Results 8,621-8,640 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am not in any way minimising the issues the Deputies are raising. I am very much aware that there are people who are finding it extremely difficult to find accommodation. I could blame it on the recession, on Fianna Fáil or whatever, but it is the reality and I recognise that. It has been happening over a long number of years. The housing lists were building up even during the...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: We can all describe the situation, but what we have to do is try to find solutions. That is why we introduced the preventative measure which I mentioned a number of times in this House and which was made public over the airwaves last night and today. It applies to the greater Dublin area, and I appreciate that it does not solve the problems referred to by Deputies Cowen and Murphy. The...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: -----with the assistance of Threshold. It is a response to what has been described to us as an urgent issue. People were losing their homes because rents were being increased and they were no longer meeting the cap requirements. The measure is being put in place to deal with that issue. In terms of the specific amendments, under the rent supplement scheme people source their own...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Efforts are under way to try to find such a fund or mechanism. However, we have the difficulty of the Government balance sheet and that obstacle is being examined. Reference was made to the general supply issue. The Government's construction strategy is designed to increase both public and private supply and I understand there are over 70 action points in that, some 30 of which are within...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (11 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government’s 2011 Housing Policy Statement announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes in the context of a full review of Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2013. Details regarding the review are available on my Department’s website: Action 9 of the recently published Construction 2020 – A Strategy for a Renewed Construction...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (12 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department publishes a wide range of housing statistics, including the number and value of local authority mortgages with a breakdown of those in arrears. The statistics are available on my Department’s website at: by clicking “Mortgage Data/Arrears in Local Authorities” under the Housing Loans contents. My Department issued guidelines to local authorities for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (12 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Part 4 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Housing (Tenant Purchase) Regulations 2011 provide the legislative underpinning for the scheme for purchase of local authority apartments by tenants and I have no proposals to amend these provisions . I intend, later this year, to prescribe the form of, and the terms and conditions to be specified in, the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (12 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes, designed to meet these needs, rests with individual housing authorities. My Department's role is to ensure that there is an adequate...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In February 2014, Laois County Council was allocated €242,186 to complete works on several projects under the social housing construction-acquisition programme. In March, I approved funding of €750,000 in respect of the delivery of six housing units in Laois under the 2014-2015 local authority housing construction programme. In May, I approved funding of €397,620 for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As I have said many times before, if we had the capital, we would all like a much larger social housing programme. While we have some commenced mainstream social housing construction, we are exploring whether we can introduce more substantial building programmes that would be off the Government’s balance sheet because we are still constrained by certain fiscal requirements which we,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Those areas are all being explored under the Government's construction 2020 strategy and the social housing strategy we will publish later this year. We are exploring all of these and will use whatever we can. There is no ideological problem, if I can answer for my colleague-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: -----for either Government party.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: There is an advantage in the housing assistance payment, HAP, for tenants in so far as they will pay rent the same as local council tenants. At present they have much more insecurity with regard to rent support. There is definitely an advantage for people on rent supplement at present who go on to HAP. They will be allowed to go back to work and retain housing support although the rent...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The number and method of delivery of social housing units in future years will be determined in the course of the annual Estimates process. The social housing strategy, which is to be published in the third quarter of 2014, will inform the upcoming Estimates discussions. The financial parameters within which we continue to operate will not facilitate a return to large-scale capital funded...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Deputy Wallace is correct that we want to put pressure on the banks and ensure zoned land is built on. All these issues are addressed in Construction 2020. I acknowledge that final decisions have not been made on some elements, including Part V, but I assure Deputy Wallace that I have no intention of caving in to any lobby on Part V. We intend to maintain a Part V. We are looking at...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government has decided to establish the strategic investment bank, so that is going ahead. The Government has not yet made a decision as to what exactly the revised Part V will be. I can assure the Deputy, however, that I am strongly committed to ensuring that the social housing element of that is maintained and that it will deliver units.

Other Questions: Architectural Heritage (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Planning authorities are already empowered to protect the architectural heritage in the interest of proper planning and sustainable development within their respective functional areas, and to prevent its deterioration, loss or damage. This role is reflected in the adoption of suitable policies for protecting the architectural heritage in development plans and giving practical effect to...

Other Questions: Architectural Heritage (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has the power to comment both on development plans and on specific development proposals. I would have thought that is the area where such provisions should be made and incorporated into the development plan. As the Deputy knows, the development plan is adopted by the local authority but it is subject to guidelines at national level, both...

Other Questions: Architectural Heritage (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy made a fair case. Her question did not refer specifically to Moore Street but if there is anything we can do on the matter in respect of our own responsibilities, I will certainly consider it. There are specific guidelines in regard to developments that affect a protected structure or an architectural conservation areas. I could state the guidelines for the Deputy but I do not...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 70 and 75 together. On 14 May 2014, the Government published Construction 2020: A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector. Action 1 of the strategy provides that a national framework for housing supply is to be established on a statutory footing with an annual national statement of projected housing supply and demand published every June. I have...