Results 9,461-9,480 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (6 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: At the end of January 2013, I announced that my Department was initiating an update of the Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006, specifically the guidance therein on noise (including separation distance) and shadow flicker. As the starting point in this process, submissions were invited as part of a preliminary public consultation process. 540 submissions were subsequently received from...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (5 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 129 together. Under the EU Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020, support will be provided under the European Regional Development Fund for a number of investment priorities within the thematic objectives set out in the relevant EU Regulation. Investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy use in public infrastructure, including social...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (5 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As stated in Circular Letter PL 21/13 issued by my Department to planning authorities on 30 December 2013 in the light of the transfer of certain statutory water services functions from local authorities to Irish Water with effect from 1 January 2014, legislative amendments to existing provisions on the taking in charge of housing estates will be made in 2014. As also advised in this...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Compliance (5 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 to 135, inclusive, together. I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 469, 470, 479, 480, 481, 482 and 483 of 25 February, 2014, setting out the position in relation to 60 apartments owned by Tuath Housing Association which are currently subject to water ingress through the external fabric of the building. My Department has no information in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Living City Initiative (5 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Living City Initiative  is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Finance. However, I understand that the scheme will apply to all dwellings built before 1915  which are situated in certain designated areas of the 6 cities included under the scheme - Limerick, Waterford, Cork, Dublin, Galway and Kilkenny. The scheme is targeted at run-down areas of these cities with a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (4 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In accordance with Schedule 2, part 3, of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, the erection of fencing by farmers on their lands is exempted from the need for planning permission subject to the following conditions and limitations: - the fence should not be of sheet metal; - the height of the fence should not exceed 2 metres; - the height of any fence for the purposes of deer...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (4 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 272 and 256 together. The Government, on 17 December 2013, approved priority drafting of a Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill that will, among other things, underpin a tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines. I expect that the Bill will be enacted this year, following which I will prescribe in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (4 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A planning authority, or An Bord Pleanala in the case of strategic infrastructure development, may, when granting planning permission, place conditions on the grant which may include the protection of trees on the site which is the subject of the permission. In order to protect certain trees, the local authority may, by resolution, make a tree preservation order under section 205 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Services (4 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A planning authority has power, under section 202(2) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, to make an order declaring an area to be an area of special amenity, where it considers that this should be done by reason of: (a) its outstanding natural beauty, or (b) its special recreational value, and having regard to any benefits for nature conservation. As Minister of State, I have power...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (4 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department received submissions on the proposed revisions to the Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006 from over 7,000 individuals and organisations by the 21 February 2014 deadline. Each of the individual submissions will now be read by my Department and key issues relevant to the focused review of the guidelines will be identified . These key issues will then be considered when...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (4 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government’s housing policy statement published in June 2011 marked a significant departure for housing in Ireland, including a shift to a tenure neutral high level objective, and a clear commitment to restoring balance to the housing sector generally through a lesser reliance on home ownership. The statement also announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes on the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (4 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 140 of 22 January 2014, setting out the statutory position in relation to the assessment of Traveller accommodation needs and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes by local authorities aimed at meeting this need. It is open to Travellers to opt for any form of accommodation, including...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licence Applications (4 Mar 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Attorney General's Office provided advice to my Department on 28 January 2014 in relation to matters concerning the foreshore license application from Donegal County Council for works at Burtonport, County Donegal. This advice has been the subject of subsequent further correspondence owing to two specific issues arising. I understand that these issues have been referred to counsel for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (27 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: With regard to the availability of land for housing development in the Dublin area, a recent data gathering exercise conducted by my Department indicated that there is already appropriate zoning of land for upwards of 30,000 new homes in the Dublin region, across the four Dublin local authorities. Accordingly housing supply in the Dublin area is not necessarily constrained by the lack of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (27 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As part of a €50 million stimulus for the construction sector announced on Budget Day, some €15 million is being set aside to fund a programme of retrofitting works aimed at returning vacant and boarded-up local authority houses to productive use. My Department will be inviting local authorities to submit proposals in this regard very shortly. It is intended that as many as...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (27 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Budget 2014 contain s a special provision, in the form of a targeted €10 million Special Resolution Fund (SRF), to further assist in addressing the legacy of unfinished housing developments. The SRF has been proposed to encourage the resolution of the remaining tranche of unfinished developments identified in the National Housing Development Survey 2013 and, particularly , those...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (27 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Section 28 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010 amended Section 42 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 to provide that the duration of a planning permission may be extended where substantial works have not been done, or where the development has not even commenced, in cases where the planning authority is satisfied that there were considerations of a commercial, economic...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Grant Eligibility (27 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the terms of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, grants are available to assist households to have necessary repairs, adaptations or improvement works carried out in order to meet the accommodation needs of an older person or a person with a disability. The suite of grants include three separate grant measures; the Mobility Aids Grant...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (27 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 469, 470, 479, 480, 481, 482 and 483 of 25 February 2014, which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (26 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In order for a household to qualify for social housing support, a housing authority must carry out an assessment to establish whether the household meets specified eligibility requirements and has a housing need. Regulation 22(1) of the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 provides that a household with alternative accommodation that would meet its housing need is ineligible for...