Results 10,581-10,600 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Topical Issue Debate: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Central Bank's announcement on 13 March stated that the performance targets were about concluding sustainable solutions as well as proposing them. I will pass on the Deputy's questions to the Minister for Finance.

Topical Issue Debate: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I will ask him to reply to the Deputy. The Government is aware of the issue relating to VAT on practitioners, which Deputy Seán Kenny mentioned in his initial contribution. I know the Deputy has been extremely concerned about the residents in Priory Hall. I do not know if we can intervene in the way he has asked, but I will certainly examine it to see if it is possible.

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am pleased to have been given the opportunity by the Deputy to clarify the position on the provision of teaching support for children with Down's syndrome. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. Pupils with Down's syndrome who are attending mainstream primary schools may receive additional teaching support in primary schools, either...

Topical Issue Debate: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputies Robert Dowds and Seán Kenny for raising this issue. As they will be aware, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, is in Brussels. I am taking this on his behalf. I can assure the Deputies that the Government is most aware of the significant difficulties some homeowners are facing in meeting their mortgage obligations and it remains committed to intervening to...

Topical Issue Debate: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The reply is rather long all right.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grants Funding (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The difficulties facing the State’s finances and the necessity to reduce public expenditure to sustainable levels are impacting on capital programmes all across the public service, including my Department’s housing capital programme. The level of capital funding available has decreased significantly in recent years along the lines highlighted in the Medium Term Exchequer...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: There is no limit specified in planning legislation in relation to the distance between a petrol station and a school.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grants Funding (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: On 22 February 2013, I announced capital allocations to local authorities under the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability amounting to €42.750 million. In allocating the available funding across all 34 city and county councils I did so in as transparent and as fair a way as possible. In framing the 2013 allocations, my Department wrote to each local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing for People with Disabilities (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011-2016 provides for Government policy in relation to the deinstitutionalisation of people with physical, intellectual and mental health disabilities. The Strategy forms part of a coherent framework, in conjunction with the Government's mental health policy, A Vision for Change and the Report of the HSE Working Group on Congregated Settings,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Loans (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: While the Government's housing policy statement acknowledges that home ownership is the preferred tenure option for the majority of households it also recognises that there are other households who either do not want or may not ever be in a position to own their home. Housing policy is therefore predicated on meeting need at a point in time based on household circumstances and not on...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: An Bord Pleanála has a statutory objective to determine appeals and referrals within 18 weeks. The compliance rate with the statutory objective time period for normal planning appeals stood at 55% as of April 2013 and the average time taken was 21.8 weeks. To take account of the backlog of cases that had built up in the Board, I appointed 2 additional temporary Board Members for a 12...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: In line with the recommendation contained in the Final Report of the Mahon Tribunal, the Government approved proposals for the preparation of a new Planning and Development Bill at its meeting on 7 May 2013 to establish a new Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR).The primary function of the OPR, which will be established as an independent corporate identity, will be to carry out...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Detailed information regarding individual properties listed on the Derelict Sites Registers of specific local authorities is not available in my Department. Under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, local authorities are required to maintain a derelict sites register, which includes the name and address of each owner and occupier, where these can be ascertained by reasonable enquiry, of any land...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: TheImprovement 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, capital funding is provided to housing authorities in respect of the IWIL...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: Section 10(2)(b) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, requires a development plan to include objectives for the provision or facilitation of the provision of infrastructure including, inter alia, communication facilities. This requirement ensures that planning authorities' development plans can provide policies, for example, to facilitate the delivery and roll-out of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (14 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government is acutely conscious of the difficulties many households are facing in terms of mortgage arrears. Where any borrower, either from a local authority or from a private financial institution, is facing difficulties in meeting mortgage repayments, they should engage proactively and constructively with the lender to seek to achieve an agreed solution. The services of the Money...

Housing (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: There may be some money left.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licences Applications (9 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is awaiting documentation from the applicant in order to confirm that the public consultation process was conducted in the proper manner and that the requirements concerning the public display of documents were met. My Department is also awaiting final legal advice from the Chief State Solicitor’s Office in relation to the question of ownership of the site.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Application Numbers (9 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department does not hold information on the number of households on local authorities' waiting lists. This figure continuously fluctuates as households are allocated housing and new households apply for housing support. Detailed information on the latest statutory assessment of housing need which was carried out in March 2011, including a breakdown by authority and category of need, is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (9 May 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 149 together. The Government’s housing policy statement, published in June 2011, clearly identifies that the priority for Government will be to meet the most acute needs of households applying for social housing support. I am determined to ensure that the social housing programme optimises the delivery of social housing and the return for the...