Results 741-760 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (21 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: I refer to the reply to Question No. 35 of 10 December 2015 which sets out the position in relation to this matter and remains relevant. Arrangements for the appointment of the chair of the expert panel are advancing and I expect to be in a position to announce the chairperson shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (21 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: The new incremental tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses came into operation on 1 January 2016 in accordance with the provisions of the Housing Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2014 and the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015. The scheme is open to tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme,...

Topical Issue Debate: Traveller Accommodation (20 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: While I acknowledge and recognise the concern of the Deputies, who rightly raise the issue, I want to reject some of the charges they have made. The statement I have made to the Dáil is factual and correct and is the current situation in terms of the history of the site and what is going on in regard to it.

Topical Issue Debate: Traveller Accommodation (20 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: I also remind Deputies that Louth County Council, as the housing authority, is the responsible statutory authority in law for ensuring the implementation of the Traveller accommodation programme. I assure the Deputies that I, the Department and the Government are committed to ensuring that Traveller accommodation needs will be met in a safe and sustainable way. I also have confidence that...

Topical Issue Debate: Traveller Accommodation (20 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: Louth County Council has informed me that the Woodland halting site in Dundalk was a purpose-built permanent and transient site. However, it has been vacant since 2007, when the last of the two occupants of the site at that time were accommodated by the construction of two dwellings in a group housing site at the edge of the site. The illegal occupation of this site has been ongoing since...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (20 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: In December 2015, my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, brought a proposal to Government from South Dublin County Council in relation to amending the existing Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) at Balgaddy-Clonburris to incorporate the land referred to in the question and the Government approved the revised SDZ designation. The revised designation of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (20 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: The Passive House Standard referred to is a standard developed and controlled by the Passive House Institute in Germany. It would not therefore be appropriate to adopt it as a mandatory standard having regard to the principles of fair competition enshrined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings requires EU Member...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Energy Rating Compliance (19 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: The European Union (Energy Performance of Building) Regulations 2012 provide for the transposition in Ireland of Directive 2010/31/ EU on the Energy Performance of Buildings. This includes the requirement for assessing the energy performance of buildings before they are occupied, sold or leased in line with the Building Energy Rating (BER) Scheme administered by the Sustainable Energy...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tree Remediation (19 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: Planning legislation places no specific restrictions on the height of trees, nor does it make any particular provision for remedy from any other nuisance which may be caused by trees in an urban residential area. However there is currently a civil remedy available concerning branches or roots of neighbouring trees encroaching on a person’s property. The previous Minister of State for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tax Reliefs Eligibility (19 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: The Finance Act 2015 provides for 100% tax relief in respect of mortgage interest payments on borrowings used by a landlord to fund the purchase, improvement or repair of a residential rental property . The tax relief is available where the property is let to an individual in receipt of rent supplement or housing assistance payment, or leased to a local authority for social housing. In order...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility (14 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: The new incremental tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses came into operation on 1 January 2016 and provides opportunities for tenants to become homeowners, while also promoting sustainable communities and generating additional funding from sale proceeds for local authorities to refurbish and replenish its housing stock. The scheme is open to tenants, including joint...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (14 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: My Department published statutory guidelines for planning authorities in June 2013 on Local Area Plans under Section 28 of the Planning Act 2000 (as amended). Section 5 of these Guidelines offer advice as regards the structure and content of local area plans and sets out a range of policies that can be put in place to promote and facilitate active and healthy living patterns for local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board (13 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 applies to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy, subject to a limited number of exceptions. The dwellings to which the Act does not apply are set out in section 3(2) of the Act, and include for example: - a dwelling that is used wholly or partly for the purpose of carrying on a business; - a dwelling within which the landlord also...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Architectural Qualifications (13 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: The statutory arrangements for the registration of architects are set out under Part 3 of the Building Control Act 2007. Section 22 of the Act makes specific provision for the registration based on technical assessment of persons who had been independently performing duties commensurate with those of an architect for a period of 10 or more years in the State prior to the commencement of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (13 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: The issue referred to in this question relates to a submission to Dublin City Council on its draft development plan, proposing that the plan should support the provision of an additional floor of accommodation in existing dwellings, for stated reasons. This submission is a matter for the Council to consider, taking account of local and particular circumstances relating to matters such as...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (13 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: In December Minister Kelly and I published a roadmap document entitled Towards a National Planning Framework - A Roadmap for the delivery of the National Planning Framework 2016.This followed Government approval (2014) to the commencement of the preparation of a new National Planning Framework to act as a new long-term national planning and regional development framework as a successor to the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Issues (13 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: My Department has been engaging with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office since 2014 as to how best to deal with the foreshore issues arising at the area in question. During this time, some of the many complex legal and property issues that have arisen in this particular case have been researched and clarified. However, final legal advices are still awaited. Upon receipt of final...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (13 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: The Framework for Co-operation: Spatial Strategies of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Irelandwas jointly published by the Department for Regional Development (Northern Ireland) and my Department in June 2013 and is available to download at the following link: . Implementation of the Framework is an ongoing matter for both Departments with regard to matters such as data collection and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (13 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: Where a planning authority is making a new Development Plan or varying a Development Plan, my Department considers the plan in light of government guidance and policy, including compliance with flood risk assessment guidelines issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. I understand that An Bórd Pleanála approved the project referred to in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (13 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: Arrangements are being advanced within my Department with regard to identifying a suitable chairperson for the expert group and I intend to make an announcement in this matter shortly. Following the announcement of a chairperson, I will be seeking nominations from a number of professional bodies for suitable persons to participate on the expert group .