Results 15,121-15,140 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Housing Agency publishes statistical information on the operation of the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme, including the number of both active and completed cases by lender, on its website on a quarterly basis at the following web link: www.housingagency.ie/Our-Services/Housing-Supply-Services/Mo rtgage-to-Rent.aspx. The statistics for Q1 2017 will be published on the Housing Agency's...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Local authorities are currently undertaking an ambitious programme of insulation retrofitting, with the support of my Department, on the least energy efficient social homes. Funding of some €107 million has been provided from 2013 to end-2016 to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in excess of 58,000 local authority homes, benefitting those at risk of fuel poverty and making a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Following the commencement of the provisions in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is considered to be a social housing support and consequently households are not eligible to remain on the main housing waiting list. Acknowledging that households on the waiting list who avail of HAP might have expectations that they would receive an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (4 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 under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The Commissioner for Valuation has sole responsibility for all valuation matters except appeals of valuation procedures set out...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: RAPID Programme (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development (RAPID) Programme was launched in February 2001.  It was a focused Government initiative targeting State resources at 51 of the most disadvantaged urban areas in the Country.   The Programme was aimed at improving the quality of life and the opportunities available to residents of the most disadvantaged...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (4 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: Local Authority Rates (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on the occupiers of rateable property in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The legislation governing commercial rates does not address incentives for long-term vacant properties.  Legislative provision...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Rural Development (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Commercial rates form an important element of the funding of all local authorities.  However, the legislative basis for the levying of rates is spread over a number of enactments, some dating back to the 19th century.  Many of the provisions are outdated and not suitable for business trends in the modern era.  I have asked my Department to develop proposals for a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (4 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 under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The Commissioner for Valuation has responsibility for valuation matters.  The levying and collection of rates are matters...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (4 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 under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.  My Department does not have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Shared Ownership Scheme (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 and 324 together. The Government announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes, including the Shared Ownership Scheme, in 2011, given the changes in the property and lending markets.  There are no plans at this time to develop a new Shared Ownership (SO) scheme.  From 1991 to 2010, a total of 16,492 loans were issued under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Information (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: No requests for material to be made available in braille format have been made to my Department in the years mentioned. I am committed to providing information and services which are fully accessible to all of our customers.  This commitment is reflected in my Department's  Customer Service Action Plan, which is available on the Department’s website at .In addition,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Road Improvement Schemes (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I assume the Deputy is referring to the recent announcement of funding under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF). The aim of 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme Applications (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: This Approved Housing Body (AHB) has made an application for funding under my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme for the acquisition and refurbishment of a facility to provide 8 units of accommodation. The AHB has been requested by Wexford County Council to provide additional information in support of this application, which on receipt, my Department will review promptly. 

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Repair and Leasing Scheme (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) has been developed under Pillar 5 of Rebuilding Ireland to assist private property owners and local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to harness the accommodation potential that exists in certain vacant properties across Ireland. The scheme is targeted at owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding needed to bring their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (4 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 (4 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: State Properties Data (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Office of Public Works (OPW) has the central role in managing the State’s diverse property portfolio, and is responsible for co-ordinating policy in maintaining and efficiently organising the property asset portfolio of the State. However, I presume that the Deputy's question refers to lands in public ownership or held in trust by the State, specifically in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I have published a comprehensive status list of social housing schemes that are advancing nationwide, which can be accessed at the following link:. This status report lists the 504 approved social housing construction projects and their locations and contains a range of information relating to their advancement, including those delivered in 2016 and those progressing through planning, design...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Service Staff (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: International research indicates that the retirement age of 55 is the optimum age to ensure that fire-fighters are capable of satisfactorily performing the tasks expected of them. The retirement age of 55 years of age was introduced because of health and safety considerations related to the job. Since the enactment of the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 1989, underpinned by...