Results 16,801-16,820 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Private Rented Accommodation Costs (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The significant increases in rents we are seeing, particularly in urban areas, are primarily caused by a severe shortage in supply. The best way to address rents in the long term and benefit the entire sector is to increase the supply of rental accommodation and accelerate the delivery of housing for the private and social rented sectors. However, I acknowledge that short-term measures are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Private Rented Accommodation Costs (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Striking a balance is difficult; if it was easy, we would have acted months ago. Sinn Féin has made proposals on numerous occasions and I understand the party intends to introduce another Private Members' motion in two weeks' time, which is just before we are due to the launch the rental strategy. I am not sure if this will be helpful given that we are trying to finalise a rental...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Private Rented Accommodation Costs (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The rental strategy is an important part of the housing strategy. The rental market has doubled in size in the past 20 years. Thousands of families rely on a sustainable and predictable rental market to provide certainty about where they will live in six weeks, six months or six years. We are trying to respond to changing circumstances and the crisis in supply in many parts of the country....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: That is a fair question. Rebuilding Ireland's core objective is to increase and accelerate housing delivery to meet demand. In the context of State lands, that means extracting the optimum housing supply in the shortest possible timeframe, while also securing the greatest value for money possible in terms of State-owned assets. In practical terms, this will include accelerating social...

Questions on Proposed Legislation (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Maybe Deputy Kelleher is auditioning himself. We introduced that Bill in the Seanad yesterday and we finished Second Stage yesterday. I hope Committee and Report Stages will be finished in the Seanad next week and that, therefore, we will be in a position to bring it into the Dáil in the first week in December.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Nitrates Usage (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended, give legal effect in Ireland to the Nitrates Directive and to our Nitrates Action Programme (NAP). The Directive requires all member states to define set periods when the land application of fertiliser, including slurry, is not allowed and in Ireland the closed season commenced on 15...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) site holds significant potential to deliver residential development at a pace and scale that would assist greatly in addressing the current critical shortage of housing supply in the Dublin Region. As is required under the SDZ process, there is a comprehensive planning scheme in place, approved by An Bord Pleanála, for the development of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is fully recognised that the period of time that families spend in emergency hotel and bed and breakfast accommodation should be minimised. This is reflected in the commitment in Rebuilding Ireland that by mid-2017, hotels should only be used in limited circumstances for emergency accommodation for families. It is intended that this will be achieved by meeting their housing needs through...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: As set out in Rebuilding Ireland, a ‘one-stop-shop’ assessment centre will be put in place in Dublin for families presenting as homeless by the end of this year. Implementation of this initiative is being led by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE). This centre will have multi-agency participation including the Dublin housing authorities, Tusla, Family Mediation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: EU Directives (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive sets out the requirements for the collection, treatment and discharge of waste water from urban areas/agglomerations. Compliance with the requirements of this Directive is reported annually by the Environmental Protection Agency in their Urban Waste Water Treatment Report. In September 2013, the European Commission commenced formal infringement...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department routinely monitors the planning process and acts to ensure it facilitates appropriate multi-unit housing developments to meet the broader housing requirements of society. The Dublin Housing Supply and Co-ordination Task Force indicates that sufficient planning permissions are in place in Dublin to yield almost 27,000 new dwellings, whereas only approximately 126 sites,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Repair and Leasing Scheme (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) has been developed to assist private property owners and local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to harness the accommodation potential that exists in certain vacant properties across Ireland. The scheme was launched in Waterford and Carlow in early October 2016, on a pilot basis, and it is my intention that the scheme will be available...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Rent Controls (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 23, 34, 35, 40, 51 to 53, inclusive, 58 and 60 together. The significant increases in rents that we are seeing currently, particularly in urban areas, are caused, primarily, by a severe shortage in supply. The best way to address rents in the long term, and benefit the entire sector, is to increase the supply of rental accommodation and accelerate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: A lack of additional housing supply coming on stream over the past decade or so in the areas of strongest demand is one of the principal root causes of our current housing crisis. Activity by institutional and professional residential sector investment specialists such as Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) in purchasing housing and engaging in the building out of part completed schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Meetings (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department keeps in regular contact with the relevant Departments and agencies in Northern Ireland on planning matters. Furthermore, recognising the importance of cross-border co-operation on strategic planning and development matters, my Department, together with the former Department for Regional Development in Northern Ireland, has previously published a document entitled the Framework...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The rental market in Ireland has grown significantly in recent years. According to the most recent Census data available, almost one-fifth of the population lives in the rental sector and there are now over 324,000 tenancies registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). In publishing the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Government has set out a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The designation of an area as a Strategic Development Zone under Section 166 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) is a collective Government decision, taking on board observations from relevant Government Departments and the various Agencies and public bodies under their aegis. Thereafter, the relevant development agency within the meaning of Section 165 of the Act, usually...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation Data (17 Nov 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 related services, for homeless persons rests with housing authorities. It is fully...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: In 2011, Dublin City Council had a social housing stock of 26,750. In September 2016, stock numbers were 25,602 units (a difference of 1,148). Over this period, complexes in Charlemont St., Ballymun, St. Teresa’s Gardens, Dolphin House and O’Devaney Gardens were demolished as part of the regeneration of these complexes/areas. In addition, over the period in question, the City...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (17 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 82 together. The decision to replace town authorities with a new model of municipal governance under the Local Government Reform Act 2014 was designed primarily to strengthen local government within counties and to address widely acknowledged and long-standing weaknesses and anomalies in the previous system, including divided administration between...