Results 2,321-2,340 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2018: Second Stage (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: We are acting on the advice of the RTB in terms of what is a priority for the first Bill and what can wait until the second Bill. The issue of deposits was high up on the list a few years ago but has fallen. That is not to say that we will fail to deal with it but, in the interim, something else has happened which is interesting. The interest market has gone in a different direction. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects Funding (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is a flagship element of Project Ireland 2040, with €2 billion identified in the National Development Plan (NDP) to 2027. Of this, €58m is available in 2019 to provide initial support for the 88 projects approved for URDF support last November, while €550 million is included in the NDP to provide further support for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Following a review of the two existing local authority home loan schemes, the House Purchase Loan and the Home Choice Loan, a new loan offering known as the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan was introduced, with effect from 1 February 2018. The low interest rates for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan have been secured through the raising of €200 million by the Housing Finance Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rent Pressure Zones (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 491 and 492 together. The expiry date of all deemed and designated RPZs will be extended to 31 December 2021 under the Residential Tenancies (Amendment)(No.2) Bill 2018. The Bill further provides that any area falling within the new Cork City Council boundary, which is not already within a RPZ, will become one from 31 May 2019. Areas already designated as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Eligibility (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Provision has been made in housing legislation for persons who have separated and/or divorced or who are in the process of separation and/or divorce. Under section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and Regulation 22(1) of the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, a household is ineligible for social housing support if a member owns alternative accommodation, to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Funding (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The issue referred to is a matter for Kerry County Council to consider, as it is the Council that identifies projects that are eligible and are to be prioritised in terms of the delivery of new social housing in their area. Funding under Rebuilding Ireland is, in general, targeted towards the provision of permanent new social homes for those on housing waiting lists.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Data (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non-Principal Private Residence (NPPR) charge. The Act was signed into law on 21 July 2009. The NPPR charge applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence. There were five liability dates - 31 July 2009 and 31 March...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Weather Events Response (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 499, 500 and 503 together. My Department is the Lead Government Department for coordinating the response to severe weather events, including those involving high winds. One of the most widespread and potentially dangerous consequence of high wind is the risk of trees breaking and/or falling, posing a danger to motorists and pedestrians in the vicinity....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department has been in contact with Clare County Council and agreed that, alongside increased delivery through the build programme, acquisitions of second hand properties for social housing purposes should be used more prudently compared with the high numbers of previous years. However, it is appropriate to have a continuation of a certain level of acquisitions, focused on priority cases...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Acknowledging that renters in Dublin and other major urban centres are currently facing significant access and affordability challenges, the Government is committed to the introduction of a Cost Rental sector in Ireland. Together with delivering more affordable and predictable rents, Cost Rental can make a sustainable impact on national competitiveness and the attractiveness of our main urban...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department is continuing its work on the issue of reclassification, by Eurostat, of the majority of Tier 3 Approved Housing Bodies as part of the Government sector for accounting purposes. It is engaging with the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, with technical support from the Housing Finance Agency (HFA) and the Housing Agency (HA), in order to ensure that AHBs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support for at least one year. The minimum reckonable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Coastal Erosion (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Office of Public Works (OPW) is the lead State body for the coordination and implementation of Government policy on the management of flood risk in Ireland. The OPW is also the national authority for the implementation of the EU Directive 2007/60/EC on the assessment and management of flood risks. This role includes responsibility for defences and protection against coastal erosion. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (14 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled to the extent to which it can reasonably be collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (9 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Deputy. We have discussed this a number of times. It was my intention to bring the scheme to a Cabinet meeting during the recess. That did not happen, but that does not mean that progress has not been made. During the last two weeks there have been several contacts between myself and the Minister for Finance on this issue. This morning I met officials and requested the latest...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (9 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Deputy. The question relates to the Local Government (Rates) Bill, Committee Stage of which is due to be scheduled in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (9 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme is administered by the local authorities, in accordance with the Housing (Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan) Regulations 2018. Under the Regulations each authority must establish a credit committee to decide on applications for loans. The Regulations broadly set out the amount that can be lent under the scheme, the eligibility criteria for loans, the duties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (9 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme was launched in February last year to replace the existing House Purchase and the Home Choice Loan schemes. The scheme has proved to be more successful than was originally envisaged and as a result I have been in discussions with my colleague the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform regarding further funding for it. In order to...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (8 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: It is interesting to note the completely contradictory views of two Deputies on the role of the AHBs, on their size, and on the ability of AHBs to meet some of the demands that have been placed on them. In response to Deputy Boyd Barrett, there is no tiering of social housing in this country.

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (8 May 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Local authorities are building more homes than housing bodies using Government money. It is interesting that many people who are housed by such housing bodies would say that they are better at managing local estates than local authorities. We have to be careful about drawing conclusions from the views the Deputy has expressed, which are anecdotal rather than based on evidence. That is the...