Results 7,721-7,740 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Expenditure on taxis, car hire and limousines hire by my Department in the past two years is set out in the following table: - Taxis Car Hire Limousine Hire 21 July 2015 to 31 December 2015 €9,009.52 €1,984.15 €0.00 2016 €8,945.96 €135.93 €0.00 1 January 2017 to 20 July 2017 €5,522.26 €0.00 €0.00...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Advisers Data (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Subject to Government approval, I currently intend to appoint one Special Adviser, Jack O'Donnell. Mr. O'Donnell has previously served as Deputy Government Press Secretary in the Department of An Taoiseach. In accordance with the Guidelines and Instructions on Ministerial Appointments for the 32nd Dáil, Mr. O'Donnell will be appointed to the Principal Officer (Standard) PPC Scale -...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme Expenditure (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and while the Act provides that the scheme can be amended, replaced or revoked, this can only be done in accordance with the scope of the Act.  In this regard, any proposal to revise the pyrite remediation scheme is ultimately a matter for the Pyrite Resolution Board and would require...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Expenditure (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The funding allocation in 2017 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability is €59.8m, comprising €47.84m Exchequer funding and €11.96m from local authority resources. It represents an increase of some 6% on the previous year's allocation.  Increasing funding under this scheme by 50% would cost an additional €23.92m...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1645 to 1647, inclusive, together. Statistics on the number of social housing properties constructed, purchased and leased by local authorities and AHBs, for letting to those on their social housing waiting lists, are published on my Department’s website at the following link: . Some of these details are currently being finalised in respect of quarter...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Data (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: A Building Control Resource Survey was carried out in 2015 which concluded that there were 332 persons (177.35 full-time equivalent), engaged in Building Control activities nationally, comprising: - 37 Technicians, Building Inspectors and Clerks of Works; - 111 Administrative Staff; and - 184 Professional Engineers, Building Surveyors and Fire Officers. Under section 159 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Data (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Under the Control of Dogs Acts, local authorities are solely responsible for operating and managing dog control and licensing services in their administrative areas and my Department has no direct role in this regard. Data provided by local authorities in relation to certain of their dog control functions, including the information sought in relation to dog wardens, is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (26 Jul 2017)

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 related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tree Remediation (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (26 Jul 2017)

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.  In accordance with section 37(2) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Pillar 5 of the Government's Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness is specifically focused on utilising existing housing stock, with a key objective of ensuring that the existing vacant housing stock throughout the country and across all forms of tenure, in both the public and private sectors, is used to the optimum degree. In this regard, Action 5.1 of Rebuilding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for housing support through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme. HAP is available to all residents of direct provision that have secured a long-term right to residence in Ireland and are assessed as eligible for social housing support by the relevant local authority. I understand that most residents of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: As Irish Water was established as a subsidiary of Ervia (formerly Bord Gáis Éireann), formed and registered under the Companies Act, neither I, as Minister for the Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, nor my predecessors have had any role in relation to the procurement by Irish Water of external resources or service providers. These are operational matters for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1658 and 1659 together. Since December 2016, the Housing Agency has had offers of properties from one of the banks referred to in the Question.  Many of the properties offered could not be accepted for a number of reasons, including the reason that not all properties were vacant.   Ultimately, 142 vacant properties have been offered by the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The regulation of dog breeding establishments is a matter for local authorities in accordance with the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 and I have no function in this matter. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions - including any inspection of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1661 to 1663, inclusive, and 1680 together. Details on the number of households qualified and in need of Social Housing Support (SHS) in each local authority area are available from the results of the Summaries of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA.) The most recent statutory SSHA was carried out in 2016, and indicated that 91,600 households were eligible and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Expenditure (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: There are currently over 24,700 households being supported by the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme in 31 local authority areas. The HAP scheme is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. The  exchequer outturn for the HAP scheme in 2016 was in excess of €57 million. The majority of this funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department has no immediate plans to issue a circular to local authorities to outline national policies in relation to promotion of breastfeeding as responsibility for national policy in this area rests with my colleague, the Minister for Health.  However, in consultation with the Department of Health, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: The Government recognises the housing affordability pressures in certain areas and is determined to see increases in the supply of high quality social and affordable homes, to buy or rent, as quickly as possible, particularly in the major urban areas where demand is greatest. This is one of the issues I will be considering in the context of the recently announced review of Rebuilding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (26 Jul 2017)

Eoghan Murphy: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation pursuant to the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.  The annual rate on valuation...