Results 7,501-7,520 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Credit Ratings (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: In advancing loans for house purchase by lower income borrowers it is of critical importance that local authorities make such funding available on the basis of sound lending criteria. My Department and individual local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that the borrower can sustain the loan over the full term. Of equal importance, in view of recent developments in the domestic...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, local authorities are required to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become or continue to be a derelict site. To this end, they have been given substantial powers under the Act in relation to any such sites, including powers to require specified...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 to 76, inclusive, together. In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes, designed to meet these needs, rests with individual housing authorities. My...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 79 together. 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 the recommendations. The Committee has met on 12 occasions since it was established in June 2011 and has...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Administration (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 to 91, inclusive, and 93 together. I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 237, 238, 239, 208 and 209 of 15 October, 2013 which sets out the position in these matters.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Funding (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988; €45 million is being made available by my Department to housing authorities in 2013 for this purpose. This amount represents a decrease of 3.32% on the 2012 outturn and this reduction has been applied on a pro-rata...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (16 Oct 2013)

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

Topical Issue Matters: Valuation Office (17 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin. Deputies are aware that the Valuation Office, as part of its revaluation programme, is in the process of updating the valuations of all commercial properties. The revaluation process has been completed and the revaluation is effective for rates purposes in the areas of Fingal, south...

Topical Issue Matters: Valuation Office (17 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: We all understand the concern, particularly in respect to those large sporting bodies and the value they bring to our country. I must reiterate that the Commission on Valuation is an independent body, in accordance with the statute and it does not confer on the Minister any function in this regard. I again make the point that before valuations are published the occupier can make...

Topical Issue Matters: Local Authority Staff Code of Conduct (17 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputies Adams and Ellis for raising this important matter. I share the concern expressed by both Deputies that where allegations are made with regard to a conflict of interest by public servants in discharging their official duties, this has the capacity to undermine public confidence in the service and the way public money is spent and accounted for. There are robust legislative...

Topical Issue Matters: Local Authority Staff Code of Conduct (17 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is essential that the public have confidence in how public officials carry out their duties and that that their activities are in accordance with the law. Deputy Ellis is concerned about practices in other local authorities. With regard to my responsibility, my Department will issue a letter to reach director of housing requesting full compliance with all the requirements where a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Property Taxation Exemptions (17 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations provide the legislative basis for the household charge. The regulations covering the application of the charge included a number of exemptions and waivers. One of the waivers applied to certain unfinished estates on a categorisation basis. Unfinished housing developments were divided into...

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I hope I can clarify somewhat the issues that were raised. I thank both Deputies for raising this issue. In January of this year, my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government issued updated guidelines on development contributions under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála are...

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank both Deputies. They are separate but related issues. I assure Deputy Fleming that the intention is not to exempt these-----

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The intention is to exempt the small person having a wind farm or other forms of energy for their own use. That is the intention and if we need to clarify that, we will do so. I would also make the point that these large for export proposals are nowhere near getting permission at this point in time. They have a number of hoops to go through first, including an intergovernmental agreement,...

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: We have no intentions of interfering. They have an independent role, and rightly so, and I have no intentions of getting involved in any way in that regard. I hear what Deputy Mulherin is saying and we will certainly look at it. We have the draft guidelines out for consultation at the end of this year and in that context we will be developing policy. The Strategic Infrastructure Act is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 346, 365, 369 and 381 together. My Department provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. I am pleased to confirm that my Department's 2014 homeless budget will be maintained at the same level as 2013 - €45 million. While this amount...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 349 together. My Department received a proposal from South Dublin County Council for the construction of 11 infill housing units, comprised of ten 3-bed and one 4-bed two-storey semi-detached and terraced units at St Marks Estate, Clondalkin at an estimated cost of €2 million. Having regard to the existing high level of commitments under my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I expect the recently announced €30 million additional investment in social housing to deliver up to 500 local authority homes for families on the housing waiting list. Approximately half of this investment will facilitate the construction of new infill housing developments in areas with a high demand for social housing. It is intended that €15 million will be invested in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: There is no legislation in Ireland regulating the height of trees and hedges and I have no current plans to introduce legislation on this matter. My Department understands that there is no right in Irish law to receive light in a garden and that, while there is a civil remedy of nuisance available in respect of the branches or roots of a neighbour's trees encroaching on one's property, there...