Results 15,621-15,640 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Confidence in Government: Motion (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: -----in the area of housing. That is exactly what we will continue to do.

Confidence in Government: Motion (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: We have already committed €5.5 billion to social housing. We have already in the pipeline nearly 8,500 social houses under way.

Confidence in Government: Motion (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Our focus will be to continue with the work rather than the games that Sinn Féin continues to play in this House.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Superannuation Schemes (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: In 2008, retained fire-fighters were given the option of joining the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS) and receive a pension and retirement lump sum based on their pensionable remuneration and length of service.  Retained fire-fighters who opted not to join the scheme receive, on retirement, a gratuity of 1/8th of the annual retainer multiplied by the number of years of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Funding availability under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) for 2016 was €86m. Despite there being a substantial pipeline of project approvals in place under the Scheme, progress in 2016 was slower than expected and the final funding drawdown for the year was €37m. CAS applications in 2016 were received up to the end of the year and all are being considered for funding. It...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Library Services (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: As advised in the reply to Question No. 264 of 7 February 2017, the information requested in respect of the national library book-stock tender managed by the Local Government Management Agency is a matter for that body. Arrangements have been put in place by bodies under the aegis of the Department to facilitate the provision of information by those bodies directly to members of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Louth County Council have just recently furnished to my Department a capital appraisal including a feasibility study in order for a full assessment of this project to be carried out. On the basis that the material submitted meets the requirements of the Scheme, a Stage 1 approval shall issue without delay. It should be noted that progress on CAS projects can be considerably slower than...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 157 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services, including accommodation, rests with individual housing authorities. I am satisfied that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water Conservation Grant Data (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Water Conservation Grant was introduced in 2015 as part of the Government's revised package of water measures, announced in November 2014. The scheme assisted in the promotion of water conservation and sustainable use of water services in the homes of both customers and non-customers of Irish Water. The 2015 €100 Water Conservation Grant was available to all households that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Boundaries (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 161 together. The recommendations in the report of the independent committee which reviewed the local authority boundary at Waterford have significant implications andit would not be appropriate to make rushed decisions in that regard. I will be considering the report and its implications very carefully in the context both of ongoing work in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Animal Welfare (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Section 2 of the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 defines a dog breeding establishment as ‘‘a premises at which bitches are kept, not less than 6 of which are: (a) more than 6 months old, and (b) capable of being used for breeding purposes, but shall not include a local authority pound”. The current dog breeding establishment guidelines and the revised draft...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water Services (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: I refer to the reply to Question Number 268 of 24 January 2017. The following table sets out the number of group water schemes, and their associated number of domestic connections, benefitting from subsidy payments in 2014 - 2015. Final figures for the number of group water schemes, and their associated number of domestic connections, benefitting from subsidy payments in 2016 will not be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (15 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Class 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 provides for an exemption from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of works to provide a hard surface within the curtilage of a house for purposes incidental to the enjoyment of the house. Under an amendment made to the Planning Regulations in 2011, the exemption for a hard surface to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates Calculations (14 Feb 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 important...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Community Development Projects (14 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Lead responsibility in relation to rural development matters rests with my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Insofar as my Department is concerned, the Programme for Partnership Governmentgave a commitment to develop a new Community Development Scheme in 2017. The new Communities Facilities Scheme will provide for small scale capital grants to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local and Community Development Programme (14 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: The role of Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs ) is to secure a more joined-up delivery of public-funded local development and community development programmes in both urban and rural areas. This will be achieved primarily through the community elements of the 6-year Local Economic and Community Plans prepared by each LCDC. It will also be progressed through the LCDCs’...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (14 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: A response to this query issued on 13 February 2017. The standard annuity mortgage available from local authorities is targeted at lower income first time buyers who are unable to get a loan from a building society or a bank. The relevant terms and conditions applying to local authority housing loans are as set out in the following regulations - the Housing (Local Authority Loans)...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Urban Renewal Schemes (14 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: The schemes in operation, or which are shortly expected to come into operation, with an urban regeneration aspect under the auspices of my Department include the: - Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), - Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development (RAPID), - Community Facilities Fund, - Repair and Leasing Scheme, - Buy and Renew Initiative, and -...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Register of Electors Administration (14 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: The preparation of the register of electors is a matter for each local authority, as a registration authority, under the Electoral Act 1992. The removal of persons from the register arises in cases where a person is deceased or where the registration authority cannot establish to their satisfaction that the registered person is still resident at the address. Under section 20 of the Electoral...