Results 5,641-5,660 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: It is a matter for local authorities, working in co-operation with approved housing bodies (AHBs), to bring forward proposals for new social housing delivery in their areas of responsibility. Funding for the project in question was approved in principle by my Department and it is now a matter for the local authority and the AHB involved to advance as appropriate. My Department does not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Estates (24 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: It is not a function of my Department to take properties in charge. However, I understand that the relevant local authority is engaged with the current owners of the properties concerned and with full co-operation from all involved, I hope the matter will be resolved in the near future.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board Administration (24 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) is governed by the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 – 2016. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 amended section 3 of the 2004 Act so that dwellings let by approved housing bodies (AHBs) to social housing tenants now come within the remit of the Act. The position of these tenants is significantly improved by the change, which commenced on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (24 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department publishes a monthly report on homelessness. The monthly report is based on data provided by housing authorities and produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS). The report captures details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities and can be accessed at the following link -...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (24 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The Press Office of my Department liaises with the media on behalf of my Department as well as all Ministers. The engagement of external expertise is generally only considered where the issues involved require expert skills or capabilities that are not readily available within my Department. No invoices were issued to my Department by the company in question between 2007 and 2017 nor did my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regulation of Lobbying (24 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 requires a person carrying out lobbying activities to register and submit returns of such activity. The obligation to register and submit returns rests with the person lobbying, not the Designated Public Official. The returns register is publicly available to view and records relevant communication between a registered person and a Designated Public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (24 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The EPA research report referred to, which was published in 2014, examined the future management options for the collection, treatment and disposal of sludge derived from domestic wastewater treatment systems. One of the recommendations included the need to consider alternative sludge recycling or disposal routes, such as incineration, recycling to energy crops, pyrolysis or the export of...

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: We have discussed this before. Guidelines were issued in the course of last year. I said that if those guidelines need to be put into legislation, I will do that. Earlier this week, I brought heads of a Bill to protect tenants. Some new protections are coming in very quickly. If further legislation is needed, I have indicated that a second Bill is coming for the rental market later in...

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: I can confirm that those guidelines are still in place and that new guidelines are coming shortly as part of Project Ireland 2040.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: I am actively progressing a number of measures under my remit that are included in the Strategic Policy Framework agreed by Government in October 2017 for the continued development of data centres in Ireland, as part of wider economic growth and balanced regional development. The National Planning Framework, published in February of this year, includes an objective for the promotion of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Library Services Staff (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department received a staff sanction request from Galway County Council for a Branch Librarian, Ballygar, on 5 April 2018 and following consideration of the request, the post was approved on 16 April 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: Through the supports made available from my Department, funding is available to all local authorities to deliver additional social housing stock through new construction projects, through the acquisition of new and previously owned houses/apartments and through working with approved housing bodies under a range of delivery options. Details on the number of properties purchased and built...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966 provides that the management and maintenance of local authority housing stock is a matter for each individual local authority in the first instance, including housing maintenance and repairs. My Department does provide exchequer support to local authorities in respect of housing refurbishments in certain situations and, for example, in 2017 through the Voids...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: As with the previous local authority home loan offerings, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, which was introduced on 1 February 2018, is a local authority product and loan applications are made directly to the local authority in whose area the property proposed for purchase is situated. My Department does not collect information on the number of enquiries to local authorities regarding the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: House Prices (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: As the Deputy will be aware, chronic under-supply of housing across all tenures, for several years during the economic downturn, is at the heart of the significant challenges which exist in the housing sector. The residential construction sector in Ireland was severely impacted by the economic downturn, with housing output falling by almost 90% between 2006 and 2013. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: Against the background of the affordability pressures which currently exist in the rental market in certain areas, the Government is determined to make cost rental a major part of the Irish housing system, similar to the role it plays in many European countries. Under this approach, rents are set at levels to recover the construction costs and to facilitate the management and administration...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: The delivery of more affordable homes, to buy or rent, is a major priority for Government, focusing in particular on the cities of Dublin, Galway and Cork, where people are facing the greatest affordability challenge. Following the economic downturn, with housing construction output dropping by 90%, the Government has taken remedial action to get Ireland building new homes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Thatching Grants Applications (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department received an application last month for a thatching grant for the case in question. The assessment of such applications requires an inspection of the property, which will take place shortly. A decision will issue to the applicant shortly thereafter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (19 Apr 2018)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 351 together. In respect of delivering new social housing homes, whether through construction, acquisition or other approaches, no precise advance allocation of funding is made to individual local authorities. Instead, funding is drawn down by the local authorities, in line with the level of advancement they make in delivering new social housing. In...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Review (19 Apr 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 support...