Results 4,801-4,820 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: In relation to Housing suports, any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for housing support through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme. Once a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the HAP scheme, to determine the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation Data (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and associated services for homeless persons rests with individual housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment Data (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) provides fast, flexible housing support to households in an area of their choice. HAP supported tenancies are agreed between the landlord and the tenant; the local authority is not a party to the tenancy and has no role in its agreement. There is no limitation placed by the scheme on the length of tenancy that can be supported by HAP. However, as with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tribunals of Inquiry Recommendations (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 (the "2012 Act"), which was enacted on 28 July 2012, significantly enhanced the openness and transparency of political funding in Ireland. These were issues that were central to the recommendations made in the Moriarty Tribunal Report which was published in March 2011. Ultimately, the 2012 Act comprehensively addressed these core...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: Details of social housing targets, broken down by individual local authority, across build, acquisition and leasing, for the period 2018 to 2021 are available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: . More broadly, the National Development Plan 2018-2027, provides for the delivery of 112,000 new social homes over the next decade. These 112,000 new social homes will be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts Data (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department has engaged a company on one occasion in the past two years to conduct research on its behalf, details of which are set out in the following table. Name of Polling Company or Irish Market Researchers Engaged Year Costs Involved Ipsos MRBI 2017 €75,000 The research in question is part of a joint project with the Department of Finance focused on a behavioural...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Data (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: Planning statistics compiled annually by planning authorities for collation and publication on my Department’s website do not include a breakdown on the number of planning permissions for housing developments that were extended for 5 years on the basis of section 42A(1)(ii) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Such information may be sought directly from the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: European Parliament Elections (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: On 28 June 2018, the European Council adopted a decision on the composition of the European Parliament for the 2019-2024 parliamentary term. This provides for 13 members to be elected in Ireland, an increase from the present 11 members. The Electoral Act 1997 (as amended) provides for the establishment of a commission to review European Parliament constituencies in the context of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Conservation (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: Conservation of water supplies is a key policy imperative.  Safe, reliable and high quality drinking water is expensive to produce and is a precious resource. I am advised by Irish Water that it has prosecuted no offences in the past five years for breaches of section 54(2) of the Water Services Act 2007.  While enforcement and the threat of prosecution undoubtedly has a place in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service Staff (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: International research indicates that the retirement age of 55 is the optimum age to ensure that fire-fighters are capable of satisfactorily performing the tasks expected of them. The retirement age of 55 years of age was introduced because of health and safety considerations related to the job. Since the enactment of the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 1989, underpinned by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The Pathway Accommodation and Support System (PASS) was implemented nationally in 2014, as a national information and management system for homeless services that are overseen by housing authorities.  My Department collates PASS data from lead housing authorities on a monthly basis and these monthly homeless reports are published on my Department's website and can be accessed using...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (4 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: Local authorities operate in accordance with a broad range of legislation, including in relation to issues which come under the responsibility of a number of Government Departments. In relation to the Deputy's specific query regarding public health issues, many functions in this area are now the responsibility of the Health Service...

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

Eoghan Murphy: The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability is available to assist in the carrying out of works which are reasonably necessary for the purposes of rendering a house more suitable for the accommodation of a person with a disability who has an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment. The detailed administration of the scheme, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (3 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 536 and 537 together. The appointment process for ordinary Board members of An Bord Pleanála is set out under section 106 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and the associated Regulations. This provides that appointments to the Board by the Minister are generally made from candidates nominated by panels of prescribed bodies which are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (3 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The Voids Programme, introduced in 2014 by my Department, provides additional support to local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-letting. The purpose of the Voids Programme is to ensure that vacant units are actively targeted, with a view to minimising the turnaround and re-let time of these units and return them to use in an energy efficient condition. Without substantial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (3 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The development of any residential land in housing authority ownership is in the first instance a matter for the local authority concerned, including its elected members. I want to see local authorities realise new social and affordable homes from their lands without delay, with particular emphasis on prioritising those sites with the greatest potential to deliver housing at scale, in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment Data (3 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) supported tenancies are agreed between the landlord and the tenant; the local authority is not a party to the tenancy and has no role in its agreement. There is no limitation placed by the scheme on the length of tenancy that can be supported by HAP. However, as with other private rental tenancies, the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended) governs the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility (3 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 542 and 543 together. The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme Applications (3 Jul 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department recently received an application from Sligo County Council for pre-tender approval in respect of the development referred to. The project has been assessed and approval to proceed to tender has issued to the Council.