Results 11,341-11,360 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (24 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: All of us in the Chamber probably know of some of these complex cases. There is a certain amount of discretion under the current regulations and one of the issues I am considering in reviewing the regulations is the position of couples who are separating and genuinely have a housing need that must be addressed. While I do not know exactly how long this will take, I will be doing it as...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Applications (24 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy O'Mahony for raising this issue. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Quinn. As the Deputy said, the processing of student grants for new entrants has been centralised this year under one body - Student Universal Support Ireland, or SUSI, which was established as a unit of the City of Dublin VEC. This will replace the 66...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Applications (24 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The correct figure is 17,500.

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Applications (24 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: As it is a totally new system, it is understandable that there have been some difficulties. I know SUSI is trying to deal with them as expeditiously as possible. I accept that the number of incorrect application forms - 17,500 - seems to be quite large. It is surprising that so many people failed to give all the information or fill the forms in correctly. I understand the Union of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage Arrears (24 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The information sought in this question is not held by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (24 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Wind Energy Development Guidelines, which were published by my Department on 29 June 2006, provide advice 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...

Other Questions: National Asset Management Agency (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: We do not want to give money to those who do not deserve it. However, we must provide housing for people by whatever means possible. There are various methods available to us in this regard. The programme for Government contains a proposal in respect of transferring responsibility for rent subsidy from the Department of Social Protection to local authorities. This is the right way to...

Other Questions: National Asset Management Agency (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I know I am supposed to answer questions rather than pose them. However, I wish Deputy Boyd Barrett would tell me from where we are going to get all the money to which he refers in order that we might build or buy the houses that are required.

Other Questions: National Asset Management Agency (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The cost of building or buying a house this year, next year - when we will still be operating under the programme with the troika - or the year after will be a great deal more than the cost of leasing-----

Other Questions: National Asset Management Agency (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: There simply is not any money available. I sometimes think Deputy Boyd Barrett really is not aware of the nature of the financial situation in which the country finds itself.

Other Questions: National Asset Management Agency (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I would love to give local authorities a great deal of capital resources in order that they might build houses. However, we just do not have the money. No one other than the troika can lend us money at present. I wish the Deputy would provide answers rather than presenting us with lovely fairy-tale economics which I wish we could implement but which, unfortunately, we cannot. We must work...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am very conscious of the difficulty and we are trying to see if we can address it. Obviously we must be aware of the different relationships within the Housing Finance Agency which, as the Deputy knows, has reserves, the local authorities and the borrower. I wish to find a solution to this as soon as possible.

Other Questions: National Asset Management Agency (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: To date NAMA has identified more than 3,800 units to be considered for social housing. Of those that have been examined to date, 449 have been deemed unsuitable for social housing by housing authorities. A further 594 have been withdrawn, usually by property owners as circumstances change, for example, when units have been sold or let privately and are no longer available. Another 2,010...

Other Questions: National Asset Management Agency (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Progress is being made. The establishment of the special purpose vehicle has speeded up the process. The Minister and I met representatives from NAMA on a number of occasions and this resulted in the establishment of the special purpose vehicle, which, as already stated, is speeding up the process. The houses in question will go to people who are on social housing lists. However, they must...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department has recently commenced the collation of data from local authorities on the number of loans in arrears broken down by the length of time in arrears. The data from the second quarter of 2012 indicate that 6,280, or 28% of all local authority mortgages, including those drawn down for the purpose of purchasing houses under the various affordable housing schemes such as shared...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am conscious of the difficulties faced by distressed home owners, particularly, as Deputy Durkan has said, those involved in the shared ownership scheme. The Deputy spoke of the rental part of the agreement being different to what was originally understood. Many Deputies have brought this issue, and the difficulties people are having, to my attention. We will examine the matter to see...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licences (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57, 75, 76, 89, 97 and 105 together. On 27 September 2012 a foreshore licence was granted to Providence Resources in respect of works to undertake site investigations and drilling of a single exploration well off the coast of Dalkey, Co Dublin. Information on the decision to grant the licence was published on my Department’s website on 3 October...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: As part of my role as Minister with responsibility for Housing and Planning I am overseeing a programme of social housing reform. I am currently finalising a review of the implementation of the social housing assessment regulations introduced in April 2011, the result of which I expect to publish as revised regulations and guidance in the coming weeks. I also intend to build on the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (23 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: In the context of the Housing Bill currently being formulated in my Department, I will consider whether there is a need for legislation in relation to a household receiving social housing support from one housing authority that wishes to transfer to another housing authority area, a practice currently operated on an informal basis by agreement between housing authorities. Under the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (23 Oct 2012)

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...