Results 9,661-9,680 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The shared ownership scheme has been an ongoing difficulty and I asked the Housing Agency to research how we might address it. It has come back with an interim report and we have issued a circular. There is more work to be done because it does not address all of the particular difficulties which arise under shared ownership. An issue which has been addressed is people on shared ownership...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Deputies Corcoran Kennedy and Flanagan both raised the issue of unfinished estates. We are making good progress on this issue. The initial funding was for dealing with public safety issues, but a further €10 million was announced in the budget by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. This money is specifically for unfinished estates with public realm issues that can be...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to respond to the housing issues raised by Deputy Catherine Murphy. I absolutely share her concern about the number of people waiting on housing waiting lists. This is the reason that for the first time, the Government has introduced a mainstream construction programme through local authorities. The Government was unable to do it heretofore. It was not because it did not wish to do...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I, too, thank the committee for providing this opportunity to discuss the Estimates, in my case for the 2014 housing programme. I am pleased that 2014 will see a significant level of new investment in housing across a range of measures which will increase the supply of homes to be made available and enhance quality of life for families. In 2014, almost 70% of the budget for the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mobility Allowance Eligibility (21 Jan 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: Local Authority Housing Applications (21 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As indicated in the reply to Question No. 392 of 24 September 2013, the 2011 Social Housing Assessment Regulations provide that a household is ineligible for social housing support if a household member owns alternative accommodation that the household could reasonably be expected to use to meet its housing needs, either by occupying it or by selling the accommodation and using the proceeds...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Shared Ownership Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 435 and 476 together. As Minister, it is not appropriate for me to comment on individual cases but I can confirm that the Government’s 2011 Housing Policy Statement announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes, including the shared ownership scheme, in the context of a full review of Part V of the Planning and Development Acts...

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

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility (21 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 448 to 450, inclusive, together. The changes recently notified to Local Authorities apply to new applications received after 1 January 2014. Any person who applied for a grant prior to January 2014 will have their application processed in accordance with the guidelines in place at that time. These applicants will not be affected by the changes to the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licences Applications (21 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Foreshore consent applications are processed strictly in accordance with a prioritisation framework focusing on major infrastructural projects e.g. local authority wastewater treatment plants and offshore energy applications. Both projects referred to fall within the lowest priority level. The current position on these applications is set out below. The public and statutory consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Deposit Protection Scheme Establishment (21 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Programme for Government 2011 contains a commitment to establish a tenancy deposit protection scheme. On foot of this commitment I asked the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) to commission research on such a scheme and to report back to me with recommendations in that regard. The subsequent report assessed a number of different options for delivery of a deposit protection...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grants Expenditure (21 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 477 to 479, inclusive, together. Details of the allocations to local authorities in respect the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability over the period 2009 to 2014 are set out in the table below. There are three distinct measures under this scheme, the Housing Adaptation Grants for People with a Disability, the Housing Aid for Older...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (21 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Last year the budget allocation for the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability was €34.2 million. I am pleased to be in a position to increase that funding by some 12% in 2014 to €38.4 million. Every local authority will have increased funding for grants compared to the initial allocation for 2013. Grants were allocated on the basis of the level of...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (16 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I will bring the Senator's points to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Brian Hayes. He is in the Dáil now and, unfortunately, cannot bilocate.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Local Authority Housing (16 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I share Senator Daly's concern that any social housing estate would be located at a remove from local services and facilities without making provision for safe and convenient access to it by walking or cycling as well as by car. I note that the estate concerned is at the edge of Kenmare. My Department has provided a range of best practice guidance documents and manuals to local authorities...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Local Authority Housing (16 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I presume Senator Daly has been in touch with the local authority about this but if we can assist in any way in the Department we will do so.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (16 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: On behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, I thank Senator Higgins for giving me the opportunity to address the issue of flood relief measures with regard to flooding problems in the Shannon Callows and south Galway. The Government is addressing the flooding issues at both locations and has made significant funding available to Galway County Council to implement localised...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (16 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I also thank Senators Paul Coghlan, Maurice Cummins and Michael Mullins for introducing this Bill and raising important issues with regard to the treatment of car-parking spaces in the valuation of retail centres. This Bill addresses a real concern that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, and I share with Senators on all sides of the House - that retailers in town...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (16 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under section 58 of the Housing Act, 1966, the management and maintenance of the local authority social housing stock, including the carrying out of responsive repairs to tenanted properties, is a matter for individual authorities. No reports relating to storm damage to the housing stock have so far been received in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Standards (16 Jan 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos 200 and 201 together. Minimum standards for rented accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, as amended, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Details of the number...