Results 15,721-15,740 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Urban Renewal Schemes (8 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Programme for a Partnership Government, published in May 2016, sets out the ambitious priority attached to urban regeneration by the Government, incorporating a series of specific actions aimed at facilitating the regeneration of our urban centres, many of which have been adversely impacted by our recent economic difficulties. The Government's Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: National Oversight and Audit Commission (8 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together. The National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) was established under the Local Government Reform Act 2014 to provide oversight of the local government sector and it is statutorily independent of my Department. The specific functions assigned to NOAC include scrutiny of the performance of any local government body against...

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

Simon Coveney: I have no plans to reduce the €20 fee payable by members of the public for making submissions or observations on planning applications, including successive applications for development on the same site in respect of which other planning applications have been made in the previous 5 years. The amount of the fee for this purpose is relatively low having regard to the administrative and...

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

Simon Coveney: The 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing, issued by my Department, set out the national policy framework for planning authorities in drawing up their statutory development plans in relation to rural housing, taking into account local circumstances and the type of area involved, including are as near large cities and towns which need careful management of development pressures...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: National Planning Framework (8 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: The new National Planning Framework (NPF), Ireland 2040 – Our Plan, will provide the strategic 20 year-plus framework for the development of Ireland to 2040. Cross-border co-operation between Ireland and Northern Ireland on planning matters has been ongoing for many years as evidenced by the publication of a Framework for Co-operation: Spatial Strategies of Northern Ireland &...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commissions of Inquiry (8 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: There are no formal investigations or inquiries currently being conducted in my Department.

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

Simon Coveney: The results of the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments carried out in 2016 provide updated figures on the number of households qualified for social housing support across each housing authority. The 2016 summary recorded 91,600 such households as at 21 September, 2016. The full results of the 2016 Summary are available on my Department’s website at the following link:....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Electoral Reform (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: I have no plans to extend the right to vote at Dáil general elections to Irish emigrants.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions, including the Dog Warden service, of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. Therefore, the matter raised in relation to providing resources to dog wardens is a matter for each Chief Executive.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Local authorities require a range of flexible options to meet the variety of housing needs of the households on their social housing waiting lists. Similarly, there are a range of delivery mechanisms and programmes available to local authorities that make the most of the opportunities in the private rental market, in the approved housing body sector and the housing construction sector...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Brexit Issues (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has adopted a whole-of-Government approach to the challenges posed by Brexit, led by the Cabinet Committee on Brexit, which is chaired by the Taoiseach. While the specific impact of Brexit will be determined by the nature of the new relationship between the EU and the UK, our objective to grow the number of jobs supported by the enterprise agencies...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Rent Pressure Zones (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 261 to 263, inclusive, together. The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 amends the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to provide that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to the Minister that an area should be considered as a Rent Pressure Z one. Following receipt of such a proposal,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Library Services (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department has no role in relation to the procurement of book-stock for public libraries. The provision of public library services, including the procurement of books, is a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. In this regard, a national tender for book stock procurement was run recently by the Local Government...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Rent Controls (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 to 267, inclusive, together. The reviewing of local authority housing rents and the collection of rents from tenants is a matter for individual local authorities and I, as Minister, have no function in the matter. Guidelines entitled “Rent Assessment, Collection, Accounting and Arrears Control” were published by the Housing Unit...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Funding allocations to all local authorities, including Meath County Council, under the programme to support Housing Adaptations and Extensions to meet needs of Local Authority tenants with a disability will issue shortly.  As funding from my Department under this programme has been maintained or increased in many cases, there is no reason for a particular delay in processing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: On 13 December 2016, Government approved the publication of a Strategy for the Rental Sector, which delivers on a commitment made under Pillar 4 of Rebuilding Ireland.The strategy 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together. Block grant based allocations by my Department in 2015 for new group sewerage schemes amounted to €1.908 million. The amount recouped by my Department for the year, based on the claims for payment by the local authorities, was €0.889 million. A multi-annual funding approach was introduced for the first time for the Rural...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: In December 2013, my Department published proposed draft revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 WindEnergy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed: - the setting of a more stringent day and night-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments, - a mandatory minimum setback distance of 500 metres between a wind...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Election Management System (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Section 111 of the Electoral Act 1992 provides that only persons on the register of electors for a constituency are entitled to vote at an election in that constituency. Subsection (2)(b) provides that the Minister may make regulations in relation to specified documents that may be requested from any person applying for a ballot paper at a polling station at a Dáil general election,...