Results 11,981-12,000 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: One of the main features of the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is that local authorities, in sourcing accommodation for households, enter into contractual arrangements with private sector landlords to secure medium to long-term availability of rented accommodation. The level of rents payable under RAS is determined by negotiations between the landlord and the local authority, taking...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is aware that a number of planning authorities have incorporated Renewable Energy Strategies into their Development Plans, and a further number are in the process of so doing. The Sustainable Energy Association of Ireland (SEAI), as part of its brief to promote and assist the development of sustainable energy, hosted a number of regional wind energy workshops in 2010, targeted...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government considered the findings of the Final Report of the Mahon Tribunal at its meeting on 27 March and agreed that the relevant Government Departments, working with associated agencies under their aegis, as appropriate, should consider as a matter of urgency the recommendations contained in the Report and revert to my Department with proposed actions to be taken on foot of the...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Dublin City Council is the designated authority with powers to enforce the statutory requirements arising under the Fire Safety Act, the Building Control Acts and the Planning and Development Acts, all of which are at issue in relation to Priory Hall. The Council is also the designated Housing Authority under the Housing Acts. My responsibility as Minister is to ensure that appropriate...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: While the An Taisce Report presents a position on planning at the local level utilising a particular set of indicators, the Regional Planning Guidelines Implementation Annual Report 2011 prepared jointly by the 8 Regional Authorities in respect of their activities, also provides information on planning and development across the entire country, particularly in regard to the alignment of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: As part of the Unfinished Housing Developments Public Safety Initiative, launched by my Department last year, unfinished housing developments fall within four categories: Category one, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no serious public safety issues exist; Category two, where a receiver has been appointed; Category three, where a receiver...

Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Estates: Unfinished Housing Estates (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 209 together. Under the Public Safety Initiative my Department has made allocations totalling some €2.94 million to 21 local authorities from the funding allocation made available to address immediate safety issues in 2011. The types of works that have been approved to date include the fencing off of unsecured and hazardous areas, capping of pipes,...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is a matter for the locally elected members of planning authorities to introduce the evidence-based core strategy provisions in new development plans and variations to existing plans in line with the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010. It is also a matter for the elected members to ensure that local area plans are consistent with the development plan thereafter. On foot of the...

Written Answers — Housing Statistics: Housing Statistics (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of housing policy and these can be viewed on my Department's website www.environ.ie. While data regarding housing completions are available online back to 1970, no breakdown by housing type is available prior to 1994. Future output depends on a wide range of factors and my...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 10 on today's Order Paper which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (3 May 2012)

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

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Given the reduced level of capital resources available under my Department's Social Housing Investment Programme, there is a shift away from the traditional local authority housing construction and acquisition programmes towards more flexible funding models based around the Social Housing Leasing Initiative, the Rental Accommodation Scheme and using more limited Exchequer funds to leverage...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: No funding restrictions have been placed on local authorities for the purposes of providing loan finance for house purchase or home improvement. Allocations totalling over €51m issued to local authorities for House Purchase and House Improvement lending in April 2011, an increase of almost €20m (or 61%) on the 2010 allocation of almost €31m. These allocations represent borrowings...

Written Answers — National Asset Management Agency: National Asset Management Agency (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The information sought is not collected by my Department. I have no function in respect of the sale of private residential property or the sale of property by the National Asset Management Agency.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (3 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together. The responsibility for zoning lands for specific purposes is a matter for planning authorities through their development plans and local area plans. Under the Planning Acts, the making, amending or revoking of a local area plan (LAP) is a reserved function of the elected members of the planning authority for the area. Furthermore, under...

Written Answers — An Bord Pleanála: An Bord Pleanála (1 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 471 and 472 together. Comprehensive information in relation to both staffing, salary costs and compliance with the statutory objective period for the years up to and including 2010 can be found in the Board's annual reports which are available on the Board's website www.pleanala.ie. At the end of December 2011 there were 158.1 whole time equivalent...

Written Answers — Private Residential Tenancies Board: Private Residential Tenancies Board (1 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 473 and 474 together. I have no function in the operational matters of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), an independent statutory body established on 1 September 2004 under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The PRTB's annual reports and accounts are available on the website www.prtb.ie and the most recently published report and accounts relate...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (1 May 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the terms of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, which are administered by the local authorities, grants of up to €30,000 are available to assist households to have necessary repairs, adaptations or improvement works carried out in order to meet the accommodation needs of persons with a disability. A Housing Adaptation Grant of up to...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: As it stands, the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) already places clear statutory obligations on planning authorities in relation to unauthorised development. A planning authority must issue a warning letter in relation to written complaints regarding unauthorised development, or other unauthorised development it becomes aware of (except in the case of trivial or minor...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Apr 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department has reviewed the documentation in this case and a decision has been made to approve the payment of a mortgage subsidy. A letter, outlining the arrangements to be put in place for drawing down the subsidy, will issue to the applicant very shortly.