Results 16,961-16,980 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Agriculture Industry (9 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department has responsibility for the European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014. These Regulations set requirements for all land-spreading, including the spreading of sewage sludge, and are designed to provide additional protection to waters from agricultural sources. They include measures such as set periods when the land spreading of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (9 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Funding approval is already in place from my Department for the construction by Galway City Council of a total of 69 new social houses at Ballymoneen Road at an estimated cost of over €14 million. I understand that the first phase of this project to deliver 14 new houses is scheduled to commence on site shortly, while the second phase to deliver a minimum of 55 houses is at design...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Records (9 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: There are no contingent assets in my Department. All amounts owed to my Department at the end of the financial year (31 December) are recorded in the national accounts as assets under Accrued Income as per the statement of accounting policies and principles for appropriation accounts. The most recent Appropriation Account for my Department is in respect of the year ended 31 December 2015...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I refer to the reply given to Question No. 167 of 2 November 2016 which outlines the position in relation to this matter. Since that reply issued, the First Quarterly Progress Report on the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness – Rebuilding Ireland (in respect of Quarter 3 commitments and actions) was published on 1 November, and can be accessed through the following link:- .

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Legislative Reviews (8 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: In late 2015, my Department agreed to begin a process of review of the current Dog Breeding Establishment Guidelines, undertaken by an expert Working Group. The Working Group is representative of my Department, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Agriculture Northern Ireland, the Local Authority Veterinary Services (LAVS), the ISPCA and the DSPCA. All of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: House Purchase Schemes (8 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The New House Grant Scheme, which was administered by my Department, was terminated on 14 November 2002. The Scheme provided for a grant of €3,810 to be paid to first time buyers, where a contract to purchase or to build a house was entered into on or before 14 November 2002 and where an application had been received in my Department on or before 4 December 2002. Exchequer funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (8 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 171, 173 and 174 together. In December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed: - the setting of a more stringent day- and night-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy...

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

Simon Coveney: There is a statutory duty on planning authorities to reflect Government policy in their policy making and decision making functions under planning legislation. In relation to wind energy, the Planning Guidelines issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act (as amended) are clearly aimed at ensuring that planning authorities maximise the contribution that wind energy can...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: National Lottery Funding Applications (8 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Responsibility for the allocation of National Lottery funding to Departmental expenditure programmes, generally, is a matter for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The surplus generated by the National Lottery for good causes is transferred annually to the Exchequer and is applied to part-fund the Exchequer allocations to a specified range of expenditure subheads across a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Flood Prevention Measures (8 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: Local Authorities have wide powers to undertake necessary works in relation to maintaining their administrative areas. From a planning legislation perspective, section 4 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides a general exemption for works carried out by local authorities except in certain circumstances where works require environmental impact assessment (in accordance with the EIA...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (8 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. In accordance with section 37(2) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (8 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 186 together. Section 2 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out the requirements for a person to be regarded as homeless by a housing authority for the purposes of the Act. It is a matter for the housing authority concerned to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless. I have not issued any guidelines to housing authorities in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (8 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 The summary process requires all housing authorities to review those households who are on their housing list but who are not currently in receipt of housing support. This is to ensure that the details of the applicant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments (8 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 to 183, inclusive, and 187 together. 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 the Government's Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, Rebuilding Ireland. HAP is now available to all...

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

Simon Coveney: The following table sets out the information collected by my Department in relation to the matters in question. As the information is collected on an annual basis, data for 2016 will not be available until next year. It should be noted that the powers of local authorities in this regard were enhanced with the commencement of Part 2 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 on 13...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (8 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not hold the information sought. The assessment of households for social housing support is the responsibility of the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, which set down a standard procedure for assessing applicants for social housing support. A...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (8 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. Under the Scheme, the tenant pays the market value of the house less a discount. It is the responsibility of the tenant to raise the finance to purchase the house. A tenant may fund the purchase money for a house from a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Thatching Grants Applications (8 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department provided a Thatching Grant for the full eligible amount in respect of the property concerned in 2014. The completion of the work, as funded in 2014, was verified by an on-site inspection by my Department. Under the Thatching Grant Scheme, a premises is not eligible for new funding within 7 years of previous funding and the applicant in question has been notified of this.

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

Simon Coveney: I refer to the reply to Question No. 75 of 19 October 2016 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates Yield (8 Nov 2016)

Simon Coveney: The information requested is not available in my Department, and may be sought from Meath County Council.