Results 15,321-15,340 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The allocation of social housing support to qualified households is a matter for the housing authority concerned in accordance with the authority’s allocation scheme made under Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011. While the development and implementation of an allocation scheme is a matter for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility (2 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. The Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015 governing the Scheme provides for a number of specified classes of houses to be excluded from sale, including...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The results of the latest Summary of Social Assessments, carried out as at 21 September 2016, show that of the 91,600 households qualified for social housing support at this date, 46,294 households included at least one child, with an overall total of 84,025 children. The following table provides a breakdown of the number of children included in households qualified for social housing support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Eligibility (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 114 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme Data (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: Final detailed data relating to 2016 Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) activity at local authority level are not yet available. The information requested by the Deputy relating to the years 2013 to 2015 is set out as follows. While some 3,286 RAS contracts relating to 4,712 separate tenancies, ended during this three year period, a further 6,706 new RAS tenancies commenced. This represented...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 113 together. My Department has put in place a wide range of programmes that are available to all local authorities to generate increased social housing supply, to address specific special needs and to improve the standards and condition of the social housing stock. Arising from the Social Housing Strategy, targets and provisional funding allocations...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Applications Data (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each housing authority area are provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments. The most recent figures available are the results of the 2016 Summary which are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/su...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: Local authorities including Waterford City and County Council have recently submitted the list of properties, they wish to be included in the 2017 Voids Programme. These units are currently been assessed and I expect to announce details shortly of the 2017 funding for local authorities to address vacant social housing stock, including the breakdown of the targets and funding for each local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The information on the turnaround time for voids is not collected by my Department. However the key objective of the Voids Programme is aimed at minimising the turnaround and re let time of vacant units and returning them to use in a very energy efficient condition. Since the commencement of the Voids Programme in 2014 over 7,100 vacant social housing units have been returned to productive...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Repair and Leasing Scheme (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS), has been developed 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 properties up to the required...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (2 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 Act s 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: Legislative Process RIA (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 118 together. The following table gives details of Bills published by my Department between 2011 and 2016, indicating whether or not a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) was undertaken in each case: Name and Number of Bill RIA completed Yes/No Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011 (32 of 2011) Yes Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011 (46 of 2011)...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Revised) (1 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: I will make a detailed opening statement. We will, I hope, go through the different briefs one after the other and take questions members may have. I welcome the opportunity to discuss with the select committee my Department's Revised Estimate for 2017. I am accompanied by the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, and the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne. To assist in our...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Revised) (1 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: Sounds like a scene from "Life of Brian".

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Revised) (1 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: I welcome Deputy Ellis. I am sure he will pitch in on the discussion as we go. I have given an opening speech addressing the areas of funding provision, housing, water, local government, community planning, Met Éireann and administration. In some ways, I understand where Deputy Casey is coming from in terms of capital versus current spending on housing. This is a big priority for...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Revised) (1 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: We do.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Revised) (1 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: I will deal with the last question first because it is obviously topical today, although I will try to stick with the Estimates but it does impact on the Estimates to a certain extent because we have to account for the suspension of water charges this year. That was already part of the Estimate and it will be part of a Revised Estimate if the decision is made to proceed in a way that does...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Revised) (1 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: They have not, actually.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Revised) (1 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: It has not.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Revised) (1 Mar 2017)

Simon Coveney: There is a process still under way in that committee. We should let the committee do its work. The Chairman is attempting to bring people together. They are meeting again today. We should not try to influence its work from the outside. We should let that process take its course. We had looked at introducing a new affordable rental model that would apply-----