Results 3,221-3,240 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (15 May 2018)

Damien English: The Expert Panel on concrete blocks was established by my Department in 2016, to investigate problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Counties Donegal and Mayo. The panel had the following terms of reference: (i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the Counties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Compensation Schemes (9 May 2018)

Damien English: The Expert Panel on concrete blocks was established by my Department in 2016, to investigate problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Counties Donegal and Mayo. The panel had the following terms of reference: (i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the Counties...

Topical Issue Debate: Water Pollution (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Murphy O'Mahony for raising this issue. I am familiar with the area of west Cork and have spent time there over the years, but after the Deputy's portrayal I will have to return to visit it again. The Deputy could have a job in the tourism sector as well, aside from being a Teachta Dála. However, she has raised an important issue and I thank her for providing me with...

Topical Issue Debate: Water Pollution (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I agree with the Deputy about looking forward. However, I did not raise the issue. It was the Deputy who raised the issue of previous Governments, and I wished to clarify that we are taking action now. This matter must be addressed: it is as simple as that. It is not good enough that this still happens in 38 areas in Ireland. Irish Water was established to fix that and it is fixing it....

Other Questions: Wind Energy Guidelines (8 May 2018)

Damien English: The preferred draft guidelines go a long way towards addressing community concerns, but they are a draft and must go through the SEA process. That is now taking place and I cannot move it any more quickly. It is an important process. If we want new guidelines, that is the process they have to go through. At the end of quarter 2, we will have draft guidelines and at that stage anyone...

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Connolly. That is exactly what we are doing. She will be familiar with this. I have visited Galway City Council and Galway County Council to discuss on a number of occasions. The Minister has also gone to Galway on several occasions and has visited some of the emergency accommodation provision being funded by means of the taxpayer's money paid to all the different service...

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (8 May 2018)

Damien English: Deputy Connolly is well informed at a local authority level because she has her own connections there. It is true to say that some of the land that Galway city owns is sterile because of a route selection. That project is going to be happening quite soon, which will deal with that part and which will open up the town. We have asked the council to bring forward plans for that land or, if...

Other Questions: Wind Energy Guidelines (8 May 2018)

Damien English: Like the Deputy, I am well aware of people's fears and concerns. The whole reason this Government is bringing forward new guidelines and a preferred option, which has to go through the SEA process, is to bring a better balance to the guidelines and assure people that their concerns are being dealt with. We are not just talking about it; this Government is doing it. The process, as I have...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (8 May 2018)

Damien English: The Deputy should not misquote me. I did not say that I could sort it out, rather that I doubt the story that someone lost their-----

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I said that I would check out the story. I doubt that someone lost their ten year history over working a little bit of overtime. I am doubting how the story was portrayed in the House.

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (8 May 2018)

Damien English: If I am wrong, then so be it. I am happy to check out the story. To allow for social housing mix, there are a range of schemes which blend social, affordable and private housing on State-owned lands. There are plans afoot to provide enough land to build 50,000 houses, taking the mix of social, private and affordable houses into account. People will benefit from that. In addition, to...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (8 May 2018)

Damien English: We are trying to ensure that the housing scheme is brought forward, using State-owned lands to deliver housing to the public through social and affordable schemes and in conjunction with the private sector. I do not believe that social housing policy in the past brought forward projects that provided that mix. I look at the consequences of that in many places where very large scale social...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (8 May 2018)

Damien English: -----to change that now to ensure it is done correctly through the clever use of State land, as well as using State finances. Guidelines were issued in the first instance because we had to make sure that all interventions target the most needy. That is how taxpayers' money is best used, and that is why we have the schemes that exist and why we set a national standard. The review, carried...

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (8 May 2018)

Damien English: On the issue of student accommodation, many changes have been made in that area since Rebuilding Ireland was launched. It is an issue of supply, like every other form of housing. We are intervening in the area of supply and are attempting to dramatically increase the amount of student accommodation. I do not have the specific figures for Galway because it was not part of the Deputy's...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (8 May 2018)

Damien English: It is grouped with No. 63.

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (8 May 2018)

Damien English: It is No. 63.

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 63 together. The social housing assessment regulations 2011 prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard household means policy. The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of the...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I acknowledge that Deputy Brendan Smith has raised this quite often. The last time we discussed this, I did say that we hoped to have the report by June. I hope it will not be much longer than that before we have it. To be clear, a ring around will answer some of the questions. We know from our own analysis with the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, what the rent increases are. We know...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I would be surprised if someone was taken off a list for ten years because of a bit of overtime. The story might not add up. We will check that.

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (8 May 2018)

Damien English: I am happy to look at it with the Deputy. I would be surprised. We had a discussion about overtime earlier, and how that is judged. To be clear, the reason for the review of the guidelines and the establishment of a national standard was because there was a different policy in every local authority prior to that. There were different income limits, gross or net, different allowances for...