Results 15,261-15,280 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (9 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The application by Galway County Council for the provision of 11 new social units by Cluid Housing Association as a second phase development at Letterfrack, County Galway was given funding approval-in-principle by my Department on 31 January 2017. I look forward to the project’s advancement through planning and design.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (9 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. In line with the commitment given in Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, a review of the first 12 months of the scheme’s operation is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (9 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: I have no proposals to establish an inspectorate for sheltered housing. Such housing to meet the needs of persons with specific categories of housing need, including the elderly, homeless and people with disabilities, is normally provided and managed by approved housing bodies, with funding support from my Department under the Capital Assistance Scheme. Where necessary, additional services...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Government Fund (9 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Local Government Fund (LGF) accounts for 2016 are currently being audited. Accordingly, the estimated income and expenditure from the LGF for 2016 and 2017 is set out in Tables 1 and 2 respectively. The payments to each local authority in 2016 are detailed in Table 3; these figures are subject to audit. When finalised, the audited accounts of the LGF for 2016 will be available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Seaweed Harvesting Licences (9 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: A decision whether to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment is governed by the requirements of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (EIA). In the case referred to, as the activity was not a class of activity set out in either Annex 1 or 2 of the EIA Directive, nor was it within a Natura 2000 site, an EIA was not required.The application was subject to the normal public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (9 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 prescribe maximum net income limits for each housing authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (9 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department publishes a range of statistics in relation to housing, including on Part V output which is available at the following link: . Information in respect of the full year of 2016 is currently being finalised and will be published shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (9 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: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (9 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: There are two separate Rapid Build schemes in Cherry Orchard. It is expected that the first scheme of 24 units will be completed and delivered by the end of Quarter 2, 2017. The second scheme, comprising 53 units, is currently at tender stage and is expected to be completed later this year.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (9 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: At the end of 2016, as reported in the Social Housing Construction Quarter 4 Report, Rapid Delivery schemes yielding 283 units in the Dublin City Council area were at various stages of approval. Of these, 153 have been fully approved for construction, 22 of these units were delivered and occupied at Poppintree in Ballymun and a further 131 were under construction and will be delivered in 2017.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Freedom of Information Requests (9 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department did not incur any fees for legal counsel or any separate legal costs, including through the Chief State Solicitor’s Office, on Freedom of Information requests received by the Department in 2014, 2015, 2016 or to date in 2017.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 151 together. My Department’s new Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2016-2018 includes funding of groups sewerage schemes, through Measure 4(d), where clustering of households on individual septic tanks is not a viable option, particularly from an environmental perspective. Local authorities were invited in January 2016 to submit bids under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Cross-Border Co-operation (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department has policy responsibility for, and provides funding under, two themes under the PEACE IV Programme. These themes are Shared Spaces and Servicesand Building Positive Relations at Local Level. Progress under these themes, and the roll-out of the programme generally, is proceeding as expected. I anticipate a successful implementation of the PEACE IV Programme and, at this stage, I...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Question Number 99 of 2 March 2017, which sets out the position in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: Statistics in relation to social housing stock are gathered by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in their annual reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. These statistics are set out by local authority and include the percentage of such dwellings that were vacant at the end of the year, with the last year for which the statistics are available being 2015. This...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Data (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department is responsible for workforce planning for the local government sector, including monitoring of local government sector employment levels. Up-to-date staffing numbers for the local authority sector are available on the Public Service Numbers Databank which is hosted and maintained by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is available at the following link: . The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Property Tax (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Question Nos. 156 to 159, inclusive, together. Local Property Tax (LPT) was introduced to provide an alternative, stable and sustainable funding base for the local authority sector, providing greater levels of connection between local revenue raising and associated expenditure decisions and giving greater funding certainty for the sector through removing the reliance on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (8 Mar 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, easier...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Data (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: There are currently over 18,000 households being supported by the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme in 31 local authority areas. A breakdown of the number of households supported by HAP, including the number of Rent Supplement Transfers, in each local authority area at 31 December 2016 is available on my Department's website at the following link: . A breakdown of households supported...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Compulsory Purchase Orders (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not collect the specific information requested in relation to the compulsory acquisition of vacant properties by local authorities. Local authorities have been, and continue to be, in a position to acquire significant substantial numbers of vacant properties for social housing without recourse to compulsory purchase processes; details of such acquisitions are collated and...