Results 9,981-10,000 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: NAMA Social Housing Provision (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: To the end of September this year 4,319 units have been identified by NAMA as being potentially suitable for social housing. Of these some 1,900 have been confirmed as being suitable and 443 have been completed or contracted. Of these, 288 are being delivered through the Social Housing Leasing Initiative (SHLI) and are currently occupied or in the process of being occupied. Under SHLI...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grants Expenditure (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Abridged Estimate for my Department, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in Expenditure Report 2014, includes some €28.6 million in respect of the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. It is estimated that this will provide grant assistance to some 5,700 households in 2014. The Estimates provision will be supplemented by the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Animal Welfare Bodies (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 together. My Department understands that the premises used by the Assisi Animal Clinic and the Ballymun Dogs Trust are located in one of the flat block s which are scheduled for demolition by Dublin City Council. It is a matter for the Council to make the necessary arrangements to ensure all units are vacated prior to commencing demolition. I...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The importance of homeless preventative measures, such as housing advice, advocacy and tenancy support are acknowledged in the homeless strategy, The Way Home: A Strategy to Address Adult Homelessness in Ireland 2008-2013. Early and effective interventions are essential to prevent the occurrence or reoccurrence of homelessness. Wider Government policy initiatives to tackle early school...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Traditionally it has been difficult to quantify the number of homeless persons on an on-going basis; this is in part a consequence of the volatility within this cohort of housing need. However, during the course of 2013 the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), which commenced operation in Dublin in 2011, is being extended nationally. When PASS is fully implemented...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: In March 2012, the Government approved in principle the transfer of responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with an established housing need from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to local authorities using a new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). On 18 July 2013, the Government approved the introduction of HAP including the provision of funding to the local authorities to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I refer to the reply to Priority Question 4 on today's order paper which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: NAMA Social Housing Provision (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department, the Housing Agency and NAMA continue to work together with housing authorities and approved housing bodies towards identifying and bringing units into social housing use. Units identified through this process are considered by housing authorities for the full range of possible social housing uses, including homeless appropriate accommodation. I am satisfied that when units...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under my Department's Social Housing Investment Programme, local authorities are allocated funding each year in respect of a range of measures to improve the standard and overall quality of their social housing stock, including the regeneration of large social housing estates and flat complexes, estate-wide remedial works schemes, funding for extensions and adaptations to meet the needs of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation Provision (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The extensive information requested is not readily available in my Department. This information is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. Earlier this year I published a Homelessness Policy Statement in which I outlined the Government's aim to end long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. The statement emphasises a housing-led approach which is about...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Services (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: There is no legislation in this jurisdiction regulating the height of trees and hedges in privately owned gardens and I do not currently propose to introduce legislation on this matter. My Department understands that there is a civil remedy of nuisance available in respect of the branches or roots of a neighbour's trees encroaching on one's property. I have recently been in correspondence...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (23 Oct 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: Shared Ownership Scheme (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The rental equity portion of shared equity loans is managed by local authorities and serviced by them from the proceeds of rents received. While local authorities continue to meet loan payments to the Housing Finance Agency on their portion of shared equity properties, the shared areas of such properties may have individual arrears issues with local authorities, which are matters for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together. The Abridged Estimate for my Department, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in Expenditure Report 2014, provides €525.8 million in respect of the Housing Programme. These resources have been supplemented by a further €50 million announced in the Budget to fund infrastructural investment primarily...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (23 Oct 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. Data on the number of local authority housing loan applications are not included in this range. Data on the number of local authority housing purchase loan approvals and drawdowns are included in this range; however, they are not broken down by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Leases (23 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department does not hold any current information on the number of tenants on local authority waiting lists. I directed all local authorities to prepare a summary of social housing assessments carried out in their areas as at 7 May 2013. The results of this assessment, when available, will detail the number of households on waiting lists in each local authority by a range of...

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank both Deputies. They are separate but related issues. I assure Deputy Fleming that the intention is not to exempt these-----

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The intention is to exempt the small person having a wind farm or other forms of energy for their own use. That is the intention and if we need to clarify that, we will do so. I would also make the point that these large for export proposals are nowhere near getting permission at this point in time. They have a number of hoops to go through first, including an intergovernmental agreement,...

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: We have no intentions of interfering. They have an independent role, and rightly so, and I have no intentions of getting involved in any way in that regard. I hear what Deputy Mulherin is saying and we will certainly look at it. We have the draft guidelines out for consultation at the end of this year and in that context we will be developing policy. The Strategic Infrastructure Act is...

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I hope I can clarify somewhat the issues that were raised. I thank both Deputies for raising this issue. In January of this year, my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government issued updated guidelines on development contributions under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála are...