Results 8,541-8,560 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Order of Business (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: If and when the Water Services Bill 2017 concludes in the Seanad this week, all liabilities under that Bill will be extinguished, as per one of the provisions in the Bill. The tenant purchase scheme is under review and we will, hopefully, conclude the review in the next couple of weeks and I hope to make an announcement on that in December.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Appeals (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned. Public participation is a crucial element of all substantive decision-making processes under the Planning and Development Acts, having...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The terms and conditions governing the operation of the standard annuity House Purchase Loan provided by local authorities to first-time buyers were set out most recently in the Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2012. To support local authorities in operating their housing loan scheme in a consistent and efficient manner, the Housing Agency provides a central credit...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Solar Energy Guidelines (14 Nov 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: Solar Energy Guidelines (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive specifies projects which, by virtue of their nature, size or location, are likely to have significant effects on the environment and should be subject to EIA. The Directive requires projects listed in Annex I of the Directive to be subject to mandatory EIA and provides that Member States may determine whether projects listed in Annex II of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, brought into operation a grant scheme to assist with the cost of remediation of septic tanks and domestic waste water treatment systems which are deemed, following inspection under the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Inspection Plan, to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vehicle Registration (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: To be taxed as a commercial vehicle, a vehicle must be constructed as a goods vehicle and must be used solely in the course of trade or business.  Licensing authorities have an obligation under Article 3 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 to be satisfied that a vehicle is correctly taxed and it is therefore open to a motor tax office to seek...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Inspections (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The Strategy for the Rental Sector, published in December 2016, set out a series of measures to be introduced to ensure the quality of private rental accommodation by strengthening the applicable standards and improving the inspection and enforcement systems. On 1 July 2017, updated regulatory standards, the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017, came into effect....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (14 Nov 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:...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department has devolved the administration of subsidy payments to Group Water Schemes to the local authorities, namely, Kerry County Council in the case of the schemes concerned. It is my understanding, from enquiries made with the Council, that application by these group water schemes for subsidy payments are currently being examined and will be dealt...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment Administration (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support provided by all local authorities. The HAP Shared Services Centre (HAP SSC) collects rents from all HAP tenants and makes all HAP rental payments to landlords on behalf of the relevant local authorities. There are minimal barriers to setting up HAP. In order to support eligible households immediately, which is a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Official Languages Act 2003 Compliance (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Ireland 2040 – Our Plan, the Draft National Planning Framework, sets a new long-term strategic planning and investment context for Ireland over the next 20 years. The Draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document was published for public consultation on 27 September up to and including, 12 noon on Friday, 10 November.  Due to unexpected delays in translation and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The Wind Energy Development Guidelines were issued in 2006 to planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The Voids Programme was introduced in 2014 by my Department to provide support to local authorities in preparing vacant social houses for re-letting as speedily as possible. This funding is available as an additional support over and above what local authorities provide themselves towards such works. Between 2014 and 2016, my Department provided funding of some €1.45m to Cavan and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Severe Weather Events Response (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: In its role as Lead Government Department for coordinating the response to severe weather events, my Department is concerned to ensure that public safety messages are disseminated as effectively as possible and are aimed at the communities or sectors that are considered to be vulnerable for the particular circumstances of the emergency.  Appropriate safety messaging is developed and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Through submissions received by my Department during the public consultation element of the recent review of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, and through direct engagement with the organisations referred to in the Question, including my participation at a number of meetings of the Labour Employer Economic Forum on 4 and 27 September 2017, I am aware...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Property Registration Authority Data (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: While my Department does not hold the data referred to in the question, the Property Registration Authority of Ireland records the names and addresses of every registered land owner.  The index is kept in respect of each county and can be accessed at www.landdirect.ie. Furthermore, information regarding the consideration paid and the details...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Availability (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: In accordance with the Local Authority Accounting in Ireland Code of Practice and Accounting Regulations, which is available on my Department's website at the following link, , A local authority is required to record its assets, including land assets, in the Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) when it is probable that the future economic benefits will flow to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The most recent statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA) for which results are available was carried out as at 21 September 2016, providing details on the number of households that qualify for social housing support in each local authority. The full results of the 2016 Summary are available on my Department’s website at the following link: . My Department is finalising...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (14 Nov 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The overall target for social housing delivery under Rebuilding Ireland has increased from 47,000 to 50,000 homes, with the total funding investment increasing from €5.35 billion to over €6 billion over the lifetime of the plan. With the increased national targets under Rebuilding Ireland, and the recent Budget 2018 increase to €1.9 billion in funding for housing...