Results 8,241-8,260 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Seanad: Update on Rebuilding Ireland: Statements (18 Oct 2018)

Damien English: On the staffing issue, local authorities have been given 700 additional staff over the past 18 months to work in this system. They need more staff in many areas and we have asked them to put together their applications for staff that are mission specific to housing and housing delivery. This is being responded to when they need that staff. We recognise that housing teams had to be...

Seanad: Update on Rebuilding Ireland: Statements (18 Oct 2018)

Damien English: The legislation is also committed to doing that. Much of the purpose-built student accommodation is under a licensing arrangement which is why it does not fit in under the current situation regarding rent pressure zones and so on. It is a legal issue which is currently being dealt with and it will be in the Bill which will come forward in the coming weeks. We will have a chance to debate...

Seanad: Update on Rebuilding Ireland: Statements (18 Oct 2018)

Damien English: We try to if we can. Senator Warfield had another question but I cannot find it.

Seanad: Update on Rebuilding Ireland: Statements (18 Oct 2018)

Damien English: That is something that we can look at in the legislation. We have been involved in some of the Union of Students in Ireland campaigns such as the Home for Study campaign. We have seen cases of properties that are not suitable to be advertised that were taken down. The last time I checked there were a couple of hundred rooms or properties to rent. There are other solutions for students...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Oct 2018)

Damien English: Increased funding has been set aside under Project Ireland 2040 for improvements in the water infrastructure, including group water schemes. We attended a conference recently and went through all the details. That sector is happy with the capital plans. Naturally, we want to get these implemented as quickly as possible.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Oct 2018)

Damien English: There is no commitment in the programme for Government to do that but there is a commitment to strengthen the staff and resources of An Bord Pleanála. It has gone through much reform that has resulted in a lot of success and fast-track planning. It is something we can certainly look at because these issues come up a lot with regard to length of time but the staffing issue must help...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks (23 Oct 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 672 and 673 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Student Accommodation (23 Oct 2018)

Damien English: Research undertaken by the Higher Education Authority into student accommodation provision estimates that there is significant unmet demand nationally and, with the student population forecast to increase to nearly 193,000 by 2024, significant investment is needed in provision of accommodation nationally. In July 2016, the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations Compliance (23 Oct 2018)

Damien English: The issues referred to by the Deputy are a matter for local Building Control Authorities, who are independent in the use of their statutory powers under the Building Control Acts 1990 - 2014. Building Control Authorities are required to keep certain information pertaining to building works that come under the Building Control Regulations 1997-2015 on a statutory register, including...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (23 Oct 2018)

Damien English: 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 and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981.  My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Services Provision (23 Oct 2018)

Damien English: Responsibility for the provision of emergency medical services, including pre-hospital emergency care, rests with the Health Service Executive (HSE) which operates the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and emergency departments in hospitals in accordance with health sector legislation and national policy. The HSE operates under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Health. As...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (23 Oct 2018)

Damien English: 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 and 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 through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (23 Oct 2018)

Damien English: 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 and 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 through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (24 Oct 2018)

Damien English: Considerable work has been ongoing between the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH), a number of larger Tier 3 AHBs and their financial advisor on the development of a vehicle or mechanism for delivering private financing for AHBs providing social housing in line with commitments under the Government's Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, Rebuilding Ireland. This project...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Efficiency (25 Oct 2018)

Damien English: The Building Regulations apply to the design and construction of a building and certain works to an existing building. The minimum performance requirements that a building/works must achieve are set out in the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations. These requirements are set out in 12 parts classified as Parts A to M. Part L – Conservation of Fuel and...

Water Services: Motion [Private Members] (6 Nov 2018)

Damien English: I thank Deputies Mattie McGrath, Michael Collins, Grealish, Harty and Lowry, as well as Deputies Danny Healy-Rae and Michael Healy-Rae, for tabling this Private Members' motion. We briefly touched on this at Leaders' Questions a few weeks ago but we did not get a chance for a full discussion so it is nice to come back to debate the facts. There has been a productive and informed debate so...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (6 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (6 Nov 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1195 and 1196 together. I note the statements made in the Seanad debate of 10 March 2015 and also the judgment made by the European Court (Grand Chamber) in Case C-532/03 Commission of the European Communities v Ireland which sought to compel the Health Service Executive (HSE) to put the emergency ambulance service for the greater Dublin area service out...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Proposed Legislation (6 Nov 2018)

Damien English: Architectural Technologists are not currently classed as a regulated profession in Ireland. This means that there is no designated competent authority, which has the power to approve or restrict access to the profession in Ireland under national or EU law. In early 2016, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) published Awards Standards for Architectural Technology award. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Planning Framework (6 Nov 2018)

Damien English: The National Planning Framework (NPF), published together with the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of Project Ireland 2040 earlier this year, is intended to provide the strategic context for future planning, development and investment over the next two decades. In addition, the NPF represents a long-term strategy for Government Departments, State...