Results 16,461-16,480 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: With respect, I ask the Deputy to stop trying to fly kites and raise concerns that are not founded in fact.

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: Yesterday the Labour Court indicated-----

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Deputies should listen; they do not like to hear the truth.

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: Giving easy answers is the usual approach of Sinn Féin. Yesterday the Labour Court indicated-----

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: Is the Deputy making a statement for the Dáil?

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: Yesterday the Labour Court indicated that it would not issue a recommendation on the basis that the company was finalising a restructuring plan to be ready by the end of January. However, the Labour Court also stated it was available to the company and the trade unions in the interim, if required. I hope both sides will engage on a constructive basis to seek to resolve difficult issues....

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is important to deal with the facts. The subvented part of Bus Éireann's network, the public service obligation, PSO, network, is performing well and will receive additional taxpayers' resources both this year and next year. The issue arises where Bus Éireann is competing with other operators, areas in which the State is prevented from intervening in a way that would be seen to...

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: It will not be a surprise to anybody to hear the Government has put a huge priority on managing and navigating our way through what will be a difficult period as we build up to Article 50 being triggered and then the consequences of that afterwards. As the Deputy has pointed out, we have had an all-island civil dialogue already. We have had a North-South Ministerial Council that focused...

Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: With respect, it is a little naive to start asking for detail as to how border controls will work before we even have a formal political negotiation between Britain and the European Union under way. Our job is to ensure that there will not be a need for border controls. The political engagement is intensive at senior civil servant level and also at a leadership level within Government...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not routinely collate information on the number of refusals by households of offers of social housing tenancies. Choice-based letting is a method that can be used for allocating social housing in a manner that offers more choice and involvement for applicant households and thereby reduces the likelihood of a refusal. In the context of progressing the introduction of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Regeneration (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: Pillar Five of the Government’sRebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessnessis focussed on the utilisation of existing housing stock and the recognition that a highly effective way to meet housing needs is to achieve optimum occupancy of that existing housing stock, whether social or private housing. One of the most important actions being taken in this context is the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (8 Dec 2016)

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 accommodation and associated services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. The matter...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: As set out in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, a total of 1,500 rapid build units will be delivered by 2018. Rapid-build housing offers a more stable environment than the use of hotels for families in need of emergency accommodation. My Department is working closely with the four Dublin local authorities in relation to the Rapid Delivery Programme. 22 rapid...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Funding (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988. Under ‘Section 10’ funding arrangements, housing authorities must provide at least 10% of the cost of services from their own resources. Furthermore, housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Strategies (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: Pillar 4 of the Government’s Rebuilding IrelandAction Plan commits to developing a comprehensive strategy for the rental sector in Q4 2016. In order to progress the preparation of the strategy, an expert working group was established bringing together key personnel from across my Department and from relevant agencies - the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), the Housing Agency, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: State Bodies Data (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: Details in relation to the membership of State Boards under the aegis of my Department are available on the Department’s website at the following link:. In the case of certain appointments to State Boards, statutory selection procedures must be followed or nominations must be sought from independent nominating panels before appointments are made by the Minister or the Government, as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: As announced in Budget 2015, the moratorium and the Employment Control Framework for the Public Service have been lifted. My Department works closely with Dublin City Council in relation to the Council’s overall staffing requirements. However, under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, it is the Chief Executive of the Council who is responsible for staffing and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Ministerial Staff (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have appointed two Special Advisers in accordance the terms and conditions set out in the Instructions to Personnel Officers – Ministerial Appointments for the 32nd Dáil. Minister of State Damien English has not appointed any Special Advisers. Details of Special Advisers appointed are available on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform website at the following :...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Ministerial Staff (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: One serving civil servant is seconded to work in my constituency office; a further two serving civil servants are seconded to Minister of State English’s constituency office. All three staff members are currently on the payroll of the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and are seconded from other Government Departments. The information in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Data (8 Dec 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 to 113, inclusive, together. My Department does not analyse payroll data in the manner in which the Deputy has requested and the volume of work required to provide a response would be disproportionate. If the Deputy asks a more specific question I will endeavour to provide him with the relevant material. Details in relation to payroll in my Department...