Results 15,021-15,040 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Rent Controls (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 28 together. The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 lays out the process through which rent pressure zones can be designated.  It provides that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to the Minister that an area should be considered as a Rent Pressure Zone. Following...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The three schemes to which I presume the Deputy is referring are those already launched under Pillar 5 of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness aimed at facilitating the re-use of existing housing stock; namely:- - the Repair and Leasing Scheme, providing funding to the owners of vacant properties for their refurbishment and subsequent long-term leasing to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The submission in question has been received from the Deputy and is currently being reviewed in my Department.  A detailed response will issue in due course. At this point, however it should be noted that I do not propose to abandon the PPP financing model being pursued, as has been recommended in the submission.  The Social Housing PPP programme provides for an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016.  In line with the commitment given in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, a review of the first 12 months of the scheme’s operation has been undertaken. The review has incorporated analysis of comprehensive data received from local authorities regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Rent Controls (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Where an area is designated as a Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ), the rent limits apply to all tenancies supported by the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and secured by Rental Availability Agreements which are utilised in the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and RAS-type arrangements under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP).  However, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Harbours and Piers Maintenance (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department has no function in relation to the maintenance of local authority harbours and I have no plans for a future funding programme for harbours/piers. The funding for the infrastructural works referred to is a matter for Donegal County Council, in the first instance.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: In July last year I published the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which provides a multi-stranded, action oriented approach to achieving the Government’s key housing objectives, including addressing homelessness in a comprehensive manner.  The Action Plan is available through the following link: . The long-term solution to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Heading (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The results of the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments carried out in 2016 show that there were 91,600 households on local authority housing waiting lists as at 21 September 2016. This figure represents an increase of 1,728 households, or 1.9%, on the 89,872 households recorded in the last summary which was carried out in May 2013.  The results of the 2016 Summary are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Funding (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: In Budget 2015 the Government announced that part of the proceeds from the sale of Bord Gáis Energy was to be made available to establish an off-balance sheet financial vehicle to provide financing to Approved Housing Bodies, with the aim of facilitating the provision of additional housing units in support of the Government's Social Housing Strategy. Work on this activity was carried...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: To support the implementation of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, I have secured €5.35 billion in Exchequer investment to deliver 47,000 social housing units through build, refurbishment, acquisitions and leasing, over the period 2016 to 2021. This €5.35 billion investment comprises some €4.5 billion in capital funding and €844...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department works closely with Laois County Council and Kildare County Council in relation to their overall staffing requirements. However, under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, it is the Chief Executive of the Council who is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority. Funding provided from my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Security of the Elderly (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department is responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme, which encourages support for vulnerable older people, including those in declining health and/or those living in isolated rural communities, by providing grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms. The aim of the scheme is to enable older persons of limited means...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Library Services (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 47 together. The provision of public library services, including the procurement of books, is a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. A national tender for book stock procurement was run recently by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on behalf of local authorities....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The aim of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is to relieve critical infrastructural blockages in order to enable the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites in urban areas with high demand for housing.   A call for proposals was issued to all local authorities in August 2016. It was open to all local authorities to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Animal Breeding Regulations (6 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 (DBE) 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: Planning Issues (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy will appreciate that I have no direct function where the sale of private property is concerned. Every planning permission to which Part V applies is required to contain a condition that a Part V agreement be entered into.  In considering the options for a Part V agreement in relation to a particular housing development, a planning authority must consider whether such...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 62 together. My Department has published a comprehensive status list of all social housing construction schemes that are advancing nationwide, as at end-Quarter 4 of 2016. Over 500 approved schemes were listed that, when completed, will deliver some 8,500 new social homes. The schemes range from those that are being designed, through to  those...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) provides fast, flexible housing support to households in an area of their choice. Individuals with a housing need who in the past were reluctant to avail of full time work as they would lose their Rent Supplement support, can now move to HAP, avail of full-time work and retain their housing support. HAP is now available nationwide to all eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Correspondence received in relation to a number of complaints regarding certain matters in County Wicklow is being considered. A reply will issue in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Recreational Facilities Provision (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The O’Devaney Gardens site is well served by existing community facilities in the form of schools, sports halls, parish centres etc. It is considered that new residential homes will help to support existing facilities in the area. In addition, the close proximity of the new DIT Grangegorman campus with its sporting and recreational facilities (gyms, swimming pool, etc.) and the...