Results 7,881-7,900 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Connolly. That is exactly what we are doing. She will be familiar with this. I have visited Galway City Council and Galway County Council to discuss on a number of occasions. The Minister has also gone to Galway on several occasions and has visited some of the emergency accommodation provision being funded by means of the taxpayer's money paid to all the different service...

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (8 May 2018)

Damien English: Deputy Connolly is well informed at a local authority level because she has her own connections there. It is true to say that some of the land that Galway city owns is sterile because of a route selection. That project is going to be happening quite soon, which will deal with that part and which will open up the town. We have asked the council to bring forward plans for that land or, if...

Other Questions: Wind Energy Guidelines (8 May 2018)

Damien English: Like the Deputy, I am well aware of people's fears and concerns. The whole reason this Government is bringing forward new guidelines and a preferred option, which has to go through the SEA process, is to bring a better balance to the guidelines and assure people that their concerns are being dealt with. We are not just talking about it; this Government is doing it. The process, as I have...

Other Questions: Wind Energy Guidelines (8 May 2018)

Damien English: The preferred draft guidelines go a long way towards addressing community concerns, but they are a draft and must go through the SEA process. That is now taking place and I cannot move it any more quickly. It is an important process. If we want new guidelines, that is the process they have to go through. At the end of quarter 2, we will have draft guidelines and at that stage anyone...

Topical Issue Debate: Water Pollution (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Murphy O'Mahony for raising this issue. I am familiar with the area of west Cork and have spent time there over the years, but after the Deputy's portrayal I will have to return to visit it again. The Deputy could have a job in the tourism sector as well, aside from being a Teachta Dála. However, she has raised an important issue and I thank her for providing me with...

Topical Issue Debate: Water Pollution (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I agree with the Deputy about looking forward. However, I did not raise the issue. It was the Deputy who raised the issue of previous Governments, and I wished to clarify that we are taking action now. This matter must be addressed: it is as simple as that. It is not good enough that this still happens in 38 areas in Ireland. Irish Water was established to fix that and it is fixing it....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (8 May 2018)

Damien English: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual housing authorities. The March...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (8 May 2018)

Damien English: The Programme for a Partnership Government (PPG) sets out a number of requirements in relation to local government reform. In particular, the PPG envisages the submission of a report to Government and the Oireachtas on potential measures to boost local government leadership and accountability, and to ensure that local government funding, structures and responsibilities strengthen local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (8 May 2018)

Damien English: Policy responsibility for A Vision for Change, the strategy which sets out the direction for Mental Health Services in Ireland and which is being implemented by the HSE in conjunction with other agencies, is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Health. The current National Housing Strategy for People with a Disabilityand associated National Implementation Framework, were jointly...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (8 May 2018)

Damien English: In line with the commitment in Rebuilding Ireland, in 2017 the Housing Agency commissioned an expert, independent review of funding for traveller-specific accommodation to date. This review had regard to targets contained in the local authority Traveller Accommodation Programmes and actual units delivered, the current status of accommodation funded and funding provided for accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (8 May 2018)

Damien English: 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: (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 Counties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme Implementation (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 489 and 490 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, and Local Government: Compensation Schemes (9 May 2018)

Damien English: 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: (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 Counties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: County Development Plans (15 May 2018)

Damien English: The completion timeframe for the review of the Meath County Development Plan is a matter for Meath County Council. My Department is aware that the local authority has paused its review of the development plan, pending the completion of a Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) over the remainder of this year, which will act as a key co-ordinating strategy for the various local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (15 May 2018)

Damien English: 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: (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 Counties...

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (16 May 2018)

Damien English: I thank the Deputies for raising the very important issue of the State land bank and the role it is playing and can play in delivering affordable, social and private housing of all types and sizes, on which we are all in agreement. The issue revolves around who will pay for the private part of a development and who will sell the relevant houses. It is wrong for people to continually say...

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (16 May 2018)

Damien English: Increasing and accelerating housing delivery, particularly social and affordable housing, are at the heart of the Government's action plan for housing and homelessness, Rebuilding Ireland, which I accept and acknowledge is everyone's motivation. The two sites referred to are key housing authority assets that must be mobilised for the sustainable development of Dublin as a whole. They are...

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (16 May 2018)

Damien English: I want to clarify that Deputy Smith is not the only voice in Inchicore looking for housing projects, and not everyone would agree with the Deputy in this regard. We strongly believe that the best use of publicly owned land is a combination of public housing through social, affordable and private accommodation use. Most people here would agree that the concept is right but the big question...

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (16 May 2018)

Damien English: The Deputy keeps saying public housing-----

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (16 May 2018)

Damien English: I understand that, but the best use of State-owned lands is accommodation for all. The question that we are asked most is whether we are open to different models of funding. With every site the State owns we have asked the local authority to bring in all the different concepts for that land. They have all brought in their plans for delivery of social, affordable and private accommodation....