Results 11,441-11,460 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (11 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended by the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006) a wind farm with more than 50 turbines or having a total output greater than 100 megawatts was categorised as strategic infrastructure. Section 78 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010 reduced these thresholds to 25 turbines/a total output greater than 50...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (11 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 141 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 includes representatives from the Irish Banking Federation, local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Housing Sector Issues (11 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) funding is provided to Approved Housing Bodies, through the local authorities, for the provision of accommodation for persons with specific categories of housing need, including older persons, persons with a disability, homeless persons and elderly returning emigrants who qualify under the Safe Home Programme. My...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (10 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: This year I allocated some €8.643 million to Kerry County Council in respect of the various measures supported under my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP). In addition to this I allocated €2.606 million in respect of the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability. I recently allocated a further €420,000 to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Issues (10 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: While the terms and conditions governing local authority loans do not prohibit an affordable home owner from renting a spare room in his/her home, a local authority may attach conditions to the contract with the purchaser pertaining to subletting of the unit and its use by the purchaser as his/her normal place of residence. A breach of contract conditions would be a matter for a local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage Resolution Processes (10 Oct 2012)

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

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Planning legislation provides that a request for further information in relation to a planning application may be made, within 8 weeks of the receipt of the application. The Department’s Development Management Guidelines (June 2007), however, recommend the use of pre-application consultation to obviate the need to seek further information at a later stage. The Guidelines also state...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The operation of the rent supplement scheme is entirely a matter for my colleague the Minister for Social Protection. Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009 dealing with social housing support, and the related Social Housing Assessment Regulations, 2011, were commenced on 1 April 2011. These provide a standard procedure for assessing applicants for social housing. ...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Applications (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department’s involvement with the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability relates primarily to the recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individual grants. The grant schemes, introduced in November 2007, are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department together with a 20% contribution from the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Supported Residential Accommodation Provision (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) funding is provided to Approved Housing Bodies, through the local authorities, for the provision of accommodation for persons with specific categories of housing need, including older persons, persons with a disability or homeless persons. In 2011 capital funding totalling some €38.44m was provided under the CAS to assist...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Programme for Government committed to reviewing the homeless strategy, The Way Home: A Strategy to Address Adult Homelessness in Ireland 2008-2013 and to implementing a housing led approach to homelessness. Work on the review is almost complete and I intend to issue a policy statement on homelessness shortly. That statement will take account of demands on existing housing and will...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Housing Sector Issues (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: There is no provision at present in the voluntary housing schemes for the purchase of individual houses by tenants. My Department is currently in consultation with the approved housing body sector regarding the development of an enabling regulatory framework to support the expanded role for the sector as envisaged in the Government’s 2011 Housing Policy Statement. I expect that this...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: An application for grant support under the Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP) for refurbishment works at Newpark Close, Kilkenny was received in my Department from Kilkenny County Council . However, due to the high level of commitments under the housing programme for 2012 , it has not been possible to approve the project at this time. Under the SHIP, local authorities are allocated...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Housing Sector Issues (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 424 together. Some 700 voluntary and co-operative bodies have been granted Approved Housing Body status by my Department. Of these, more than 400 bodies have completed one or more housing projects yielding a total in excess of 25,700 housing units to date. Under section 17 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002, the Housing Finance...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Regeneration (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department currently supports an ambitious approach to regeneration through holistic programmes of physical, social and economic regeneration. This year, my Department is providing funding of over €40 million in respect of regeneration projects in Dublin city, some €15 million of which is earmarked for projects which were previously included in the City Council’s...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licences (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 489 of 22 May 2012. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Interest rates charged to local authority borrowers are determined by the Board of the Housing Finance Agency (HFA). In determining these rates, the Board of the Agency gives careful consideration to the fluctuating relationship between the rates at which it can borrow and its lending rates. The HFA is required to operate on a break-even basis and continues to provide extremely good value to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (9 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 365 and 366 of 2 October, 2012. It is a matter for the local authority to determine the exact nature and extent of the works to be carried out on the houses in the Oldcourt Estate under the remediation programme being funded out of internal capital receipts.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Seaweed Harvesting Licences (4 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Section 3 of the Foreshore Act 1933 provides that the removal of any beach material from the foreshore is an activity which requires a licence. The definition of beach material in the Act includes seaweed, whether the seaweed is rooted on the foreshore or washed up by tidal action.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: National Housing Development Surveys (4 Oct 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The National Housing Development Surveys 2010 and 2011 are available on my Department’s website, My Department is currently carrying out the National Housing Development Survey 2012, in conjunction with the local authority sector. It is intended that the findings of this Survey will be made available later in the year.