Results 8,181-8,200 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (3 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Following engagement between the European Commission and my Department regarding the 2013 ECJ Court ruling in the Flemish Decree case, a working group, comprising representatives from my Department and planning authorities, was established to review and, where necessary, recommend changes to the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing with a view to ensuring that...

Vacant Housing Refurbishment Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (4 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank Deputy Barry Cowen for bringing forward the Bill which is timely. I welcome the opportunity to discuss and outline a number of important initiatives in the area. We can all broadly agree with and support the intention and objectives behind the measures proposed in the Bill which aims to facilitate and streamline the bringing back into use of existing vacant buildings for residential...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Nitrates Usage (4 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 278 and 280 of 28 September 2017 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (4 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: My predecessor as Minister, in conjunction with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, announced an emerging "preferred draft approach" to the review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines in June 2017. A copy of the announcement is available on my Department’s website at the following link:. As part of the overall review,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: An Bord Pleanála (4 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Since the establishment of An Bord Pleanála in 1977, planning legislation has clearly assigned final responsibility for decisions on planning appeals to the Board and not to inspectors preparing reports and making recommendations to the Board. The number of Inspectors’ recommendations not generally accepted in the final decisions made by the Board in the period referred to is as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (4 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Sligo County Council has an ambitious pipeline of construction projects in development to meet the social housing needs of the county. Details of these projects are available at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/social-housing-schemes-2017 /.  The timing and delivery of these projects is a matter in the first place for Sligo County Council. I understand from the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (4 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each housing authority area are provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments.  The most recent statutory summary of social housing assessments, carried out in 2016, details the number of households on all local authority waiting lists as at 21 September 2016. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (4 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: On 26 September, the Government agreed an indicative timetable for a number of referendums on constitutional amendments, mainly arising from the work of the Citizens’ Assembly, the Convention on the Constitution, and the Programme for a Partnership Government.  Under this timetable and subject to passage of Bills by the Houses of the Oireachtas and formal confirmation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (4 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Funding is available under my Department's Rural Water Programme towards the provision or necessary improvement of private wells for domestic users.  The terms and conditions of the scheme are set out in an Explanatory Memorandum which is available from local authorities and on my Department's website at the following link : .

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (4 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: In making a decision on a planning application or appeal, a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to the provisions of the development plan, and relevant Ministerial or Government policies, as well as the views of members of the public.  Public participation is, therefore, a crucial element of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Data (4 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: It is crucial that policy decisions are based on and supported by the best available evidence where possible. This is why the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) Rent Index is so important. Since October 2013, the RTB, in conjunction with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), has produced the RTB Rent Index on a quarterly basis. The RTB Rent Index is the most...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Nitrates Usage (10 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 705 and 738 together. The European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended, give legal effect in Ireland to the Nitrates Directive and to our Nitrates Action Programme (NAP). The Directive requires all member states to define set periods when the land application of fertiliser, including slurry, is not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Charges Refunds (10 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services recommended adherence to the principle of equity of treatment for those who have paid and have not paid their water charges since domestic charges were introduced. The Oireachtas approved the committee’s report last April. In this context, the recently published Water Services Bill 2017 includes a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (10 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (10 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: A key priority for Government is to accelerate and increase the supply of new homes across all forms of housing, social housing, private market purchase and homes to rent. Rebuilding Ireland – Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness sets out ambitious targets to, inter alia, double the annual level of new homes built to 25,000 by 2020 and to deliver an additional 47,000 social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (10 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: There are no specific planning guidelines in place in respect of solar farms. Proposals for individual solar farm developments are subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, in the same manner as other proposed developments. Planning applications are made to the relevant local planning authority with a right of appeal to An Bord...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (10 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services (JOCFFDWS) recommended that wilful wastage of water should be curbed. The Committee's Report was approved by the Oireachtas and the recently published Water Services Bill 2017 reflects the recommendations contained in the Report. The Bill provides that households will be liable to pay for water services used...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (10 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 716, 720 and 721 together. Under my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme, funding is available to all local authorities to deliver additional social housing stock through new construction projects and through the acquisition of new and previously owned houses/apartments for social housing use. Details on the number of properties purchased...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (10 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 717 to 719, inclusive, together. My Department publishes comprehensive status reports on a quarterly basis of all social housing construction schemes for all local authority areas, showing details such as their locations and a range of information relating to their advancement. The most recent of these reports covers the period up to the end of quarter 2 of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (10 Oct 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Over 19,000 households were housed last year under the range of Social Housing Programmes. Statistics on the number of social housing properties constructed, purchased and leased by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies are published on my Department’s website at the following link: . In terms of overall housing construction, the ESB residential connections...