Results 4,101-4,120 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Other Questions: Homelessness Strategy (25 May 2017)

Damien English: I will give the figures as they may be helpful to Deputy Ó Broin. Since he believes I have tables before me, I will give him what I have. The figures for the end of March, referenced by Deputy Ó Broin, show 870 homeless families were housed in commercial hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation in the Dublin region. The corresponding figure for April fell to 695. Again, that...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: We are not trying to be awkward, as I am sure the Deputy understands. The end of her question read "under the Urban Regeneration and Housing Acts."

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: It did not appear to be additional in the question we had. We answered that question. I have no problem getting all the information the Deputy wants. The question we had, which we answered, was in respect of Part V. It is a demand-led scheme and we could not give exact figures for it. If it is of help to the Deputy, I can tell her what projects are due for delivery in 2017 with approved...

Other Questions: Water and Sewerage Schemes (25 May 2017)

Damien English: My Department’s new multi-annual rural water programme 2016 to 2018 was developed through a working group of key stakeholders involving local authorities, the water services transition office, Irish Water, the National Federation of Group Water Schemes, as well as my Department. The programme provides for the funding of demonstration group sewerage schemes through measure 4(d), where...

Other Questions: Water and Sewerage Schemes (25 May 2017)

Damien English: I would probably agree with the Deputy. The scheme is being reviewed and we should see if we can modify it. A number of Deputies have brought forward different projects and solutions. There is often a question mark over the costing rather than the funding of such projects. Different suggestions have much lower costs associated with them in terms of estimates and so on. That is something...

Other Questions: Water and Sewerage Schemes (25 May 2017)

Damien English: The commitment I can give is that we are already looking at the different mechanisms for doing that outside the formal review. The funding is locked in for the next year and a half. I have been doing ongoing work with officials looking at different solutions.

Other Questions: Animal Breeding Regulations (25 May 2017)

Damien English: I thank the Deputy for her question. I am not sure why it was not grouped with Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan's question. I do not know if that is up to us or somebody else. I will check that. I have acknowledged Deputy O'Sullivan's work in this area on many occasions. I have had some debates with her here on it as well. I appreciate Deputy Daly mentioning that and recognise the work of...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: I did not get to answer the second half of the earlier question. A single-stage process already exists. The local authorities chose not to use it. That process allows for a certain number of houses and it was agreed in the programme for Government to increase that. It is not being used. Only one application has come forward on that.

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: It is not disingenuous. Deputy Casey referred to projects of ten units and 20 units. There is a single-stage process available for those projects. I have encouraged local authorities to use it. Many choose not to use it. I have asked our Department and the local authorities to consider the way that the same method is being used to deliver schools under the devolved grant scheme. That...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: The question I was asked is different to the one I am being asked now. I will give the answer I have and try to address the other matter raised as well.

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: I thought that the question related to Part V. I will answer and then I will give the information that I have. My Department recently published an updated status report on social housing construction projects, containing details of all approved social housing construction projects, including in the Galway City Council area. It outlines locations and details for ten projects in Galway...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: I am not being awkward with Deputy Connolly. I understood her question to specifically relate to Part V housing. She referred to the Urban Regeneration and Housing Acts. I apologise that I do not have the exact figures the Deputy has requested but I have answered the question she asked. On other social housing, on the construction front Galway City Council currently have two local...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: My Department engages on a continuous basis with local authorities in regard to the advancement of all social housing construction projects.  That is done at both a Departmental and Ministerial level. Deputy Casey has attended meetings at which we tried to engage with officials and local authority members to impress upon them the urgency of moving these projects toward completion...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: The most recent version of the status report on social housing construction projects was published last week. The report, which represents the construction pipeline picture at the end of quarter 1 of 2017, sets out the position on each individual project, which is possible because of the project-by-project tracking that the Department does with the local authorities. The...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: I accept that the blame game went on for many years. It is not currently being played. In some local authorities, there was a concern as to whether funding would be available if a local authority were to pursue strongly a social housing project it was asked to develop by the Department. All Members of the House support what is being done in regard to social housing, at a minimum, and are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (25 May 2017)

Damien English: The aim of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is to relieve critical infrastructural blockages in order to enable the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites in urban areas with high demand for housing. On 28March 2017, Minister Coveney announced funding of €226.5 million for 34 projects under the LIHAF to build essential public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: My Department is committed to the accelerated delivery of social housing and is working closely with all local authorities in relation to increasing and accelerating the delivery of a range of social housing programmes and supports, including rapid build/delivery homes.  At the end of 2016, a total of 350 rapid build homes were advancing through various stages of delivery,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: As set out in the Strategy for the Rental Sector published in December 2016, the commitment to develop an affordable rental model contained in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan is now to be progressed through kick-starting supply in rent pressure zones. Lands held by local authorities in such zones are to be brought to market on a competitive tendering basis, with a view to leveraging the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (25 May 2017)

Damien English: There are currently two housing loan finance offerings available from local authorities for first time buyers unable to get adequate loan finance from a building society or bank.  In the case of the House Purchase Loan, the gross income (before tax) is €50,000 or less for a single income household or €75,000 or less in the case of a double income household. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (25 May 2017)

Damien English: Government policy, as set out in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, is to deliver sustainable communities with an appropriate tenure mix for all our citizens, irrespective of the method of housing provision. An appropriate and balanced mixture of tenures in new developments is necessary in order to avoid the significant effects of social isolation and limiting...