Results 10,801-10,820 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mortgage to Rent Scheme (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I could argue that with the Deputy but I know we do not have time today; there are certain conditions under which one qualifies for social housing. Not everybody qualifies for social housing so there are restrictions attached to the scheme and we are moving it as quickly as we can.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mortgage to Rent Scheme (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: First, I stress that dealing with the issue of mortgage arrears is a major priority for the Government. It is not true to say the Government is not engaged in the process.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mortgage to Rent Scheme (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: A great deal of progress has been made across the board in terms of the personal insolvency legislation and the constant pressure exerted on the banks, as has again been reiterated in the past week. The mortgage to rent scheme is part of this, but it is to deal with the most distressed mortgages. There are a number of criteria, including that people have to qualify for social housing and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mortgage to Rent Scheme (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: It was mainly the sub-prime lenders who engaged in this process at the very beginning. We have now got all of the banks to engage, which is an achievement. I accept that it is a slow process and we want to make it quicker; therefore, we are keeping the pressure on. Every single one of these is a cost to the State as well so it is not the case that we can get them for nothing.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mortgage to Rent Scheme (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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. The scheme, which was extended nationally in June 2012, targets low-income families with unsustainable mortgage situations and little or no prospect of a significant change in circumstances in the foreseeable future. The scheme ensures...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Grant Payments (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I reject any suggestion of favouritism. This was done using a clear and transparent formula, whereby the cases approved received money first and the remainder was divided on an equal basis according to the amounts requested from the various local authorities. The contingency fund of €2 million is available to allow us to address any case that may arise in the second quarter of the year.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Grant Payments (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I agree with Deputy Stanley that we want to keep people in their homes if at all possible and that relatively small amounts of money sometimes make the difference. That is why I am examining the upper limit, which is €30,000. We cannot change the limit for those who have already been approved, but it may be different in future. We are looking at it on an immediate basis to determine...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Grant Payments (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: We are faced with the inevitable cuts in terms of the amount of money available. That is the reality in which we have to live. I have got a small contingency fund and I am satisfied every local authority has enough funding to meet their commitments made in the previous year. During the second quarter our officials intend to speak to the local authorities about these grants. After that we...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Grant Payments (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 75 together. I am keenly aware of the challenges we face in delivering housing supports to a range of vulnerable households and groups. 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. My Department's housing programme...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grants Funding (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have referred earlier to the challenges we face in delivering on housing need and the rationale used in apportioning the housing capital budget across the various measures under my Department’s housing programme for 2013. None of these important measures, whether it is the regeneration of seriously disadvantaged communities, the provision of special needs accommodation,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Proposed Legislation (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department recently conducted a public consultation exercise on A New Planning and Consent Architecture for Development in the Marine Area. Over 200 responses were received and are currently under consideration. The results of this exercise will inform the drafting of the general scheme of a Bill to update the consent system for developments on the foreshore. I hope to bring the general...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 391 together. To date 3,949 properties have been identified by NAMA as being potentially suitable for social housing purposes. Demand has been confirmed by local authorities for 1,314 of these units, for 637 of which discussion/negotiation has begun. Housing authorities have been assessing the suitability of the units identified with regard to...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department does not collate the information sought. The Government’s 2011 housing policy statement announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes, including the shared ownership scheme, as part of the review of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. That review is now almost concluded and I have also asked the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Wind Energy Development Guidelines (June 2006) provide guidance to planning authorities on catering for wind energy through the development plan process. The guidelines are also intended to ensure a consistency of approach throughout the country in the identification of suitable locations for wind energy development and the treatment of planning applications for such developments. To...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 resources invested. To achieve this, it is essential...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 the accommodation needs of Travellers, rests with individual housing authorities. My Department’s role is to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Regulations (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 111 together. In the context of a judicial review of the grant of a foreshore licence to Providence Resources plc, my Department and the Office of the Attorney General met the company and their legal representatives on 12 February 2013. As that meeting was held in the context of and with regard to the judicial review, the discussions are confidential...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government published its response to the recommendations of the Final Report of the Mahon Tribunal on 19 July 2012 including in respect of an independent planning regulator, to which it has agreed in principle. I also discussed this specific recommendation with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht on 29 January 2013. In that context, I expect...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (12 Mar 2013)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 394 to 396, inclusive, together. In accordance with the provisions of Section 58 of the Housing Act, 1966, local authorities are responsible for the management and maintenance of their social housing stock, including policy and practice in relation to tenancy arrangements and decisions in relation to the acquisition of specific properties to meet identified...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 417 to 419, inclusive, together. My role, as Minister, is to provide the necessary statutory and policy framework within which individual development contribution schemes are adopted by each local authority. The adoption of individual development contribution schemes is a reserved function of the locally elected members of each planning authority. While...