Results 12,121-12,140 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment Data (30 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: HAP is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. Limerick City and County Council provide a highly effective transactional shared service on behalf of all HAP local authorities. This HAP Shared Services Centre (SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord. Accordingly,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff Data (30 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: There are no members of my Department's staff working directly on the procurement of major State infrastructure projects. The procurement of such projects funded by my Department is generally carried out by local authorities or agencies under the aegis of my Department, with checks/approvals being carried out by my Department, commensurate with its role as project funder, to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: International Conventions (30 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department has not been notified of this national consultation by the French authorities pursuant to the UN Convention on assessing environmental impacts in a transboundary context (the Espoo Convention), or the Protocol on strategic environmental assessment (SEA), or the corresponding requirements of the EU Directives relating to environmental impact assessment (EIA) and SEA. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (30 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 283 and 284 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts Data (30 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: An examination of records indicates that my Department has not engaged directly in any capital project costing €10 million or more in the period from 2010 to date. Local authorities and bodies under the aegis of my Department enter into capital contracts in the course of their work, some of which is funded through the Department's Vote. As regards relevant contracts for which...

Seanad: Housing Provision: Statements (30 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I am grateful to have the opportunity to come to the House to talk not only about the challenges we continue face in housing provision but also some of the solutions and how they are bearing fruit and helping many citizens. It is a very important time to discuss the issue at the beginning of 2019. Rebuilding Ireland, the Government's action plan to deal with every aspect of the housing...

Seanad: Housing Provision: Statements (30 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank Senators for their contributions. I probably spoke for too long in my opening contribution which took more than 20 minutes, but I have taken 11 pages of notes and would like to reply to all Members.

Seanad: Housing Provision: Statements (30 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I will go with that. I thank the Chair. I came to the Seanad looking for solutions and positive contributions that might help in our ongoing work to fix the challenges we face in respect of our homelessness crisis and housing shortage. I thank all Members who provided positive contributions, suggestions or ideas for things that we could do. Some Members focused on the fact that there have...

Seanad: Housing Provision: Statements (30 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I will address that issue which was also raised by Senator Mulherin. We reached agreement in budget 2019 that there would be a scheme. When I was in County Donegal recently, I met a campaign group. The Minister of State, Deputy English, has done a huge amount of work in this area, as have Deputy McConalogue and Senator Mulherin. The Department knows what its want to do under that scheme;...

Seanad: Housing Provision: Statements (30 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: In that case, I will return at a later date if that is alright because many issues were raised and I would like to address them all.

Seanad: Housing Provision: Statements (30 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I would not like to get into trouble with them either.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (31 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The review is addressing a number of key aspects including sound or noise, visual amenity setback distances, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. As part of the overall review, a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is being undertaken on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Eligibility (31 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 256 and 257 together. The issues raised by the Deputy are being followed up and a reply will be forwarded in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (31 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 259 together. My Department does not collect data in relation to the numbers of open applications for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL) that are currently with local authorities. Data is collected by my Department on a quarterly basis from local authorities with regard to the overall number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (31 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together. The Housing Agency has indicated that it has four individuals working full time on applications for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan. The number assigned can be scaled up or down, depending on demand, to maintain a response time for returning recommendations to local authorities within 10-days. My Department does not hold details of the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vacant Properties (31 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. I was in the Chamber yesterday debating the issue of housing for two hours. I had to yield the floor to my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy English, to begin a separate debate on housing for the elderly. Wth this Commencement matter, I appreciate the time Senators are giving to considering the challenges we face in housing...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vacant Properties (31 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Senator for those follow-up questions. On the initial question about properties in probate, it is very difficult to enter into new legal agreements in respect of such properties because they are in probate.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vacant Properties (31 Jan 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: On advertising, local authorities have budgets for advertising. If a particular local authority is having difficulty making money available to advertise available schemes, we can absolutely support it. To look at Westmeath County Council and its own vacancy statistics, as the Senator pointed out the CSO said that the vacancy rate in 2016 was 10%. In 2018 GeoDirectory showed us that it...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (5 Feb 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Policy objectives in relation to specific land uses, including green spaces, allotments and community gardens, are a matter for local planning authorities as part of the City/County Development Plan and Local Area Plan processes. Part I of the First Schedule of the Planning Act 2000, as amended, provides for the reservation of land for use and cultivation as allotments and regulating,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rights of Way Registration (5 Feb 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Under the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, the Property Registration Authority, PRA, was established as and from 4 November 2006. The PRA replaces the Registrar of Deeds and Titles as the registering authority in relation to property registration in Ireland and, subject to the above Act, is independent in the performance of its functions. I am advised by the Property Registration...