Results 9,501-9,520 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Harbours and Piers Expenditure (25 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am aware of dredging issues at Magheraroarty Pier and recently granted a foreshore licence under section 3(3) of the Foreshore Act 1933 to Donegal County Council to undertake necessary emergency works following storm damage. My Department is currently processing an application by Donegal County Council for a 5 year licence to undertake maintenance dredging and beach nourishment at...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Issues (25 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Foreshore Acts require that a lease or licence must be obtained from the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government for the carrying out of works or placing structures or material on, or for the occupation of or removal of material from, State-owned foreshore, which represents the greater part of the foreshore. Details on applying for a foreshore consent can be found...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Applications (25 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: While the age limit for eligibility under the Housing Aid for Older People grant scheme has increased from 60 to 66 years , in line with the majority of supports for older people, a lower age limit can apply in certain circumstances at the discretion of the Local Authority. This may happen in certain hardship cases or where specific advice is provided by medical professionals. The detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Harbours and Piers Maintenance (20 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The application by Sligo County Council for a licence under the Foreshore Act 1933 to carry out dredging works at Sligo Harbour is currently being assessed by my Department. The application is being assessed in the context of the relevant regulatory framework including obligations arising under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. Following the conclusion of that assessment and the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (20 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. One of the housing need criteria prescribed in the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 is that the household has a mortgage that is deemed to be unsustainable under the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (20 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Section 47 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 38 of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act 1963 which was the subject of the Supreme Court Judgment referred to in the Question), provides that a planning authority may enter into an agreement with any person for the purposes of restricting or regulating the development and use of land permanently or for a specified...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (20 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The housing and budgetary landscape has changed dramatically since 2005. That is why the Government, in its housing policy statement published in 2011, presented a new approach to the provision of social housing. The financial parameters in which we will be operating for the coming years rule out a return by local authorities to very large capital funded construction programmes of the kind...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (20 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: Rental Accommodation Scheme Administration (19 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The grounds upon which a tenancy in the private rented residential sector may be legally terminated are clearly set out in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The Act provides the main regulatory framework for the private rented residential sector and for the operation of the Private Residential Tenancies Board. It provides for security of tenure and specifies minimum obligations for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tree Remediation (19 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: There is currently a civil remedy available concerning branches or roots of neighbouring trees encroaching on one’s property. I will, however, give consideration to the proposal in the question with regard to trees acutely impacting on neighbouring properties in the context of the review of the Planning and Development Act. On the specific issue of dangerous trees, I understand that...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Grant Applications (18 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 or improvement works carried out in order to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their homes. Three separate schemes are available, the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (18 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Section 32(1)(a) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides that, subject to the other provisions of the Act, permission is required under Part III of the Act in respect of any development of land, not being exempted development. Section 3(1) of the Act defines development to mean, except where the context otherwise requires, the carrying out of any works on, in, over or under land or...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Grant Payments (18 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Last month, some changes to the terms and conditions of the schemes were notified to local authorities. These changes were made on foot of the recommendations of a review group, established in 2013 by my Department, to examine the terms and conditions governing the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. Membership of the group included the County...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social Welfare Code (18 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants in this sector. The Act does not make provision for the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (18 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 495 and 506 together. The Eighth Annual Report on Service Indicators, published by the Local Government Management Services Board in 2013, which details service indicators in local authorities in 2011, provides a range of information in relation to the social housing stock in each local authority. Specific information is provided with regard to vacant...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage Data (18 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government’s housing policy statement published in June 2011 marked a radical 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: Homeless Persons Data (18 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 498 to 500, inclusive, together. 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 for homeless persons rests...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (18 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Details of the allocations to local authorities in respect of the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability over the period 2011 to 2014 are set out in the table. There are three distinct measures under this scheme, Housing Adaptation Grants for People with a Disability, Housing Aid for Older People and Mobility Aids Grants. It is a matter for the Local Authority as to how...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (18 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 504 and 505 together. I recently 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (18 Feb 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government, on 17 December 2013, approved priority drafting of a Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill that will, among other things, underpin a new 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 regulations the commencement date and the detailed...