Results 2,181-2,200 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Other Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: That is the reason the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, succeeded in getting €30 million to kick-start the social housing programme with direct construction provision through the local authorities in 2014. She will be making an announcement in regard to these matters in terms of looking for calls for projects from local authorities in the next few weeks. By the end of 2012,...

Other Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: In response to Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan, in recent years I have never ceased to be amazed at the amount of time spent by some people in emergency accommodation. The definition of emergency accommodation is certainly very open to question. An emergency could normally be expected to be for three or four weeks but it develops into six years on the north side of Dublin in many cases, which is...

Other Questions: International Agreements (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: I support the primary objective of the Antarctic Treaty, which is to ensure, in the interests of all mankind, that Antarctica continues to be used for peaceful purposes and will not become the scene or subject of international discord. The Antarctic treaty system at this stage includes the original treaty, the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals, the Convention on the...

Other Questions: International Agreements (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: I will give the Deputy some idea of what I am speaking about in terms of administration, which includes the following: the need to review the existing corpus of environmental legislation to ensure we comply with that treaty; the need to introduce a permit or licensing scheme for Irish citizens who may engage in activities coming within the remit of the treaty; the requirement that any such...

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy is being very parochial today-----

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: -----in moving from Borris-on-Ossory to Mountmellick.

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: I agree with the Deputy that there are some serious issues to be resolved and that 40 such developments have been identified to be partially or fully cleared. I hope that work will be done early in 2014. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has sanctioned a new round of funding in the budget which will allow the Minister of State at my Department with responsibility for housing...

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: I agree with the Deputy. We will work with local authorities, particularly if projects are in NAMA, to get the best value for the taxpayer but also to provide much needed social housing for many people on waiting lists. If local authorities come forward with proposals along these lines, we will be glad to consider them.

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: I agree.

Other Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 37 together. Earlier this year my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, published the Government’s homelessness policy statement which outlined the Government's aim to end long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. The statement emphasises a housing-led approach which involves...

Other Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: NAMA identified 2,000 houses as suitable, but not all were suitable; therefore, work has to be carried out on them to make them suitable. The figure of 443 certainly represents some progress, but we would like to see more. I agree with the Deputy on that point. At the end of 2012, there were 4,837 people who were regarded as homeless and using emergency accommodation services in Dublin....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Expenditure (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: We are nicer to them than the Deputy was.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Expenditure (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: Deputy Ó Cuív can take it I am doing everything I possibly can to move projects in the Leader programme. There are just 30 outstanding projects to be assessed between now and the end of the year.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Expenditure (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: I have no difficulty paying out. I do not delay anybody in getting money. We have sufficient moneys for the projects in the system currently. There are 30 outstanding projects, some of which are in the Deputy's consistency, that are waiting for assessment. If I get any project approval and submission for over €150,000, I do not delay anybody in regard to-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Expenditure (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: If everything is in order, there will be no difficulty. There will be no time lag in regard to paying out any moneys available. The underspend does not apply to the Leader programme.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Traveller Accommodation (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: In accordance with the provisions of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes designed to address these needs rests with individual housing authorities. The Department pays up to 100% of the cost of providing and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Traveller Accommodation (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: I do not agree with Deputy Wallace, because the position on the ground is clearly different from he has said. The position is clearly evident in the results of the 2011 assessment of housing needs. Of the 1,824 families on the housing list at that time, 1,789 opted for a standard house while only 18 opted for a bay on a halting site. Six families opted for group housing. Local authorities...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Traveller Accommodation (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: I do not share Deputy Wallace's opinion. We have provided additional funding for Traveller accommodation, and the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, has said on a regular basis that if additional funding is required, particularly in an emergency, we will look at it in the same way as any other application for housing in a particular area. Everybody has a responsibility to try to help...

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: The national co-ordinating committee, chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning, was established as a response to the report of the advisory group on unfinished housing developments and has harnessed the expertise and goodwill of the construction and banking sectors, local authorities, residents' representatives and NAMA. Local authorities are continuing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (5 Dec 2013)

Phil Hogan: My Department's role in respect of 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 for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons and related services rests with housing authorities. It is a matter for individual authorities...