Results 8,781-8,800 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Bill 2013: Order for Report Stage (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Special Amenity Areas (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy is aware, the special amenity area at Howth, County Dublin is managed under local arrangements involving Fingal County Council and local interest groups. The background to the Deputy’s question relates to the erection of a gate at Heather Cottage, Howth. Fingal County Council (pursuant to section 152 of the Planning & Development Act, 2000 as amended) issued a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The approval by Government in July 2013 of the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) also included approval for the provision of funding to local authorities to cover the cost of accommodating HAP households and meeting the administration costs of the scheme by way of a funding transfer from the Department of Social Protection (DSP). The timing and scale of this transfer is to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: On 16 January 2014, I announced capital allocations to local authorities amounting to €38.4 million under the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. I have increased the level of funding available for the grant schemes by 12% in 2014. Every local authority has increased funding for grants compared to the allocations for 2013. Through careful management of my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government is committed to responding more quickly and on a larger scale to social housing needs through a variety of mechanisms. In terms of the delivery of social housing, the main focus in terms of supports provided by Government will be on meeting the most acute needs – the housing support needs of those unable to provide for their accommodation from their own resources....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tribunals of Inquiry Recommendations (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government considered the findings of the Final Report of the Mahon Tribunal at its meeting on 27 March 2012 and published its response to the Final Report recommendations on 19 July 2012. This response is available on my Department’s website, . The Final Report contained a total of 64 recommendations for further consideration, relevant to a number of Government Departments. In...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 355, 357 to 361, inclusive, and 363 together. In June 2010, the former Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government announced the initiation of a planning review, the purpose of which the was to assess the application of planning legislation, policy and guidance within the development plan and development management systems with the aim of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Consultancy Contracts (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 356 and 362 together. I appointed MacCabe Durney Barnes Consultants in February 2014 to carry out an independent planning review on the performance of planning functions in six selected planning authorities (Carlow, Cork, Galway and Meath County Councils and Cork and Dublin City Councils) in accordance with section 255 of the Planning and Development Act...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commercial Leases Database (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department has no specific remit in relation to vacant commercial properties and does not gather data of the nature outlined in the Question. However, the Retail Planning Guidelines published by my Department in 2012 provide policy direction for local authorities which relates, inter alia, to commercial properties. The Guidelines provide advice to local authorities with regard to preparing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board Remit (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Residential Tenancies (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2012 is currently before the Oireachtas and will amend the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to provide, inter alia,for: - the inclusion of the Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector within the remit of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004; - the introduction of a new fast-track procedure to deal with non-payment of rent; - the transfer of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The making and varying of a development plan is a reserved function of the elected members of the planning authority for the area. My Department issued a Circular Letter (PL 09/2012) on 25 October 2012 to all planning authorities reminding them to fulfil their statutory obligations under Section 7 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010 - which was commenced on 5 October 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, as amended by the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2009, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. These specify requirements in relation to a range of matters such as structural repair, sanitary facilities,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment Issues (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am satisfied that An Bord Pleanála has adequate in-house expertise to assess the wastewater treatment element of development consent proposals. In addition, it is also open to the Board to source such external expertise as is deemed necessary in relation to specific cases.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Grant Payments (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the terms of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, which is administered by the local authorities, grants are available to assist households to have necessary repairs or improvement works carried out in order to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their homes. Three separate schemes are available: (i) Housing Adaptation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Relevant data relating to January and February 2014 are available from the CSO and from my Department's website at . Relevant data returns have not been received yet for March, April and May from a number of local authorities, and my Department is working closely with the Local Government Management Agency to ensure that data in respect of these months is provided to enable the up to date...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: National policy in relation to residential densities in urban areas is set out in the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas (Cities, Towns and Villages), which was published by my Department in May 2009 under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). The objective of the guidelines is to ensure high quality...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Provision (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I presume that the question is referring primarily to the shortage of suitable, affordable, rental accommodation for students and young professionals, particularly in some urban centres. The most recent data from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) Rent Index and from the Daft.ie Rental Report show the extent of rising rents, particularly in Dublin and the major cities. In...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As a result of the economic downturn there has been an associated significant decline in construction activity. As the extent of social housing gain from Part V is directly related to private housing construction, the current situation is that Part V is delivering little in terms of social housing. I am committed to the principle of a social housing gain from private development but to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (24 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am aware of, and I very much welcome, the report as a timely input into the development of a Social Housing Strategy. The recommendations contained in the report will be taken into consideration in the context of the development of the Strategy.  Submissions in relation to the strategy have been publicly sought and may be made up until the end of July through the Housing Agency....

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (19 Jun 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: No. I have already stated that people will be eligible for a transfer.