Results 10,021-10,040 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Topical Issue Matters: Local Authority Staff Code of Conduct (17 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is essential that the public have confidence in how public officials carry out their duties and that that their activities are in accordance with the law. Deputy Ellis is concerned about practices in other local authorities. With regard to my responsibility, my Department will issue a letter to reach director of housing requesting full compliance with all the requirements where a...

Topical Issue Matters: Valuation Office (17 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: We all understand the concern, particularly in respect to those large sporting bodies and the value they bring to our country. I must reiterate that the Commission on Valuation is an independent body, in accordance with the statute and it does not confer on the Minister any function in this regard. I again make the point that before valuations are published the occupier can make...

Topical Issue Matters: Valuation Office (17 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin. Deputies are aware that the Valuation Office, as part of its revaluation programme, is in the process of updating the valuations of all commercial properties. The revaluation process has been completed and the revaluation is effective for rates purposes in the areas of Fingal, south...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Property Taxation Exemptions (17 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations provide the legislative basis for the household charge. The regulations covering the application of the charge included a number of exemptions and waivers. One of the waivers applied to certain unfinished estates on a categorisation basis. Unfinished housing developments were divided into...

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the budget debate. The Government is successfully rebuilding our economy and society. Budget 2014 is a further progressive step along that road with fiscal responsibility, job creation and social reform its hallmarks. Neither element can be taken in isolation. This budget is a coherent package of measures designed to promote growth, regain our...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Credit Ratings (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: In advancing loans for house purchase by lower income borrowers it is of critical importance that local authorities make such funding available on the basis of sound lending criteria. My Department and individual local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that the borrower can sustain the loan over the full term. Of equal importance, in view of recent developments in the domestic...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, local authorities are required to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become or continue to be a derelict site. To this end, they have been given substantial powers under the Act in relation to any such sites, including powers to require specified...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 to 76, inclusive, together. In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes, designed to meet these needs, rests with individual housing authorities. My...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 79 together. I am chairing the National Co-ordination Committee on Unfinished Housing Developments to oversee implementation of the Report of the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments, together with the Government’s response to the recommendations. The Committee has met on 12 occasions since it was established in June 2011 and has...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Administration (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 to 91, inclusive, and 93 together. I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 237, 238, 239, 208 and 209 of 15 October, 2013 which sets out the position in these matters.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Funding (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988; €45 million is being made available by my Department to housing authorities in 2013 for this purpose. This amount represents a decrease of 3.32% on the 2012 outturn and this reduction has been applied on a pro-rata...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (16 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Local authorities have long been the lenders of last resort servicing the housing loan needs of less affluent members of society. In the present economic circumstances it is understandable that the ability of some borrowers to service housing loans has become restricted and a number of loans have fallen into arrears. Section 34 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 provides...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (15 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 and 240 together. My Department does not collect information on each and every planning security held in respect of all housing developments in the country, as this is a matter for the individual local authorities. General guidance has been issued to all planning authorities on matters such as recommended types of securities, requirements for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Administration (15 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 208, 209 and 237 to 239, inclusive, together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (15 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The provisions of the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 set out the procedures for the assessment of applicants for social housing support. Decisions on the eligibility of specific persons for social housing support are a matter solely for the housing authority concerned. Regulation 22(1) of the 2011 Regulations provides that a household with alternative accommodation that would...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: NAMA Social Housing Provision (15 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Of the 137 housing units identified to date by NAMA for social housing use in County Carlow, demand has been confirmed by Carlow County Council for 82 units. Some 55 of these units have been completed or contracted for social housing use. My Department, the Housing Agency and NAMA continue to work together with housing authorities and approved housing bodies towards identifying and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Regeneration Projects Status (15 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Planning permission for the redevelopment of the privately owned Ballymun Shopping Centre and the adjoining lands owned by Dublin City Council was granted in September 2009. The proposed redevelopment did not proceed at the time due to the prevailing economic conditions. However, the provision of commercial, retail and other services in Ballymun, and at this prominent site in particular,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (15 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 226 and 227 together. I assume that the question refers to the mortgage to rent scheme. On foot of the recommendations of the Keane Report on mortgage arrears the Government launched a mortgage to rent scheme on a pilot basis in February 2012. This scheme was extended nationally in June 2012, targeting those low income families whose mortgage situation is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Shared Ownership Scheme (15 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 Act. That review is available on my Department’s website www.environ.ie and the period for public submissions closed on 27 September 2013. Earlier in 2013,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: National Housing Development Surveys (10 Oct 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Since 2010, the National Housing Development Survey has been conducted by the Department's Architecture and Building Standards Inspectorate, in conjunction with relevant staff across all local authorities, over the summer months and published in the autumn. The 2013 survey data is being collated and analysed and it is expected to be published later in the year.