Results 16,401-16,420 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: Amendments Nos. 137, 157, and 170 provide that, where a receiver is appointed to a rented dwelling, that receiver will take on the responsibilities of the landlord. We are examining this matter and there is a strong section on it in the rental strategy. It is more legally complex than I had believed. We wanted to transfer the responsibilities in terms of tenancy protections and so on that...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: In order to be helpful, I should say that this is the receivership amendment and we are taking legal advice on section 31. We may need to table an amendment on Report Stage to delete section 31. I do not know whether that impacts on Deputy Cowen's interest in pressing the amendment, but we are checking legal issues before Report Stage.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: I ask the committee to note that I will be bringing a consequential amendment to section 39 on Report Stage. The section was an Opposition amendment inserted on Report Stage in the Seanad and the changes are in the nature of drafting only.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: This relates to the transfer of funds from the local government fund to the Exchequer. I intend to bring forward a Report Stage amendment to the section. The purpose of the amendment is primarily technical, to provide that the section will be commenced on the day after enactment and that the payment may be made in January 2017, should there be any unforeseen delay in the enactment for any...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Message to Dáil (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: I thank all the staff. It is not normal for us to be here at 11.15 p.m. I also thank Opposition parties and their spokespeople for working with us on a very busy schedule this week. For many reasons, it is very important that this legislation is passed before the end of the year. We flagged it a number of months ago but it is still taking a lot of time this week. I thank the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Tribunals of Inquiry Expenditure (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments (the Mahon Tribunal) was established by Order of the Minister for the Environment and Local Government to inquire into and report on various planning matters, set out in resolutions passed by Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann on 7 and 8 October 1997, respectively. The final report of the Tribunal was published in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Safety Regulations (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 258 together. The Building Regulations 1997-2014, in particular Part B Fire Safety, impose requirements in relation to fire safety in the construction of new buildings and works to existing buildings. However, there are no regulations imposing requirements on the tenants of residential properties. Minimum standards for rental accommodation are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: For the purpose of assessing households under the income eligibility criteria, the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 prescribe the maximum net income limits that can be set by each housing authority to be applied in assessing an applicant’s eligibility for social housing support. The 2011 Regulations do not provide housing authorities with any discretion to exceed the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (13 Dec 2016)

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 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. Commercial rates form an important element...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Development Contributions (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: Section 48 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the application of development contributions by local authorities. These contributions are applied as conditions attached to planning permissions for the purpose of contributing to the costs associated with the provision of public infrastructure and facilities benefitting development in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Legislative Measures (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: Addressing the under-provision of housing is one of the key objectives in the Programme for a Partnership Governmentand the Government has underpinned its commitment to tackling the housing supply shortage by publishing Rebuilding Ireland – An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessnessin July. The provisions of the Planning and Development (Housing) And Residential Tenancies Bill...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department engaged the services of photographers on a number of occasions since March 2011. The details are set out as follows: Year Event Photographer Cost 2011 Irelands Best Kept Towns Ceremony Maxwell Photography €932 2011 Tidy Towns national Awards ceremony The Picture Rooms €600 2011 Meeting of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: The information requested is set out in the following table: Year Commissioned Consultant/Author etc. Name/Description of Report/Review/Study Date or Expected Date of Publication Amount Spent Since March 2011 2011 ARUP Consulting Engineers Study in respect of provision of fire detection and alarms systems in dwellings. Not intended for publication. It is a technical report, to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Public Relations Contracts Data (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department has not engaged any external public relations firms since March 2011. In relation to my Department’s policy for the engagement of external expertise, this is generally only considered where the issues involved require expert skills or capabilities that are not readily available within my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Funding (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 232 and 233 together. In addition to the local authorities’ own maintenance programmes, my Department supports local authorities to upgrade their social housing stock via targeted funding programmes, such as support for returning vacant social housing units back to productive use and a programme to undertake insulation retrofitting. The following is the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Compulsory Purchase Orders (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 235 together. I have no powers in relation to the initiation of Compulsory Purchase Orders, this being the responsibility of relevant local authorities. The issues raised in the Questions relate, essentially, to the adequacy of land supply to address the current housing supply shortage. In broad terms, the Government does not believe that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation Provision (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: The long-term solution to homelessness is to increase the supply of homes. A range of measures are being progressed in this regard under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessnesswhich was launched in July 2016 and provides a multi-stranded, action-oriented approach to achieving the Government’s key housing objectives, including tackling homelessness in a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Election Management System (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: The information requested is set out in the following table: Election Donegal islands Mayo islands Galway islands Cork islands General election Friday 26 February 2016 Thursday 25 February 2016 Thursday 25 February 2016 Thursday 25 February 2016 Friday 26 February 2016 European Parliament and Local Elections Friday 23 May 2014 Thursday 22 May 2014 Thursday 22...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (13 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: Neither I nor my Department has any role in monitoring or supervising the delivery of water services. Irish Water has statutory responsibility for the planning, delivery and operation of public water and wastewater services at national, regional and local levels. The EPA is responsible for licensing and regulating urban waste water discharges. Irish Water has informed my Department that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (13 Dec 2016)

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 of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. Each Local Authority is an individual employer in its own right. Therefore, the methodology to be used in recruitment for posts, other than those which...