Results 8,141-8,160 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (12 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: On 16 January 2014, I announced details of the capital allocations for the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability . The schemes are funded by 80% recoupments available from my Department together with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority . Every local authority received increased funding for grants compared to the 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (13 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department publishes a wide range of housing statistics to inform policy and these are available on. Kildare County Council reported 362 loans in arrears over 90 days in Q3 2013. While my Department collates and publishes statistics on loan arrears in local authorities these are not broken down by loan type. The information requested is thus not available in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (13 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The maintenance of public lighting systems and specifically the payment of electricity bills arising in housing developments, either finished or unfinished, remain the legal responsibility of developers/receivers until taken in charge by the relevant local authority. This is an on-going concern for residents, local authorities and my Department. Until taken in charge, housing developments...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (13 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government, on 17 December 2013, approved priority drafting of a Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill that will, among other things, underpin a new tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines. I expect that the Bill will be enacted this year, following which I will prescribe in regulations the commencement date and the detailed terms of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (13 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Housing Land Availability Survey (HLAS) is an annual survey undertaken by my Department seeking information from local authorities to inform the publication of the amount of zoned residential land in their areas that is currently serviced. In 2013, my Department reviewed the HLAS approach taking account of the advent of and the need to reduce and rationalise the data gathering...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Shared Ownership Scheme (13 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government’s 2011 Housing Policy Statement announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes, including the shared ownership scheme, in the context of a full review of Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2013. Details regarding the review are available on my Department’s website In 2013, I asked the Housing Agency to conduct a standalone review of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (13 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Data relating to the local authority housing stock, including information on vacancy rates and the time taken to re-let properties, are collected annually as part of the Local Government Management Agency’s review of local authority service indicators. Electronic copies of the reports, including the most recent report for 2011, are available on the Local Government Management...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Housing Evictions (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Ellis for raising this matter. I found the issues he raised most interesting. Each housing authority is responsible, under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, for the management and maintenance of its own housing stock. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment on management issues relating to particular dwellings, as I have no function in individual cases and...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Housing Evictions (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy said, this is a balance we have to strike. There are some cases in which people make the lives of the people who live around them a misery. As the Deputy will be aware, we will make it easier in the residential tenancies Bill in that the person living next door would not have to directly confront the people causing the problem because, for example, a residents' association...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The changes to the terms and conditions governing the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability were made on foot of the report of a review group, established last year by my Department to examine the operation of the schemes. Membership of the group included members of the County and City Managers’ Association (CCMA), the Housing Practitioner...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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. My Department launched the Public Safety Initiative (PSI) in March 2011, which provided funding to address immediate public safety issues....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme, funding is provided to local authorities for the construction and acquisition of social housing units and for a range of measures to improve the quality and standard of the social housing stock, including estate-wide remedial works, the regeneration of disadvantaged social housing estates and flat complexes and the provision...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Administration (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: On 18 July 2013 the Government approved the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Approval was also given for the provision of funding to the local authorities to cover the cost of accommodating HAP recipients, and it was agreed that the Department of Social Protection (DSP) would provide for the implementation of the mandatory direct deduction of rental contributions from the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Regeneration Projects Status (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The establishment of Main Street in Ballymun, with significant public sector investment, is one of the major achievements of the regeneration project with a variety of commercial, retail and community facilities. Planning permission for the redevelopment of the privately owned Ballymun Shopping Centre and the adjoining lands owned by the City Council was granted in September 2009. The...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Housing Sector (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Last month my Department issued approval in principle to Cluid Housing Association to accept the recommended tender for works to remediate and complete the units at the Emerald housing project. I understand arrangements are currently being finalised for the commencement of these works.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Regeneration Projects Status (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The regeneration programme at Ballymun has moved into its completion phase and my Department is working closely with the Ballymun Civic Alliance and Dublin City Council to ensure that this project is completed on time and in a manner that protects the substantial investment of public funds to date . I understand that it is an objective of the current Dublin City Development Plan to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Earlier this month I announced the approval of some 56 social housing construction projects with an overall value of some €68 million under the Local Authority housing construction programme for 2014-2015. This new construction programme will deliver 449 new units of accommodation for people on the housing waiting list. Projects were selected for funding approval on the basis of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Expenditure (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In January 2014, some changes to the terms and conditions of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability schemes were notified to local authorities. These changes were made on foot of the recommendations of a review group, established in 2013 by my Department to examine the terms and conditions governing the suite of grants. The aim of the review was...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Consequent to the tendering process mentioned, MacCabe Durney Barnes Consultants were appointed to carry out an independent planning review in accordance with section 255 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The Terms of Reference require the consultants to undertake a review of planning issues raised in respect of the six planning authorities concerned (Carlow, Cork, Galway and Meath...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (25 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I assume the Question refers to the matter of a screening for appropriate assessment being sought by a planning authority when considering whether an application for extension of duration of planning permission complies with the provisions of section 42(1)(a)(ii) of the Planning and Development Act 2000. I am aware that some planning authorities seek a screening for appropriate assessment,...