Results 10,381-10,400 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Service Issues (18 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have recently published Keeping Communities Safe (KCS) as national policy for the future direction of fire services in Ireland. The document was prepared by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management in my Department through a collaborative process, which included consultation with stakeholders. The intention is to ensure that Ireland continues to manage its fire risk...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (18 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government's legislative programme for the Summer 2013 Parliamentary session includes a Housing Bill expected to be published later this year providing, among other matters, for the new Housing Assistance Payment Scheme to replace rent supplement in the case of households with a long-term housing need . The relevant Heads are currently being developed in tandem with the business...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (18 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Tenancy problems experienced by social housing tenants should be referred to the relevant local authority in the first instance, and addressed through the authority’s complaints procedure. Should a social housing tenant feel s/he was unfairly treated, or not be satisfied with the local authority’s handling of the problem, it is open to the tenant to contact the Office of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (18 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government’s Housing Policy Statement, published in June 2011, identifies approved housing bodies (AHBs) as key partners in the delivery of social housing. This recognises both the constrained funding levels available for local authority construction programmes and the capacity and track-record of the voluntary and cooperative housing sector. AHBs are uniquely placed to help...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (13 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I refer to the replies to Question No. 634 of 16 January 2013 and Question No. 431 of 23 April 2013, which set out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Finance Agency Funding (13 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Local authorities do not provide funding to or invest in the Housing Finance Agency. The Agency advances funds to local authorities to be used by them for any purpose authorised under the Housing Acts and it finances its operations by borrowing or raising funds for these purposes. The HFA also utilises its guaranteed notes programme to provide local authorities with a facility for surplus...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Our decision to introduce these regulations shows that we are willing to consider new proposals. I reiterate, however, that we must get the balance right because we have seen how lax planning got the country into trouble in the past. For this reason, we must ensure a balance is struck between the interests of communities and economic development. We are seeking to improve the planning...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is just cables and brackets as illustrated in the photographs supplied. The forests will be fully under the regulatory control of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine. It was not a problem up to 2011, so it is just to clarify that. They are just the internal roads and the felling within the forests, which already fall under a full regulatory system within the Department of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Stanley for his positive comments on septic tanks and electric vehicles. The septic tank issue will be on many people's minds in the coming months. On the second issue, it is not the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government but the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine who will be responsible. The regulations cover trees that are more than ten years...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I could certainly take that up with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Deputy Coveney. The Deputy might also consider tabling a parliamentary question to the Minister on the matter. I cannot give the Deputy a direct answer on the matter today.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank the Deputy for his comments on sceptic tanks. The regulations apply to any body authorised to provide telecommunications infrastructure, so it is not just the ESB. The Deputy made some suggestions about micro wind turbines and smaller hydroelectric schemes. These are constantly under review so if other exemptions are required, we would be open to any newer ones that come along....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank the committee for agreeing to convene this session to discuss the proposed amendments to the planning code set out in the draft planning and development (amendment) regulations 2013. We gave some added information with photographs to illustrate the exemptions we are planning to make. These proposals provide for changes to the planning exemptions contained in the 2001 planning...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rental Accommodation Scheme Administration (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: There have been difficulties where, for various reasons, the rental accommodation scheme landlords end tenancies. There are various conditions under which landlords can end tenancies. Then, the local authority works with the tenants to try to find suitable accommodation. Ultimately, the local authority has the responsibility and if it cannot find an alternative in the area where a person...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rental Accommodation Scheme Administration (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: We must try to address people's needs in the various ways available to us. As soon as we can do so, that will include the direct provision of more local authority houses. Deputy Ellis had raised this case with me at a meeting of the committee. The Minister for Social Protection recently announced revised caps, which in the case of the Dublin area are an improvement on the current...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rental Accommodation Scheme Administration (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The grounds on 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 the operation of the Private Residential Tenancies Board. It provides for security of tenure and specifies minimum obligations for landlords...

Housing (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: We are straying a little from the Bill, but there is a priority question today on that issue which I think Deputy Dessie Ellis tabled.

Housing (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Deputy Noel Grealish's point has been raised many times in this Chamber, on Second and Committee Stages of the Bill and in various other contexts. Strictly, it is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection. I do not deal with rent caps and rent supplement, but the issue came up in this context because this and the next Bill will facilitate the transfer of the long-term rent supplement...

Housing (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: We engaged in considerable consultations with Threshold, in particular.

Housing (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: This is essentially a technical Bill which paves the way for the larger debate. When I introduce the legislation on the housing assistance scheme, the economic assessment will have been completed. I hope to bring a memorandum to Cabinet before we break for the summer setting out our plan for implementing the transition. There is a great deal of work to be done before then, including...

Housing (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I do not propose to accept Deputy Boyd Barrett's amendments. We are moving towards a harmonisation of rent under HAP. It is intended that there would be model rents for different families around the country and harmonisation would be developed under the HAP legislation which we will introduce later in the year. It is a fairly technical amendment to ensure we can have rent schemes during...