. My...

Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (17 Jan 2018)

Damien English: thank the Deputy for raising this issue as it is very pertinent to the sustainable development of land in the coming years and ensuring we have the right structures and systems to deliver on our vision and ambition. The Deputy refers to an article in today's newspaper but it actually refers to a part of our national planning framework document which has been circulating here for the last...

Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (17 Jan 2018)

Damien English: I again thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for highlighting the need to have good land use policies. Our ambition with Ireland 2040 is to make sure we do not have a repeat of the housing crisis we have had in recent years which we are trying to manage our way through. The Deputy might not like how we are managing this but we added-----

Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (17 Jan 2018)

Damien English: -----7,000 new social houses that were not there last year but which are in use this year. Some 25,000 households who were not in a house last year are in a social house this year. In the year ahead, there will be more than 8,000 new social houses available to the local authorities that were not there two years ago. Despite all the Deputy's complaining, we are making progress. We all...

Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (17 Jan 2018)

Damien English: As Minister of State, I have been tasked with chairing a new residential land management and development group within the Department on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Murphy, with the aim of overseeing and driving the strategic management and development of housing on State land, with monitoring and accelerating the delivery of housing on residentially zoned lands, particularly on strategic...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites Data (17 Jan 2018)

Damien English: The Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 introduced a new measure, the vacant site levy, which is aimed at incentivising the development of vacant, under-utilised sites in urban areas.  Under the Act, planning authorities are required to establish a register of vacant sites in their areas, beginning on 1 January 2017, and to issue notices to owners of vacant sites by 1 June 2018...