Results 3,561-3,580 of 7,024 for speaker:Willie Penrose

Building Regulations (19 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter and giving us the benefit of his expertise in these matters. I am aware of the difficulties experienced by the many home owners affected by the pyrite problem I acknowledge the distress it has caused. The issue was first brought to the attention of my Department in mid-2007. Having consulted the Building Regulations Advisory Body, my...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (19 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: 1Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provision) Act, 2009 provides for an incremental purchase scheme in respect of newly – built houses reserved by housing authorities for the purpose. Regulations to implement the Incremental Purchase Scheme for new homes were made in June 2010. A new tenant purchase scheme under the provisions of section 90 of the Housing Act, 1966 – the 2011 Tenant...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: As part of the rationalisation of state agencies the NBA is due to be wound up over the course of 2011. A new housing agency, the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency (established on an administrative basis last year), has taken on some of the functions of the NBA, in particular those relating to project management, regeneration and procurement. As part of this process 18 NBA staff...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: A proposal was received from Clúid Housing Association under my Department's Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) in April, 2009 to provide 11 housing units at Ardagh, County Limerick, costing an estimated €2.350 million. Due to the high level of capital commitments on approved projects at that time and the competing demands for the available funding the proposal was not approved. In the...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (19 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: This application was referred to the Chief State Solicitor's Office for legal advice in February 2011 following a challenge to the State's ownership of the foreshore concerned; the applicant was advised of this referral at the time.

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation Scheme: Rental Accommodation Scheme (14 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Households that are assessed by a housing authority to have a housing need have a range of housing supports available to satisfy their need regardless of whether or not they are in receipt of rent supplement. Included in these supports are availability arrangements, similar to rental accommodation scheme arrangements, under the social housing leasing initiative. As with the rental...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: The most recent tenant purchase scheme, provided for in the context of the 2011 budget, operates under the credit policy guidelines for local authority housing lending. These were made under the Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2009. Under this protocol, all applicants are assessed according to the same criteria, and their applications subjected to the same scrutiny. It is...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (13 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. These Regulations were further amended by the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses)(Amendment) Regulations 2009 which expanded the definition of 'a proper state of structural repair' to allow for all...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (13 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Decisions regarding the zoning of land are a reserved function of local authority elected members under the statutory development plan and local area plan processes. In accordance with Part II of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, the members of a planning authority are restricted to considering the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in question when...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (13 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Housing authorities have scope to include an acquisitions programme within their Social Housing Investment Programme, which receives capital funding from my Department. The number of acquisitions in any particular area will depend on the total funding available to the authority and the priority it applies to the acquisition of new and second-hand units relative to other projects within its...

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (13 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned. An application for foreshore consent would be required for any such proposed development. The application would be processed in the usual manner in exercise of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 provides for a new process of assessing the housing needs of households seeking social housing support. In addition, it provides for the standardisation of the approach by housing authorities to income limits. It is not possible to set out in a table the income limits that housing authorities applied up to now due to the wide...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (12 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: Under planning legislation, the decision as to whether to grant a planning application, with or without conditions, is a matter for the relevant planning authority in the first instance and for An Bord Pleanála in the case of an appeal. In making decisions on planning applications, planning authorities and the board must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,...

Written Answers — Register of Electors: Register of Electors (12 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: My Department has been working for some time on the necessary statutory provisions to enable the tenant purchase scheme for local authority apartments under Part 4 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 to be given effect as soon as possible. I am committed to maximizing the potential for tenant purchase in the context of the implementation of sustainable communities' policies...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: My Department does not hold information on the number of households on a local authority's waiting list. This figure continuously fluctuates as households on the list are allocated housing and new households apply for housing support. A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out every three years by all housing authorities. The last assessment took place in 2008 and indicated that...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (7 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: The provision of special needs housing is mainly funded under the Capital Assistance Scheme for approved housing bodies. This scheme is specifically designed to meet the needs of older persons, homeless and people with a range of physical and intellectual disabilities. It is up to the bodies concerned, in conjunction with the relevant housing authorities, and in liaison with the Health...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (7 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: I refer to the reply to Question No. 64 of 23 March 2011 which sets out the position where an affordable house purchaser is selling their home and the clawback amount payable would reduce the proceeds of resale below the initial price. In relation to affordable house purchasers wishing to remortgage or top-up an existing mortgage, provision was made in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions)...

Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 44 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 5 of today which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in relation to the planning area. These include: § better coordination of national, regional and local planning laws in order to achieve better and more coordinated development that supports local communities; § improving local transport access by requiring, inter alia, that local authorities develop a transport plan in...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Apr 2011)

Willie Penrose: The Government is acutely conscious of the difficulties many households are facing in terms of mortgage arrears and our Programme for Government sets out a range of credible and meaningful measures that will help households challenged to meet mortgage commitments. In terms of arrears among borrowers from local authorities, I believe it is essential that such borrowers should expect at least...