Results 8,761-8,780 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The making and varying of a development plan is a reserved function of the elected members of the planning authority for the area. My Department issued a Circular Letter (PL 09/2012) on 25 October 2012 to all planning authorities reminding them to fulfil their statutory obligations under Section 7 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010 - which was commenced on 5 October 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, as amended by the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2009, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. These specify requirements in relation to a range of matters such as structural repair, sanitary facilities,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment Issues (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am satisfied that An Bord Pleanála has adequate in-house expertise to assess the wastewater treatment element of development consent proposals. In addition, it is also open to the Board to source such external expertise as is deemed necessary in relation to specific cases.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Grant Payments (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the terms of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, which is administered by the local authorities, grants are available to assist households to have necessary repairs or improvement works carried out in order to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their homes. Three separate schemes are available: (i) Housing Adaptation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Relevant data relating to January and February 2014 are available from the CSO and from my Department's website at . Relevant data returns have not been received yet for March, April and May from a number of local authorities, and my Department is working closely with the Local Government Management Agency to ensure that data in respect of these months is provided to enable the up to date...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: National policy in relation to residential densities in urban areas is set out in the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas (Cities, Towns and Villages), which was published by my Department in May 2009 under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). The objective of the guidelines is to ensure high quality...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Provision (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I presume that the question is referring primarily to the shortage of suitable, affordable, rental accommodation for students and young professionals, particularly in some urban centres. The most recent data from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) Rent Index and from the Daft.ie Rental Report show the extent of rising rents, particularly in Dublin and the major cities. In...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As a result of the economic downturn there has been an associated significant decline in construction activity. As the extent of social housing gain from Part V is directly related to private housing construction, the current situation is that Part V is delivering little in terms of social housing. I am committed to the principle of a social housing gain from private development but to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am aware of, and I very much welcome, the report as a timely input into the development of a Social Housing Strategy. The recommendations contained in the report will be taken into consideration in the context of the development of the Strategy.  Submissions in relation to the strategy have been publicly sought and may be made up until the end of July through the Housing Agency....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme Administration (25 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The operation of the rent allowance scheme is entirely a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection. The Rental Accommodation Scheme on the other hand is administered entirely by local authorities and is intended to provide an additional source of good quality rented accommodation for eligible persons. Individual authorities enter into contractual arrangements on behalf of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme Expenditure (25 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The table sets out the annual amount recouped to local authorities by my Department in respect of the Rental Accommodation Scheme from 2005 to end of March 2014. - 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Carlow Co Co €24,844 €3,300,979 €2,875,606 €2,610,479 €2,191,375 €1,605,883 €607,521 €124,354 €9,286 0 Carlow TC 0...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (26 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I think my time is limited as well. I am absolutely committed to social housing and house building. We will construct houses as soon as we can and are already exploring ways in which we can engage in some housing construction off the Government balance sheet. As soon as capital is available, I will be building houses in conjunction with the local authorities. I want to make that quite...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (26 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Some of it.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Consultancy Contracts (26 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 356 and 362 of 24 June 2014. I appointed MacCabe Durney Barnes Consultants in February 2014 to carry out an independent planning review on the performance of planning functions in six selected planning authorities (Carlow, Cork, Galway and Meath County Councils and Cork and Dublin City Councils) in accordance with section 255 of the Planning and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Housing Sector (26 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 to 142, inclusive, together. My Department is committed to working closely with Tuath Housing Association and Dublin City Council in resolving the structural and related issues affecting the 60 Tuath-owned properties at Gallery Quay. An updated report from Tuath on the progress to date in resolving water ingress and dampness at the Gallery Quay...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (26 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 158 together. The private rented sector is an increasingly important element of the housing market, with the proportion of households in the sector almost doubling in the period 2006-2011. I am conscious of the difficulties caused by rising rents and the problem of sourcing suitable accommodation, especially in Dublin and other urban centres. The most...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (26 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 attendant grounds of the development. The Water Services...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electromagnetic Fields Studies (26 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department continues to work closely with NAMA, the Housing Agency, local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies in relation to the delivery of social housing. To date, NAMA has identified over 4,653 residential properties controlled by its debtors and receivers under this initiative as being potentially available for social housing. Of this figure, 1,607 units were in areas where the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (26 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The results of the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments carried out in 2013 showed that there were 89,872 households on local authority waiting lists as at 7 May 2013 and these results are available on my Department’s website at: . The 2013 figure represents a decrease of 9% on the 98,318 households recorded under the previous summary assessment carried out as at 31...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (26 Jun 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 individual housing authorities and the purposes for which housing...