Results 15,061-15,080 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 12, 50 and 37 on today's Order Paper, which sets out the position on this matter.

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

Simon Coveney: The official monthly homelessness data report published by my Department is compiled from information provided by housing authorities and produced via the Pathway Accommodation and Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements overseen by housing authorities. These reports are published on my Department's...

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

Simon Coveney: With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water shall collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER)...

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

Simon Coveney: As set out in the Strategy for the Rental Sector published in December 2016, the commitment to introduce affordable rental is to be progressed through kick-starting supply in rent pressure zones. Lands held by local authorities in rent pressure zones are to be brought to market on a competitive tendering basis, with a view to leveraging the value of the land to deliver the optimum number of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Administration (6 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non Principal Private Residence (NPPR) Charge. The NPPR Charge, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence. The self-assessed Charge is set at €200 per annum and liability...

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

Simon Coveney: Arising from the ECJ judgment referred to in the Question, my Department is currently engaged in consultations with planning authorities regarding potential modifications required to the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing, with a view to ensuring that rural housing policies and objectives contained in county development plans comply with Article 43 (Freedom of Movement of...

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

Simon Coveney: The Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016 makes provision for the establishment of the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR), which was one of the recommendations made in the Final Report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments (also known as the Mahon Tribunal). The Office will be independent of my Department and will be responsible for the...

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 apply for funding towards the...

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

Simon Coveney: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. Further to this, the allocation of social housing support is a matter for individual housing authorities in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act...

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

Simon Coveney: The application form for social housing support prescribed by the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 requires applicants to provide details of any convictions under a number of specified statutes relating to anti-social behaviour and public order offences. Under Section 14 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997, a housing authority may refuse to allocate or defer the...

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

Simon Coveney: The Commissioner for Valuation has sole responsibility for all valuation matters except appeals of valuation procedures set out under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 which come under the remit of an independent Valuation Tribunal. The Valuation Acts come under the aegis of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality. Local authorities are under a statutory...

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

Simon Coveney: Citizenship of the European Union is provided for under Article 20 of the and is applicable to all persons who are nationals of the 28 Member States that currently comprise the European Union. EU citizenship is additional to, and does not replace, national citizenship. Under Article 20 of the Treaty, a number of specific rights are conferred on EU citizens, including the right to vote at,...

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

Simon Coveney: The current income limits which apply for eligibility for social housing support are prescribed by the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended by the Social Housing Assessment (Amendment) Regulations 2011 and the Social Housing Assessment (Amendment) Regulations 2016, made under sections 3, 20 and 32 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009. The regulations prescribe...

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

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 to 156, inclusive, together. I refer to the replies to Questions Nos. 9, 59 and 162 on today's Order Paper, which set out the position on this matter.

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

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 155, 157 and 161 together. The publication of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness has seen a new level of ambition in respect of tackling the challenges in the housing sector and I am confident it represents a well-judged and comprehensive response to the urgent need for social housing and to respond to the need...

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

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 159 together. 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...

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

Simon Coveney: My Department published Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing in April 2005, which set out the national policy framework for planning authorities in drawing up their statutory development plans in relation to the issue of housing in rural areas, taking into account local circumstances and the type of area involved, including areas near large cities and towns, which...

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

Simon Coveney: In relation to the planning process, the recently enacted Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 amended section 179 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, relating to the arrangements for approval by local authorities of their own development proposals, often referred to as the Part 8 process and providing for greater clarity around timelines associated with...

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

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 165 together. As stated in the reply to Question No. 117 of 19 January 2017, there are already currently two local authority house purchase loan offerings available to lower income first-time buyers from local authorities. The first is the standard annuity mortgage available from all local authorities. A first-time buyer unable to get a loan...

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

Simon Coveney: As indicated in my reply to Question No. 118 of 19 January 2017, given the cost to the State of providing social housing, it is considered prudent and fair to direct resources to those most in need of social housing support. I am satisfied that the current income eligibility requirements generally achieve this - they provide for a fair and equitable system of identifying those...