Results 9,861-9,880 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grants Funding (13 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 112 together. My Department’s involvement with the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability relates primarily to the recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individual grants. These schemes, introduced in November 2007, are funded by 80% recoupments available from my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (13 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Improvement Works in Lieu (IWIL) scheme allows local authorities to improve or extend privately owned accommodation which is occupied or intended to be occupied by an applicant approved for social housing as an alternative to the provision of social housing. Under my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme, funding i s provided to housing authorities in respect of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (13 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 293 of 12 November, 2013 which sets out the position on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Statistics (12 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing and planning statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy, and those data are available on my Department’s website Data on the number of new house commencements are included in this range. These commencements relate to private housing starts. While my Department funds the provision of social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme Property Numbers (12 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 259, 291 and 292 together. It is not possible to give a specific breakdown by county of the number of units tenanted at any given time under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS). Numbers in RAS constantly vary as contracts end, tenants move on to other properties, landlords withdraw from the scheme, new tenancies are allocated or vacancies in contracted...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme Eligibility (12 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The 18 month threshold is a ‘rule of thumb’ to try to distinguish between persons who are seeking a short term income support and those who have a long term housing need. While in general a household must be in receipt of rent supplement for 18 months or more to qualify for the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), housing authorities do, on occasion, accept households on to RAS...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Services (12 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: It would be a matter for individual local authorities to ensure that any correspondences to their tenants are prepared with due consideration of their customer charters and other relevant provisions as regards the accessibility of the material. While I have no plans to issue guidelines along the lines proposed it should also be noted that efforts are continually made where possible to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (12 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The demolition of buildings - other than as exempted by Class 50 Schedule 2, Part 1 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (demolition, subject to conditions, of a building within the curtilage of a house, an industrial building, a business premises or a farmyard complex) - is subject to the requirement to obtain planning permission. Section 34(4)(l) of the Planning and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (12 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The decision as to whether to grant planning permission in any particular case is a matter for the relevant planning authority, in the first instance, and for An Bord Pleanála in the event of an appeal. In making decisions on planning applications, planning authorities and the Board must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to the provisions...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Maintenance (12 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Glending Estate in Blessington is comprised of 69 social and 14 affordable houses. Since its completion in 2009, this estate has been subject to a number of construction related problems and flooding issues. In late 2011, Wicklow County Council sought funding from my Department to assist in bringing the estate up to a satisfactory standard. Subsequently a budget of over €2.3...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (12 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The decision as to whether to grant planning permission in any particular case is a matter for the relevant planning authority in the first instance, and for An Bord Pleanála in the event of an appeal. In making decisions on planning applications, planning authorities and the Board must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to the provisions...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (12 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing and planning statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy, and those data are available on my Department’s website . Data on the social housing stock broken down by local authority area are included in this range.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (12 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department does not hold information on the number of households on local authority waiting lists. These figures fluctuate as households are allocated housing and new households apply for support. In accordance with Section 21 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, I directed all housing authorities to prepare a summary of social housing assessments carried out in their...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure (12 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I expect the recently announced €30 million additional Exchequer investment in social housing to deliver up to 500 local authority homes for families on the housing waiting list. Approximately half of this investment will facilitate the construction of new infill housing developments in areas with a high demand for social housing. It is also intended that €15 million will be...

Topical Issue Debate: Dublin Water Shortage (7 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank the Deputies for raising this issue which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. I welcome the announcement today by Dublin City Council that the recent nightly restrictions on the supply of water are being lifted. I also welcome the news that production levels at the water treatment plant in Ballymore Eustace have...

Topical Issue Debate: Dublin Water Shortage (7 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank the Deputies for making specific points. I will bring the points that are relevant to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Phil Hogan. There is no doubt that the Dublin region needs a major new source capable of supplying 350 million litres of water per day if it is to meet its medium to long-term needs. There is no dragging of feet on the part of the Government. Dublin City...

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (7 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: On Dublin, as Deputy Conaghan will be aware, there is still some work to be carried out, this year and next, in Ballymun but it is close to completion, and we really want now to address difficulties in the kind of estates of which he spoke, such as Dolphin House. There is a commitment to funding, at least in the lifetime of this Government, for those projects. On the application for...

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (7 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I assure him that the Government is determined to address the problems faced by people waiting for housing. Unfortunately, we inherited an economy that had collapsed, which had a significant effect on capital budgets. One means of dealing with the housing list is to make available empty houses. Some 3.3% of social housing stock is...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (7 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I know the concern she expresses in terms of empty houses is very real. There is no particular proposal with regard to affordable houses. However, proposals from local authorities will be carefully considered. I presume a proposal has been submitted by Killarney Town Council.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (7 Nov 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: A specific proposal would need to be submitted by the local authority. To the best of my knowledge, a specific proposal has not been submitted. I will have the matter clarified. Another possibility is that of leasing through a voluntary housing body. Unsold affordable housing is often included in the social housing mix. I am not aware of any proposal having been submitted by Killarney...