Results 1,661-1,680 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Building Regulations (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I acknowledge the Deputy's views. New housing completions in 2014 amounted to 11,016 units nationally, an increase of 33% on the 2013 figure, with a further 2,639 units completed in quarter one of this year, an increase of 26% on the previous year. The projections for increased housing output are positive. In respect of planning permissions in the pipeline, planning permissions were...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Building Regulations (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Deputy will agree that dramatic decrease in one-off house construction was due to a number of reasons, primary among them the economic consequences of the crash and access to credit for young people who wanted to build homes on their own land. It is not entirely due to the cost of regulations but the Minister and I have undertaken to review the regulations after one year. I met all the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Building Regulations (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Government’s Construction 2020 strategy sets out a comprehensive package of measures to restore the construction sector to a sustainable position within our economy and sets out a number of actions to increase the supply of good quality houses to meet a growing demand. My Department is the lead Department for a range of the Construction 2020 actions in the areas of housing and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government published Construction 2020: A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sectorin May 2014 aimed at addressing issues in the property and construction sectors and ensuring that any critical bottlenecks that might impede the sector in meeting residential and non-residential demand are addressed. The Dublin Housing Supply Co-ordination Task Force,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Application (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The key impact on costs associated with SI No. 9 of 2014 lies in the requirement for the appointment of an Assigned Certifier whose role, in conjunction with the builder and the project team, is to draw up and execute an appropriate inspection plan and to certify the building on completion. While fees for professional services are determined by market forces and are therefore outside the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The recently published Daft.ie Rental Reportfor Quarter 1 2015 reported that year-on-year inflation in rents continued to ease slightly in the first three months of 2015. It reported that rents nationally were 8.2% higher than in the first quarter of 2014, down from the 10.4% annual increase recorded in mid-2014. While the report recorded a slow-down in rent inflation in Dublin, this was...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for a new tenant purchase scheme for the purchase of existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines.  The scheme is an important part of the Government's strategy to promote sustainable communities by enabling local authority tenants to purchase their homes. The Government's Social Housing Strategy...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the relevant contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder, the materials supplier and/or their respective insurers, and I firmly believe that the parties responsible for poor workmanship and/or the supply of defective materials should face up to their responsibilities and take appropriate actions to provide remedies for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department has received a copy of the report and has noted its contents. In this regard, my Department has previously put on record its strong disagreement with the stance adopted by HomeBond in withdrawing, in August 2011, cover for pyrite-related damage to homeowners. Following publication of the Report of the Pyrite Panel(July 2012), my Department engaged in protracted discussions...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Inspections (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. These Regulations were updated by the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2009. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: In general, building defects are matters for resolution between contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder, the materials supplier and/or their respective insurers. In the event that the parties cannot reach a settlement by negotiation the option of seeking redress in the Courts can be considered. My Department understands that legal proceedings have been instigated in some of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department has received a copy of the report and has noted its contents. In this regard, my Department has previously put on record its strong disagreement with the stance adopted by HomeBond in withdrawing, in August 2011, cover for pyrite- related damage to homeowners. Following publication of the (July 2012), my Department engaged in protracted discussions with the key stakeholders,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No. 6 on today's Order Paper. Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides - in relation to estates which have been completed to the satisfaction of the planning authority in accordance with the planning permission - that the planning authority must if requested to do so by the developer, or by the majority of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for a new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines. The Government's Social Housing Strategy 2020includes a commitment to make the Regulations necessary for its introduction, in the second quarter of 2015, which will set out the full details of the new scheme. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The operation of the tenant purchase scheme for local authority apartments is a matter for individual housing authorities under Part 4 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Housing (Tenant Purchase of Apartments) Regulations 2011. Further Regulations will be made in due course prescribing the form of, and the terms and conditions to be specified in, the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215, 216, 218 and 222 together. The recently published Daft.ie Rental Reportfor Quarter 1 2015 reported that year-on-year inflation in rents continued to ease slightly in the first three months of 2015. It reported that rents nationally were 8.2% higher than in the first quarter of 2014, down from the 10.4% annual increase recorded in mid-2014. While the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The finalisation of any outstanding planning related matters regarding the development concerned are a matter for Kildare County Council and I have no function in such matters.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (11 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I understand that this issue concerns the non-completion of a development by a developer, which is an enforcement matter for Kildare County Council, in relation to which I have no role. My Department has not received any reports from Kildare County Council in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Amendments (9 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1022 and 1032 together. Prior to the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 9 of 2014) coming into effect on 1 March 2014, the then Minister signalled the intention to review their effectiveness following their first twelve months of operation. This review is now underway. Concerns highlighted in relation to the cost impact on one-off housing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (9 Jun 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Any application for planning permission for the type of development mentioned will be considered by the relevant planning authority, Limerick County Council, under the Planning and Development Act 2000 and associated Regulations, which include a requirement for public consultation, and for consultation with prescribed bodies. These bodies include the Health Service Executive and the Health...