Results 11,721-11,740 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Regeneration Projects: Regeneration Projects (27 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 to 140, inclusive, together. Ballymun Regeneration Limited (BRL) was established by Dublin City Council in 1997, under the Companies Acts, following a Government decision that year to demolish the flat blocks and replace them with standard housing as part of the social and economic regeneration of the area as a whole. BRL's principal objects are, inter...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The construction of a waste processing facility, or the material change of use of a structure or land to a waste processing facility, is not exempt from the requirement to obtain planning permission. It is not a pre-condition of applying for planning permission that an applicant have complied with Statutory Instrument 821 of 2007; however, as specifically provided in section 34(13) of the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 and 374 together. Sections 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 set out the procedures for assessing applicants for social housing in every housing authority. Under the new arrangements a household need...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out every three years by all housing authorities. The Housing Agency's Housing Needs Assessment 2008 and 2011 reports break down the categories of housing need, including in respect of homelessness, for all 88 housing authorities nationwide. These are available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. However, as the Housing Needs...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: One of the recommendations of the Final Report of the Planning Tribunal is that interventions made by elected members in respect of specific planning applications should be noted on the file and that file should be available for inspection on the relevant planning authority's website. This recommendation, together with all the other recommendations of the Planning Tribunal, is currently under...

Written Answers — Mortgage Arrears: Mortgage Arrears (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 391 and 411 together. 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...

Written Answers — Renewable Energy: Renewable Energy (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department understands that the draft Meath County Development Plan 2013-2019, currently on public display from 25 May 2012 until 3 August 2012, includes an objective to investigate the preparation of a renewable energy strategy promoting technologies which are most viable in County Meath. Under the Planning Acts, the making, reviewing and varying of a development plan is a reserved...

Written Answers — Housing Management Companies: Housing Management Companies (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The management and maintenance of local authority housing is a matter for the local authority concerned. Where a local authority transfers responsibility for management and maintenance to an approved housing body, responsibility for insurance remains with the local authority. My Department is not aware of any case where a local authority has transferred responsibility for the management of...

Written Answers — Private Residential Tenancies Board: Private Residential Tenancies Board (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants in the private rented residential sector. The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants in the private rented residential sector. My Department conducted a...

Written Answers — Property Ownership: Property Ownership (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: There is no legislation in Ireland regulating the height of trees and hedges. My Department understands that there is no right in Irish law to receive light in a garden and that, while there is a civil remedy available of nuisance in respect of the branches or roots of a neighbour's trees encroaching on one's property, there is no civil law remedy in respect of the loss of light in a garden...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Local authority rents are set in accordance with a rent scheme adopted by each housing authority. The making and amending of these rent schemes are an integral part of a housing authority's housing management functions, subject to broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002 of 6 March 2002 under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966 (as amended). It is a matter...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is a matter for each housing authority to determine, in accordance with its scheme of letting priorities, the manner in which households are allocated social housing in its area. It is my intention to review the operation of allocation policy with the broad objective of putting a greater emphasis on 'time on the list' as a criterion for allocating local authority housing.

Written Answers — Rent Supplement Scheme: Rent Supplement Scheme (26 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: By end of April 2012 local authorities had transferred a total of 39,450 households from rent supplement. Of these 22,979 were housed directly under RAS with 16,471 accommodated under other social housing options.

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (21 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Public participation is a necessary and important feature of the foreshore assessment process conducted by my Department. Detailed instructions were issued to the applicant in writing on how information relating to the application was to be made available to the public. Unfortunately, the applicant has not complied with those instructions and my Department is now considering the matter in...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (21 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: While Section 146 of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2010 provides that the files on appeals can be inspected by members of the public 3 days after the appeals are determined by the Board, in practice the Board circulates substantive submissions received to interested parties for their information, and usually for comment, during the course of an appeal. Information in relation to...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: In accordance with the provisions of the Housing Act, 1966, the provision and management of dwellings, including the carrying out of planned maintenance programmes and pre-letting repairs, is the responsibility of the relevant housing authority. Housing maintenance works, including pre-letting repairs, are funded directly by local authorities from their own resources, including from rental...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Shared Ownership scheme the rent charged on the local authority's equity in a shared ownership transaction is to cover the funding costs to the Housing Finance Agency which are based on borrowings at the prevailing interest rates. Any difference between the rent and prevailing interest rate is reflected in the capital outstanding on the property, i.e. if the rent charged in any...

Child Care Services (21 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Unfortunately, she cannot be here this afternoon but she did attend the committee this morning. Yesterday saw the publication by the Minister of the report of the independent child death review group. The report, prepared by Dr. Geoffrey Shannon and...

Child Care Services (21 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is important to acknowledge this matter is non-partisan in terms of party politics. I acknowledge the support of Deputy McConalogue and others in respect of it. Our focus must be on children and their needs. I agree with the Deputy that a consistent focus is required in order that we might continue to address the various areas highlighted in the report. The Government's commitment in...

Urban Renewal Schemes (21 Jun 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Donohoe for raising this issue. As he is aware, regeneration is a matter in which I have a particular interest. I wish to begin by restating my commitment and that of my Department and the Government to the national regeneration programme. My Department supports an ambitious range of regeneration projects which seek to address the causes of disadvantage in communities and...