Results 16,901-16,920 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Agency Portfolio (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 355 together. With the demand for additional social housing units to be delivered at an accelerated pace, initiatives which provide greater efficiency in the delivery of those units are vital. In particular, engaging with banks and investment companies in respect of their vacant/available property portfolios, which normally span a number of local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Data (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non-Principal Private Residence Charge. The NPPR Charge, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence. The self-assessed charge is set at €200 per annum and liability for it...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have no plans currently to increase the upper limit of the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability from € 30,000. The average grant paid out under this scheme in 2015 was €8,000 per applicant and I believe it is important to spread the benefit of the scheme to as many recipients as possible within the funding available. Changes to the means assessment for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not hold the data requested by the Deputy. Indeed, it is a matter for each local authority to satisfy itself that it has sufficient lands zoned to meet its overall housing needs, both in relation to wider residential development and in terms of lands on which social housing can be provided. Under Rebuilding Ireland: an Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, 47,000...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Boundaries Review (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The merger of Waterford City Council and Waterford County Council took effect from 1 June 2014. It is a matter for the new authority, Waterford City and County Council, to ensure that the recommendations of the Implementation Group are progressed on behalf of the citizens of Waterford.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: In line with a commitment given in the Social Housing Strategy 2020, summaries of social housing assessments will now be undertaken on an annual basis, starting this year. Work on the 2016 summary is well advanced and I expect it to be finalised shortly. Data on the numbers failing to return assessment forms during the 2016 process will be compiled and included in the Summary findings. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act, 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Expenditure (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I understand that rather than purchasing a property, Tipperary County Council is seeking to acquire a site which includes an amount of housing, to facilitate the development of a project under the Limerick Hinterland Report. I understand that the draft contracts for this purchase are currently being considered by the Council.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Funding (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation, and related services, for homeless persons rests with housing authorities. Under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988, my Department provides current funding to housing authorities towards the cost of providing homeless services, including accommodation. The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 1993 provide that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: SDZs designated by Government, and the relevant years of designation, are set out below. - Adamstown South Dublin County Council (2001) - Clonmagadden Meath County Council (2001) - Hansfield Fingal County Council (2001) - Clonburris-Balgaddy South Dublin County Council (2006 and 2015) - Cherrywood Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (2010) - Monard Cork County Council (2010) -...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department is working closely with the four Dublin local authorities in relation to the Rapid Delivery Programme. As such, 22 rapid build units have already been delivered and are occupied. Dublin City Council is currently advancing a number of rapid build projects, including on four sites at Finglas, Darndale, Cherry Orchard and Drimnagh, which will deliver a further 131 units. These...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 294, 296, 298, 304, 306, 307, 310, 311, 313 to 317, inclusive, 319, 325 to 328, inclusive, 330, 332, 333, 335 to 337, inclusive 340, 346, 347, 349, 353 and 361 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 167 of 2 November 2016. Implementation of the Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness is being advanced across a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 295, 297 and 299 to 303, inclusive, together. Implementation of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness is being advanced across a number of departments and agencies, under the oversight of the Cabinet Committee on Housing, chaired by An Taoiseach. All of the sections are progressing in line with the identified timeframes in Rebuilding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Up to the end of Quarter 3 2016, a total of 3,498 cases had been submitted under the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme which was introduced in 2012 for borrowers of private commercial lending institutions. Of the 3,498 cases submitted, 2,642 were ineligible or terminated during the process for a variety of reasons. Of the remaining cases submitted, 669 are being actively progressed and 187 have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is a key Government priority and the accelerated roll-out of the scheme on a national basis is an important early action for completion in Rebuilding Ireland: Action Pl an for Housing and Homelessness. HAP is now available to all qualified households in 19 local authority areas, with over 14,500 households currently being...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Work on developing the new funding vehicle is underway within the NTMA. Potential models for the structure of the vehicle are being examined and bilateral engagement is ongoing between the NTMA and my Department. A critical factor in the delivery of the action will be that the funding vehicle is ‘off balance sheet’ from a Government accounting perspective. Consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 312, 334 and 348 together. The active pursuit of progressing housing developments on State lands, including local authority lands, is a major part of the new approach to housing provision under Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. Rebuilding Ireland contains a number of integrated actions to underpin State land supply management,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: A number of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) have begun work on developing innovative financial models to fund their delivery of social housing. It is hoped that these efforts could potentially present the opportunity for delivery on a significant scale, while also meeting off-balance sheet requirements and achieving lower cost long term fixed price funding for AHBs. To encourage and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) have a key role in the delivery of social housing, as recognised in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. In this context, regulation is important in order to underpin stability in the sector, to better protect tenants and to safeguard public and private investment in AHBs and the assets developed through that investment. In 2014,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (15 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: In line with the commitment in Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, it is my intention to provide funding to support 10,000 homes under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability in 2017. Allocations for next year under the grants scheme will be announced in due course.