Results 8,341-8,360 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Other Questions: Departmental Investigations (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: It was my predecessor as Minister of State who decided to carry out an internal review, which made useful recommendations. Some have been implemented and others will be implemented in the forthcoming planning Bill, which will also implement the recommendations of the Mahon tribunal report. The reason we decided to have a further external review was essentially because of the court decision....

Other Questions: Departmental Investigations (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: That was one factor.

Other Questions: Departmental Investigations (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: To clarify the matter, I did not say it had no result. In fact, I said it made recommendations, some of which we have already implemented and some of which we will implement in future. Therefore, it was a useful internal review. It was around practices rather than any suggestion of corruption.

Other Questions: Departmental Investigations (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: It was around inconsistencies in practice by planning authorities and it was initiated by the then Minister, Mr. Gormley, on that basis. The review we carried out had exactly the same terms of reference as the review Mr. Gormley initiated. It was not an inquiry, it was a review, which is what Mr. Gormley initiated as well. One of the factors that arose in carrying out the external review...

Other Questions: National Spatial Strategy (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The 2002 national spatial strategy, NSS, was Ireland’s first national strategic spatial planning framework. It aimed to provide the spatial vision and principles to achieve a better balance of social, economic and physical development and population growth between regions through the co-ordinated development of nine gateway cities and towns and nine hub towns, together with...

Other Questions: National Spatial Strategy (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is early days as the Government only has to hand the scoping document at present. However, anyone who agrees with and seeks good and proper planning would accept the concept of gateways and the idea of having regions with centres as important economic drivers of those regions as being important principles that work in all countries and which would be a basis of good planning. I do not...

Other Questions: National Spatial Strategy (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Briefly, I agree with the Deputy that there always is a danger in any country that the capital city becomes the centre and the regions are not supported adequately. I certainly share the Deputy's view that one must ensure the strategy contains strong recognition that strong regions are needed throughout the country, west, north, south and east-----

Other Questions: National Spatial Strategy (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: -----and that policies are put in place to ensure those strengths are developed.

Other Questions: Semi-State Bodies Privatisation (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: We are a sovereign nation.

Housing Provision: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am a public representative; I know all about it.

Housing Provision: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: They are included in the initial figure given by the Deputy.

Housing Provision: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Is the Deputy suggesting that we take rent supplement away from the people in the Gallery?

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Section 28 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010 already provides that the duration of a planning permission may be extended where substantial works have not been carried out, or where the development has not even commenced, in cases where the planning authority is satisfied that there were considerations of a commercial, economic or technical nature beyond the control of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The procedures for assessing the eligibility of households for social housing support and allocating that support were overhauled and updated in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated regulations and in guidance issued to housing authorities. As regards allocations policy, section 22 of the 2009 Act provides that the Minister’s approval is not required to a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme Administration (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The original objectives of the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) were set out in a Government decision in July 2004 to provide ‘a more structured approach to long-term rental housing assistance need through the development of medium or long-term contractual arrangements with private accommodation providers, along with social housing provision where appropriate’. The current...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The financial parameters within which we continue to operate will not facilitate an early return to large-scale capital funded local authority housing construction programmes. Earlier this year, I signalled a return to modest levels of new social housing construction with an announcement of 1,000 new housing starts over the 2014-2015 period. I see this as the commencement of a new rolling...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government yesterday approved the text of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 and its presentation to the Dáil. Among other things, the Bill will underpin a new incremental purchase scheme for existing local authority houses , involving discounts for purchasing tenants linked to household income, rather than length of tenancy as was the case under the 1995 scheme ....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 accommodation for homeless persons rests with the housing authorities. The purposes for which housing authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 30 together. Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, sets out the process by which local authorities can take in charge housing estates. When taking an estate in charge under the terms of this provision, a planning authority must take in charge any roads, open spaces, car parks, sewers, water mains, or drains within the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (1 May 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: On 16 January 2014, I announced details of the capital allocations under 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 . The detailed administration of the schemes , including the assessment, approval and...