Results 15,141-15,160 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Constitutional Convention Recommendations (4 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The 8th report of the Convention on the Constitution deals with economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to housing. It raises substantial questions on the balance of rights, proper governance and resources. As stated in the Programme for Partnership Government, the intention is that it will be referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Planning, Community...

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

Simon Coveney: I understand the Question refers to the settlement of compensation and public liability claims by local authorities, which are matters for the local authorities concerned. Local authorities are independent in the execution of their powers and the directly elected members are democratically accountable for all expenditure of the authority. Accordingly, I have no...

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

Simon Coveney: In terms of supply, the focus in the Strategy for the Rental Sector is on maintaining existing levels of rental stock and encouraging investment in additional supply. There are shortages in the supply of rental accommodation in key locations, particularly in urban areas. In some of these areas there is also significant demand for transitory short-term accommodation. In this context,...

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

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, chronic under-supply of housing across all tenures, for several years during the economic downturn, is at the heart of the significant challenges which exist in the housing sector. Housing output fell by over 90%, from peak construction of 93,000 homes in 2006 to just over 8,301 in 2013, and while current levels of house...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (30 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: There are no specific planning guidelines in place in respect of solar farms. Proposals for individual solar farm developments are subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, in the same manner as other proposed developments. Planning applications are made to the relevant local planning authority with a right of appeal to An Bord...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: Under my Department's Social Housing Investment Programme, funding is provided to local authorities for the acquisition of suitable new and second-hand housing and apartments for social housing use. The selection of such units for acquisition is a matter for local authorities as the housing authorities for their areas, with the clear expectation that such acquisitions meet priority housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (30 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: My colleague, Minister of State Damien English, last week published the fifth annual progress report and seventh housing survey on tackling the issue of unfinished housing developments. This 2016 update report reveals a 85% drop in the unfinished developments since 2010, from nearly 3,000 to 420, with 248 developments resolved in 2016 alone. My Department's objective is to resolve all...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Freedom of Information Remit (30 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: Under the governing legislation, a Business Improvement District company is required to be limited by guarantee and formed and registered under the Companies Act. The board of directors will be made up of businesses or their representatives and nominees of the local authority. At least two thirds of the directors must be ratepayers or ratepayer representatives. Under the Freedom of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Service (30 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The provision of fire services in local authority areas, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigades, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (30 Mar 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (30 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Strategy for the Rental Sector, approved by Government on 13 December 2016, is structured around 4 key areas: security, standards, supply and services. The measures under these four headings will be implemented through the 29 actions contained in the Strategy. In terms of supply, the focus in the strategy is on maintaining existing levels of rental stock and encouraging investment in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (30 Mar 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.  Commercial rates form an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (29 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 made a number of amendments to Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 following the outcome of an independent review, which included a consultation process. The amendments, effective from 1 September 2015, sought to maximise the contribution Part V can make to social housing supply and sustainable mixed-tenure communities across the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility (29 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Sector Funding (29 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department provides funding to community and voluntary organisations through a number of funding schemes.  These include the Scheme to Support National Organisations, the Funding Scheme for members of the Community and Voluntary Pillar, the Seniors Alert Scheme, as well as a funding stream to support volunteer centres, volunteer information services and a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Contracts Data (29 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department did not hire any private investigation firms in the past five years, or to date in 2017.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Control of Dogs (28 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The overall thrust of dog control legislation is to place the onus on dog owners and those in control of dogs to act responsibly by keeping their dogs under effectual control, irrespective of breed. Such responsible dog ownership is the key to reducing incidences of dog biting and other problem behaviours. The Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2010 set out a range of requirements for all dog...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (28 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department compiles statistics on the number of tax discs issued rather than the number of vehicles that are taxed, either online or through local authorities. As motor tax can be paid annually, half-yearly or quarterly, many motorists will tax more than once during the year and may tax exclusively online, in a motor tax office or may avail of both options over...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (28 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department compiles statistics on the number of motor tax discs issued rather than the number of vehicles taxed. As motor tax can be paid annually, half-yearly or quarterly, many motorists will tax their vehicles more than once during a given year. The numbers of motor tax discs issued in 2016 are set out in the following table. It should be noted that they do...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (28 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: Section 70 of the Water Services Act 2007 places a duty of care on the owner of a premises to ensure that his or her waste water treatment systems are kept so as not to cause, or be likely to cause, a risk to human health or the environment, including water, the atmosphere, land, soil, plants or animals, or create a nuisance through odours. The duty of care provisions have been augmented by...