Results 3,401-3,420 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

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

Eoghan Murphy: Exchequer funding of some €128 million has been provided to local authorities from 2013 to end-2018, to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in over 68,000 local authority homes. For 2019, the energy retrofitting programme has an allocated exchequer budget of €25 million. My Department will shortly be asking local authorities to submit details of their 2019 work...

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

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 657 and 658 together. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned. In the case of the Donabate Distributor road, my involvement relates to the provision of...

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

Eoghan Murphy: I refer to the reply to Question No. 245 of 31 May 2018 which sets out the statutory arrangements in place under the Water Services Acts 2007-2017 for the determination of water services connection charges and charging arrangements. Responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). As Minister, I do...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (5 Feb 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on 13 September 2018 by way of Establishment Order under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971. Pending the enactment of primary legislation, I have appointed an interim Board with a mix of public and private sector skills and expertise relevant to the objectives of the LDA. The Board members are: - John Moran –...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (5 Feb 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: It will be a matter for the Oireachtas to decide on the holding of a referendum on the ownership of public water services and the wording to be put to the people. The Government is firmly committed to public water services remaining in public ownership and this is reflected in the Water Services Acts and in the Water Services Policy Statement 2018-2025 approved by Government in May 2018....

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

Eoghan Murphy: The Central Statistics Office began publishing their New Dwelling Completion series in June 2018 following a lengthy collaboration between my Department, the CSO and ESB Networks. Data published by the CSO indicates that there were 17,161 new dwelling completions in the year to end Q3 2018, which is a very significant 33% increase on the level in the year to end Q3 2017. Relevant data can...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (5 Feb 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area are provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The SSHA has been conducted on an annual basis since 2016, prior to which it was carried out once every three years with the last Summary under this approach having taken place in 2013 i.e. there was no SSHA carried...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (5 Feb 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area concerned, 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 income needed to provide for a household's...

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

Eoghan Murphy: The Planning and Development (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2018, which came into operation on 8 February 2018, provide for an exemption from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of the change of use of certain vacant commercial premises, including vacant areas above ground floor premises, to residential use. This measure is aimed at facilitating the productive re-use...

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

Eoghan Murphy: As at June 2018, there were 36 Differential Rent Schemes in place across the country. While almost 60% of the schemes have a maximum rent, only five have different maximums for different property types e.g. 2 bed, 3 bed houses etc. At present the making of rent schemes and the setting of rent levels is a matter for each local authority under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. As a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Eligibility (5 Feb 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme introduced in 2012 is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who are eligible for social housing support whose mortgage is unsustainable and who have very limited options, if any, to meet their long-term housing needs themselves. One of the main criteria underpinning the scheme is that the applicants are eligible for social housing. It is a matter...

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

Eoghan Murphy: Under section 34(10) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, An Bord Pleanála is required to state in a decision in respect of a planning appeal the main reasons and considerations on which its decision is based, including reasons for the imposition of any conditions. This information is included in both the Direction and Order issued by the Board in relation to any...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Standards (5 Feb 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017. They specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, safety of gas, oil and electrical supply and fire. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Review (5 Feb 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: In line with the commitment given in Rebuilding Ireland a review of the first 12 months of the Scheme’s operation has been completed and a full report has been prepared setting out findings and recommendations. I hope to be in a position to publish the review shortly, following completion of consideration of a number of implementation issues arising.

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

Eoghan Murphy: The Building Control Act 2007 designated the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) as the registration bodies for those professions. The Fennell Review recommended in 2013 that in the context of any future reviews, consideration might be given to the introduction of an overarching supervisory regulator for the various...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Applications (5 Feb 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department provides funding under the Disabled Persons Grants (DPG) scheme to local authorities for adaptations and extensions to their existing social housing stock to meet the needs of local authority tenants. The scheme applies to adaptations that are necessary to address the needs of older people or people with a disability who may require stair-lifts, grab-rails, showers, wet-rooms,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Abstraction Regulation (5 Feb 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: As outlined in my reply to Question No. 1120 of 15 January 2019 on this matter, I have no statutory role in this matter as proposals to abstract water for the purpose of public supply are a matter for Irish Water under the provisions of the Water Supplies Act 1942 and any required planning permission is a matter for the relevant local authority. Environmental and other considerations are...

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...

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...