Results 2,921-2,940 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Housing: Motion [Private Members] (3 Oct 2018)

Damien English: It changed six months ago and has worked very well since.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Planning Framework (3 Oct 2018)

Damien English: I thank the four Deputies for raising these matters and welcome the opportunity to discuss the implementation of the national planning framework, NPF, on which we are now focused. The national plan was published earlier this year. It sets out the long-term strategy for the future development of Ireland as a whole, and the NPF implementation roadmap was published subsequently to address a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Planning Framework (3 Oct 2018)

Damien English: I will give a quick reply, if that is in order.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Planning Framework (3 Oct 2018)

Damien English: I will be brief. I apologise about the script. I have copies here.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Planning Framework (3 Oct 2018)

Damien English: It is my fault. I had copies with me but I forgot to arrange for them to be handed out. In fairness to Deputy Casey, he asked at the end of the debate on the planning Bill if we would have a discussion on this matter. I am sure that can be facilitated either in the House or in committee because in our Department we like to do that and talk through what we are trying to achieve with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (3 Oct 2018)

Damien English: The Housing Aid for Older People Scheme provides grants of up to €8,000 to assist older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvement works carried out. The grant eligible works include the provision of heating and any repair or improvement works which are considered reasonably necessary. The detailed administration of these grants, including...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (3 Oct 2018)

Damien English: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Service Act, 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations Compliance (2 Oct 2018)

Damien English: In the first instance, primary responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations rests with the designers, builders and owners of buildings. The purpose of the Building Regulations is to protect the health, safety and welfare of people in and around buildings. Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations deals with Fire Safety. Building defects,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Seaweed Harvesting Licences (2 Oct 2018)

Damien English: I replied to the correspondence referred to on 29 August last. In my response, I advised that I had recently clarified the legal position regarding the interface between applications to my Department for licences to harvest wild seaweed and existing harvesting rights. My letter explained that in conjunction with the Attorney General, it had been established that there were: - appurtenant...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Estates (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: I will give a brief answer.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Estates (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: It is fair to say that this was a bad policy and it is not one we will continue. It was introduced under a previous Government. There are more than 900 estates and it affects more than 30,000 homes. We are putting a procedure in place to correct this and we have allocated €31 million for it. It might require more money but what is needed is a process to make it happen. The policy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Estates (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 14 and 32 together. My Department launched the national taking-in-charge initiative, NTICI, in April 2016 to trial new approaches and working methods in supporting and accelerating overall national and local action on the process for taking in charge housing estates, including estates with developer-provided water services infrastructure, DPI. Under...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Solar Energy Guidelines (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: Solar farms have been called for over many years. We can certainly review the terminology if that is what the Deputy wants but it is not the case that thousands of planning applications have been granted or applied for. There is a good deal of speculation about that and, as such, this area is speculation-led. The policy in this area is put in place in conjunction with the two Departments,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Solar Energy Guidelines (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: Under the Act, each planning authority, city or county development plan must set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area concerned. That is what local councils would do. Section 10 of the Act requires a development plan to include, inter alia, objectives for the provision or facilitation of the provision of infrastructure, including energy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Solar Energy Guidelines (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: I did not say they do not exist-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Solar Energy Guidelines (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: As is the case with the large majority of development types, there are currently no specific planning guidelines in place in respect of solar farms. Proposals for individual solar farm developments are subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000 in the same manner as other proposed developments, with planning applications made to the relevant local planning...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Credit Union Lending (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 24 together. Following engagement with the credit union sector on proposals for credit unions to provide funding for the provision of social housing, the Central Bank undertook a review of the relevant investment framework in 2017. On foot of this review, the revised regulations commenced on 1 March 2018. The revised regulations included the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Credit Union Lending (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: I agree with Deputy Burton it is a very good development. It is something the whole House wanted to happen and we tried to ensure it happened. My understanding is that no credit union has invested money yet.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Credit Union Lending (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: That is the question I was asked and I am giving the Deputy the answer. Since 1 March they are allowed to do this and they have spent the year working on the process to do it. One of the credit union bodies, the Credit Union Development Association, is ready, able and available to invest money through approved housing bodies if it wants, and it has been engaged with that sector. That...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Credit Union Lending (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: Again, I think that is unfair criticism from the sector, in that we have engaged with them as much as we possibly can. We cannot design it for them. They are private entities. I want to be very clear on this. Our job is housing. We are not in the business of setting up special purpose vehicles. We have been trying to engage with the process and certainly through our offices, both of us,...