Results 12,361-12,380 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Housing Market: Housing Market (31 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Any housing specific interventions must be targeted in nature and designed to achieve specific outcomes. The main focus in terms of supports provided by Government must be on meeting the most acute needs – the housing support needs of those unable to provide for their accommodation from own resources. The financial parameters in which we are operating for the coming years rule out a return...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (31 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: In response to my Department's circular letter of 7 December 2011, requesting local authorities to submit details of their improvement works programme for 2012, Dublin City Council submitted a broad ranging programme costing an estimated €19 million. This is being examined in my Department at present. I intend making announcements in relation to allocations for the programme in early March.

Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (31 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: As part of the process of preparing the National Housing Development Survey 2011, launched by my Department in October 2011, local authorities provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four categories as follows: Category one, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no...

Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (31 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Property purchase transactions are subject to private contract and buyers should ensure that they have adequate legal advice and information when signing contracts. My Department has no statutory function in relation to the content of contracts. The Property Services Regulation Act 2011 was signed into law on 20 December 2011, and is subject to commencement orders to be made by the Minister...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (31 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: As part of the Government's Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and the 2012 estimates process, difficult decisions have had to be taken in relation to prioritising funding for core services in all programme areas. The funding estimate to support my Department's mainstreamed drugs projects under the Housing programme in 2012 is €100,000 compared with €400,000 in 2011, i.e. a reduction of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (31 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with the housing authorities and the purposes for which housing authorities may incur expenditure in addressing homelessness are prescribed in Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. Information in respect of funding provided under Section 10 for the 34 City and County Council areas for the years...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (31 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: There are two current schemes for tenants of housing authorities to purchase their homes. The first, the tenant purchase scheme, is provided for in section 90 of the Housing Act, 1966. The second, the incremental purchase scheme in respect of newly-built homes designated by housing authorities for incremental purchase, is provided for under Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions)...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (31 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Provisions governing mortgage lending by local authorities are set out under the Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2009 and associated credit policy. To ensure effective targeting of resources, loan finance continues to be available to first time buyers only. Income limits are also in place, distinguishing between single and dual income households and a maximum loan limit is...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (31 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Planning authorities are independent statutory bodies, with democratically elected councils and their own management structures to carry out their statutory duties. The Planning and Development Act 2000 extended the rules relating to ethics for planning authority staff. Part 15 of the Local Government Act 2001 introduced a comprehensive ethics regime for councillors and local government...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (31 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Information on the sale of local authority houses to the end of 2009 is available on my Department's website www.environ.ie. More recent information regarding the number of applications received under the 1995 and 2011 Tenant Purchase Schemes and currently under consideration in housing authorities is not yet available in my Department. Relevant statistics will be published in due course....

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (31 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: There are already two types of house purchase loan available from local authorities: standard annuity loans targeted at lower income first time buyers and those under the Home Choice Loan scheme which are available to qualifying middle income first time buyers affected by the "credit crunch". The terms and conditions governing the operation, including eligibility terms, of annuity mortgages...

Written Answers — Retail Sector Developments: Retail Sector Developments (26 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Retail Planning which issued for public consultation on 21 November 2011 are aimed at: · ensuring that the planning system plays a key role in supporting competitiveness in the retail sector; · advancing choice for the consumer while promoting and supporting the vitality and viability of city and town centres; and, · contributing to...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The rezoning of the lands referred to in the Question was included in the proposed amendments to the Draft Galway City Development Plan 2011-2017 which was adopted on 25 January 2011 and which came into effect on 21 February 2011. In my role as a statutory consultee on the draft City Development Plan, my Department raised a number of concerns with the Council at the amendment stage of this...

Written Answers — Household Charge: Household Charge (26 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 to 146, inclusive, and 156 to 165, inclusive, together. As part of the process of preparing the National Housing Development Survey 2011, launched by my Department in October 2011, local authorities provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four categories as follows: Category...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (26 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The number of leasing units sourced each year for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011 with a breakdown by unsold affordable, voluntary and housing authority sourced, along with information on their management is set out in the following table. Year Unsold Affordable (all managed by AHBS) Approved Housing Body owned & managed by AHB Private owned - managed by AHB Private owned- leased to Housing...

Written Answers — Household Charge: Household Charge (26 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The list of housing developments which have been designated eligible for a waiver from the household charge was extracted from the National Housing Survey 2011, having regard to the categorisation of estates by local authorities under the Unfinished Housing Developments Public Safety Initiative. This list is set out under the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012. All...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with the housing authorities, and implementation of the homelessness strategy at local and regional level is being carried out through the framework of statutory homelessness action plans adopted by housing authorities. Dublin City Council (DCC) is the lead authority for the...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (26 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have no function in the operational matters of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), which is an independent statutory body established under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on, or to interfere in, the specifics of any individual case.

Written Answers — Household Charge: Household Charge (26 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The list of developments in which households are eligible for the waiver in 2012 is set out under the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012. The following developments in Clongriffin, Dublin 13, are included in this list: Belmayne Blocks P5 and P7 Belmayne Block P20 Belmayne Phase 3 Belmayne Phase 4 Clongriffin Main Street Planning Reference 02/0132 Marrsfield, Clongriffin,...

Community Development (26 Jan 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I appreciate the concerns of the Deputies and have spoken to them individually with regard to these projects. I realise the work being done in the areas concerned. My Department had responsibility for the funding of the five mainstreamed drugs projects. Unfortunately, as part of the Government's comprehensive review of expenditure and the 2012 Estimates process, difficult decisions had to...