Results 8,541-8,560 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Mar 2019)

Damien English: -----and that is what we are trying to do.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Mar 2019)

Damien English: It is important to be very clear on these situations. In respect of the provision of additional emergency accommodation, if the local authority requests funding, it is available, absolutely. It is its choice locally how it wants to spend that money or what beds it wants to open. If it judges that it needs that and it requests money from our Department, the money will be there.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (28 Mar 2019)

Damien English: In the first instance, I would like to acknowledge the stressful circumstances which the owners and residents of buildings face when defects occur in their homes. However, in general, building defects are matters for resolution between the contracting parties involved: the homeowner, the builder, the developer and/or their respective insurers, structural guarantee or warranty scheme. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (2 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 598 and 599 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 and the provision of fire station premises and fire appliances is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (2 Apr 2019)

Damien English: There have been no recent cutbacks to the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, living in private houses. Indeed, when I recently announced the funding for 2019 at €71.25 million nationally, this represented an 8% increase on 2018.  Furthermore, funding for these schemes has been increasing year on year since 2014.  The...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Apr 2019)

Damien English: We hope to have the report towards the end of this month or certainly early May. This is the scheduled time to receive the report. We will then discuss it at committee.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (4 Apr 2019)

Damien English: 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 supports...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: We are concentrating on our own Bill that went through Cabinet last week, with amendments, to help protect tenants in this situation. I believe the Bill the Deputy refers to is in the process of Committee Stage, which is to do with the committee. We will work through our legislation, which is promised and will be committed to in May, all going well.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I understand they will be published in the next couple of weeks. As the Deputy knows, they were held back in October due to changes at European level. The idea is that they will be the most up-to-date guidelines. It is hoped they will be published for an eight-week public consultation in the next two or three weeks. They have been slightly delayed because of legislation to do with Brexit,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: That is for decision this week or next week, so I cannot get involved in the decision. All issues raised on the planning side will be dealt with in the decisions.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: The issue of assessing someone's creditworthiness and ability to repay the loan is separate to the funding allocated. There are two procedures there, one local and one national. It is a very stringent process because of the history of loan systems through local authorities.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: They are separate. When I go into most cases that the Deputy raises here, there is more to the story.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: There are two separate issues here. It is not a mess. It is a significant success. I do not recall any Deputies welcoming it when we brought it out in the first place but it has been oversubscribed and has gone down very well. We are working through the system to see if we can extend the offer because it is a success. I remind the House that it is only one of a whole list of actions to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: -----the social housing delivery system is now up and running and delivering well. The focus now is on affordability. It is one of a number of tools in the kit and we will get it straightened out.

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2018: Instruction to Committee (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I move:That, pursuant to Standing Order 154, it shall be an instruction to the Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government, in relation to the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2018, that the Committee has power to make amendments to the Bill which are outside the scope of the existing provisions of the Bill, in relation to amendments to the Planning and...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I am pleased to take the question to bring some clarity to this issue. The Deputy's question and some public commentary on this matter appear to be based on an assumption that the balance of the contract for bundle 1 of the social housing PPP programme after the pure construction cost is excluded is all attributable to management and maintenance of the homes to be delivered under the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I am not given all of the figures but I am satisfied with the process of how this is handled. There are four stages at which we assess the value to make sure that the taxpayer is getting value for money and that is how we judge this too. I will talk the Deputy through the process. The key criteria for assessing whether a PPP project represents value for money for the executive follow the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: We are a very open and transparent Department. When it is appropriate to do so, we will have no problem publishing that and explaining and defending it at the committee. I am familiar with the figures relating to these houses and what they cost on all the sites and in all the schemes. I am confident and happy to confirm to the Deputy that this is in line with where it should be.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: I have not seen the benchmark but I know the figures.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (9 Apr 2019)

Damien English: It would not be appropriate for me to see the benchmark because it is not published yet. It is not information that I would have in my hands or head. A process has been put in place which involves many proper procedures to be gone through to make sure we are getting value for money. The Deputy, with respect, is probably comparing apples and oranges. This is a 25-year contract. They will...