Results 15,741-15,760 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: National Spatial Strategy (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together. As the Deputy will be aware, a new National Planning Framework (NPF) is being prepared by my Department on behalf of Government and will address the issues raised in her questions. The NPF, titled Ireland 2040 – Our Plan will act as the successor to the National Spatial Strategy 2002 (NSS) and will be Government’s...

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

Simon Coveney: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme for borrowers of private commercial lending institutions introduced in 2012 is targeted at those households in arrears who are eligible for social housing support whose mortgage is unsustainable. An important aspect to the MTR scheme is that it targets only the most acute arrears cases where a mortgage is clearly unsustainable and the household has very...

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

Simon Coveney: The purchase of the site concerned, including the amount the local authority paid for the site and the timeline for its intended use, are matters in the first place for the local authority. The most common approach in recent years for local authorities to acquire land, especially for housing purposes, was to obtain loan finance from the Housing Finance Agency. The process for a local...

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

Simon Coveney: The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 amended section 3 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 so that dwellings let by approved housing bodies (AHBs) to social housing tenants now come within the remit of the Act. The position of these tenants is significantly improved by the change, which commenced on 7 April 2016, as they now benefit from the following: - Increased security of...

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

Simon Coveney: Since 2002, substantial funding has been provided under the Rural Water Programme. The main focus of the investment for a large part of this period has been on addressing issues which were highlighted in the 2002 Court of Justice ruling on drinking water. The objective of the new Multi-annual Rural Water Programme for 2016-2018 is to provide enhanced funding certainty for priority investment...

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

Simon Coveney: The most recent review of local electoral areas was carried out from November 2012 to May 2013 by a Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee established under the Local Government Act 1991. The recommendations of that committee were implemented through 30 Statutory Instruments made in January 2014. Unlike the position for Dáil and European Parliament constituencies, there is no...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Eligibility (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme for borrowers of private commercial lending institutions was introduced in 2012. The scheme is part of the overall suite of social housing options and is an important part of the mortgage arrears resolution process. Up to the end of December 2016, a total of 3,575 cases have been submitted under the MTR scheme. Of these, 2,723 were ineligible or terminated...

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

Simon Coveney: My Department’s decision in relation to the funding of the remediation works in question, which were carried out by way of extension of an existing contract, was informed by a full consideration of the circumstances and risks involved, including cost and delivery issues, and legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General.  The details of the contract extension were a matter...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licence Applications (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department received 555 public submissions during the public consultation period for the application in question. Details of the public notice, the public submissions and the applicant’s response to the public submissions can be viewed on my Department’s website at the following weblink: .

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licence Applications (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: In accordance with Foreshore legislation, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government is the Minister with responsibility for making the decision on this application. A decision will only be made following the careful examination and consideration of the application and supporting documentation and all views/comments received including those of the prescribed bodies...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licence Applications (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: The MLVC Report for the application in question was completed by one of my Department’s Water Services Advisers. A copy of the report can be viewed on my Department’s website at the following weblink: . The nature and scale of the proposed works did not require the convening of the full MLVC.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licence Applications (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Marine Institute operated a Marine and Renewable Energy Test Facility at Spiddal in Galway Bay since 2006 under lease number FS004904. This test facility operated for approximately 9 years on an independent basis. A further lease application has been made (FS006566) in relation to a proposed new test site. In 2013, in order to improve the environmental monitoring in the area, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Environmental Impact Statements (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: It has now been established that the Departments that held responsibility for the foreshore function have been unable to locate the environmental assessment reports requested in respect of the granting of the 2006 lease.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (7 Feb 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: Local Authority Funding (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: It is a matter for Galway City Council in the first place to determine both its own need for land for social housing or any other purposes, and also their preferred means of acquiring such land. My Department will address any proposal received from the Council in relation to borrowing, having regard to all the circumstances that apply. This will include the need to make adequate provision...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility (7 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Under Part 4 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, which provides for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, a household in receipt of another form of social housing support, such as accommodation provided under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), will not generally be eligible for HAP. The legislation does allow for the provision of HAP where a housing authority is...

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: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Data (2 Feb 2017)

Simon Coveney: Up to 31 December 2016, a total of 3,575 cases have been submitted under the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) Scheme, which was introduced in 2012 for borrowers of private commercial lending institutions. Of these, 2,723 were ineligible or terminated during the process, 217 have been completed with 635 being actively progressed. The reasons why a case has not progressed are varied and can depend on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Evictions (2 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. One of the measures contained...