Results 8,041-8,060 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Maritime Spatial Planning (20 Jun 2018)

Damien English: I am committed to introducing enabling legislation to provide for the formal creation and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).  It is intended to bring forward legislation for the designation and protection of MPAs once the legislative work on the prohibition of microbeads plastics has been completed. I also intend to establish an expert advisory group whose...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Planning Framework (20 Jun 2018)

Damien English: Project Ireland 2040, within which the National Planning Framework (NPF) sits, will ensure that we maintain the fabric of our rural communities, support the growth of rural towns while recognising the need for the countryside to continue to be a living and lived-in landscape, and invest to support job creation.  The NPF is a national plan, with a high-level ambition of creating a single...

Seanad: Short-term Lettings Bill 2018: Second Stage (20 Jun 2018)

Damien English: I cannot keep turning towards the Senator but I am listening to her.

Seanad: Short-term Lettings Bill 2018: Second Stage (20 Jun 2018)

Damien English: I am absolutely listening to the Senator.

Seanad: Short-term Lettings Bill 2018: Second Stage (20 Jun 2018)

Damien English: I was listening.

Seanad: Short-term Lettings Bill 2018: Second Stage (20 Jun 2018)

Damien English: I was listening to the Senator so she should please not keep saying I was not listening.

Seanad: Short-term Lettings Bill 2018: Second Stage (20 Jun 2018)

Damien English: I wish to thank Senator Humphreys and his Labour Party colleagues for bringing forward this Bill and providing us with another opportunity to discuss short-term lettings, a matter which is a priority for this Government. I am conscious that the Senator has worked on this area for quite a while. We have had discussions about it in the House and it is to be hoped there will be some progress...

Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Accommodation Provision (21 Jun 2018)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Ellis for raising this issue and giving me a chance on my behalf, on behalf of the Department and on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to outline the position on this because it is a story that has been discussed over recent days. Addressing homelessness is an absolute priority for this Government. Rebuilding Ireland,...

Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Accommodation Provision (21 Jun 2018)

Damien English: The Government recognises that hotels are not a suitable accommodation option for families. That is why we are supporting local authorities to develop family hubs and new housing projects, and to purchase vacant houses from banks or others. Last year there were an additional 7,000 houses in the system and this year there will be an additional 8,000 available for social housing. That is a...

Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Accommodation Provision (21 Jun 2018)

Damien English: That is not going to happen.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (21 Jun 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 268 together. The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Service Act, 1981.  My Department supports the fire authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Issues (26 Jun 2018)

Damien English: The property referred to is one of four still advertised as available for holiday rental. The particular area in question is State-owned foreshore reclaimed without appropriate consent and without payment of rent which, except in exceptional circumstances, foreshore leases/licences attract. The persons named have made an offer to purchase the area. However, my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Issues (26 Jun 2018)

Damien English: There is an ongoing legal case involving the club concerned. This matter is therefore sub-judice. In that context, it would be inappropriate for an official of my Department to visit the club or for me to comment further.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Student Accommodation (26 Jun 2018)

Damien English: Rent Pressure Zones have their legal basis under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2016, which regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented residential sector. Pursuant to section 3(1) of the 2004 Act, the Acts apply to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy. The provisions of the Acts, including those provisions providing for the rent pressure zone measure, do...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Applications (26 Jun 2018)

Damien English: My Department provides funding to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grants scheme for Older People and People with a Disability in private houses. Information on the 2018 allocations under this scheme, already notified to each of the local authorities, is available on my Department’s website at the following link: .Funding is drawn down by the local...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (27 Jun 2018)

Damien English: It is good to have the opportunity to come in here to discuss this. I thank Senator Boyhan for the invitation to discuss the possibility of further funding under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund and the option of channelling the LIHAF funding from round 2 directly to local authorities which have identified key sites within their own landbank capable of delivering significant...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (27 Jun 2018)

Damien English: I thank Senator Boyhan for bring a focus to this issue. It is exactly what we were trying to achieve here. We are able to use the State-owned landbank to deliver housing across the three categories of social, affordable and private. We have asked local authorities to bring forward all their plans on how to activate and develop those sites. They have been doing that and we have been...

Child Homelessness: Statements (28 Jun 2018)

Damien English: I welcome the opportunity to respond to the debate. It is no harm to discuss this matter again. Our previous debate on this matter was in December. It is no harm to discuss it again because doing so can bring it into focus once more. We probably have conversations about different aspects of homelessness and housing in the Dáil every week. However, this debate has focused on...

Urban Regeneration and Housing (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (3 Jul 2018)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Wallace for the opportunity afforded to me to speak tonight about the vacant site levy in response to his Private Members' Bill entitled the Urban Regeneration and Housing (Amendment) Bill 2018, which proposes a number of significant amendments to the 2015 Urban Regeneration and Housing Act which first introduced the levy measure. While I may not agree with every aspect of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (3 Jul 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 547 and 572 together. In March of this year, my Department published the 2017 Annual Progress Report on Unfinished Housing Developments, which are regarded as developments not substantially complete in the context of the scope of works envisaged under the relevant planning permission. The report is available on my Department's website at the following link:...