Results 14,961-14,980 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Property Tax Administration (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Local retention of Local Property Tax (LPT) began in 2015 and is now established as an alternative and essential  source of funding for the local government sector, which reduces reliance on central funding. The Government decided that 80% of the estimated LPT liability in each local authority area for a given year is retained in that area to fund public services,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Animal Breeding Regulations (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: In late 2015, the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government agreed to begin a process of review of the current Dog Breeding Establishment Guidelines, under the auspices of the County and City Management Association (CCMA) Dogs Working Group. The work undertaken to date has been to produce a first draft revision of the Guidelines. I considered it...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Stage 1 (approval in principle) to the provision of 56 social housing units in Phase 1A of the first project referred to was granted in December 2016 with a budget of €17,859,976. This is the first phase of a mixed tenure re-development of the entire site to deliver approximately 600 dwellings in total with a mix of 30% social, 20% affordable and 50% private housing. At present, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides that, as soon as possible following a request by the developer or by the majority of the house-owners, a planning authority must initiate procedures to take in charge a residential housing estate, completed to its satisfaction in accordance with the planning permission. Section 180 also provides that,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water Quality (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Primary responsibility for the monitoring, management, protection and improvement of water quality is assigned to local authorities under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts and related legislation. While there is no specific mention of car wash facilities in water pollution legislation, the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts do provide that nobody should discharge or cause or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water Services (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 314 to 322, inclusive, together. The Water Services Strategic Plan is a statutory requirement under section 33 of the Water Services (No 2) Act 2013. The plan sets out the strategic objectives for the delivery of water services by Irish Water over the 25 year period up to 2040. It details current and future challenges which affect the provision of water...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 324 and 325 together. In light of the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to finalise the review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines and on-going policy and legal developments in this area, my Department is continuing to advance work on the proposed revisions to the Guidelines and related matters in conjunction with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation pursuant to the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.  The annual rate on valuation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I refer to the reply to Question No. 339 of 4 April, 2017. In addition, building on the early actions taken to make affordable housing more viable through revised apartment guidelines, reforming the development contribution regime, and streamlining the planning regime for large-scale housing developments, several initiatives such as the €226 million funding of enabling...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Elections (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The most recent review of local electoral areas was carried out from November 2012 to May 2013 by a Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee established under the Local Government Act 1991.  Unlike the position for Dáil and European Parliament constituencies, there is no constitutional or legislative requirement for the revision of local electoral areas. The Programme for a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: In February 2016, my Department announced a five-year Fire Services Capital Programme with an allocation of €40 million, based on the current annual €8 million allocation, to be used for the purchase of fire appliances and specialist equipment, building or upgrading of prioritised Fire Stations, an upgrade of the Communications and Mobilisation system and improvements to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: State Properties (11 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department has spent no money maintaining vacant or unused properties over the last five years.  In general, accommodation for my Department is provided by the OPW and when my Department vacates a property or it becomes unused, full responsibility for its maintenance and security reverts to the OPW.

Other Questions: Private Rented Accommodation (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I am just trying to give complete answers.

Other Questions: Private Rented Accommodation (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Approximately 400 Irish people a week are coming home to work because they want to live here. Many will find accommodation in the private rental market and some will, hopefully, be able to afford a home. There are more people coming home than leaving because they can see the country is moving in the right direction, despite the fact that there are many who try to put a negative spin on...

Other Questions: Private Rented Accommodation (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: We have a significant rental sector, which is expanding. That is a fact, whether or not we like it. My job is to try to make sure the rental market is better structured and protected by better laws to ensure tenants are protected and landlords have certainty. Of course, if people want to purchase their own homes or if they want to access social housing, we need to facilitate that...

Other Questions: Private Rented Accommodation (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy has put an unfortunate spin on a highly progressive approach to the role and functioning of the much more predictable rental market we would like to create. For as long as I remember, the problem with the rental market is that rents rapidly increase in boom times and collapse at times of recession. This is no way to manage a rental market in which we want to create security of...

Other Questions: Rent Controls (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I will come in on it again. I will answer the Deputy.

Other Questions: Rent Controls (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: From what I can see, the HAP scheme is working successfully. If the Deputy has evidence to suggest otherwise, I would like to see it.

Other Questions: Rent Controls (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: An additional 15,000 people throughout the country came onto the HAP scheme last year. It was only introduced to Dublin a few weeks ago. The homeless HAP has been working quite successfully.

Other Questions: Rent Controls (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: My colleague tells me that so far this year 467 homeless people have been homed through the homeless HAP. We also have a place finder office in Dublin which specifically helps those who are unable to locate properties where the landlord is willing to accept tenancies under the HAP scheme. It is not perfect all the time but systems are in place to help people. If the Deputy is concerned...