Results 17,141-17,160 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Rural Resettlement Scheme (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: As outlined in Rebuilding Ireland: An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Government is committed to developing a range of measures supportive of the regeneration and renewal of towns and villages across rural Ireland and, consequently, ensuring a vibrant population in those places. It is my aim that all reasonable steps are taken to secure the re-use of vacant and under-utilised...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Credit Union Lending (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 289 together. The agreed Programme for a Partnership Government recognises the potential role that credit unions can play in housing finance and supports the efforts of the Registrar of Credit Unions at the Central Bank to gradually lift current lending restrictions as appropriate, including for housing. The Programme further provides that we...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The only scheme my Department funds through local authorities that may, depending on the circumstances, provide funding for heating systems in private housing is the Housing Aid for Older People scheme. This scheme provides grants of up to €8,000 to assist older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out to private houses. Eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Eligibility (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: While lead responsibility for the Mortgage to Rent scheme rests with my Department, the Housing Agency co-ordinates its day-to-day functioning on my Department’s behalf. In relation to the specific case raised, I understand that as part of the normal administration of the scheme, the Housing Agency has offered the property to a number of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) but each has...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 293 and 294 together. Action 5.1 of the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness undertakes to develop a National Vacant Housing Re-Use Strategy by early 2017. To this end, the Housing Agency, which has lead responsibility for co-ordinating the development of the Strategy, has established a working group to inform the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: Full details of budget increases in respect of my Department are set out on page 57 (Reconciliation of 2017 Expenditure Ceiling) of Part II of the Expenditure Report 2017, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and available online at . The increases outlined in the Expenditure Report 2017 are increases over the expenditure ceilings set out in the Mid-Year Expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Library Services Staff (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department works closely with Sligo County 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 organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority. My Department received a staff sanction...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: Of the 47,000 social housing units to be delivered under Rebuilding Ireland, an Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, it is estimated at this stage that approximately 26,000 will be constructed, while 11,000 will be acquired by local authorities and AHBs directly from the market or the Housing Agency, with a portion of these being newly built units. 10,000 units will be leased by local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the long term leasing of houses and apartments from private owners, developers and AHBs. Properties made available under the programme are used to accommodate households from local authority waiting lists....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: I refer to the reply to Question No. 144 of 28 September 2016. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Social Housing Strategy 2020, published in November 2014, included a commitment to undertake summaries of social housing assessments (SSHA) on an annual basis from 2016. The aim of the process is to capture the total number of households across the country which are qualified for social housing support and whose housing need is not currently being met. This data will allow my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The roll-out of the HAP scheme brings together all the social housing services provided by the State under the single umbrella of the local government system and removes a barrier to employment by allowing households to continue to receive HAP support even if their income increases or they gain full-time employment. The scheme has been rolled out on an incremental basis and is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Animal Welfare (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The regulation of dog breeding establishments is a matter for local authorities in accordance with the Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010. The local authority must maintain for public inspection a register of dog breeding establishments in its functional area, which must include the name and address of the applicant seeking entry onto the register, the address of the dog breeding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (13 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 prescribe maximum net income limits for each housing authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Service (13 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: Fire services are provided by local authorities in accordance with the provisions of the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. Under section 10 of the 1981 Act, a fire authority, in this case Meath County Council, is required to make provision for the delivery of fire services in its functional area, including the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises. In general, I have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Inniúlacht sa Ghaeilge sa Státseirbhís (13 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: Molaim Ceisteanna Uimh. 77 go 79, cuimsitheach, a fhreagairt le chéile. Tá thart ar 18 ball foirne faoi láthair i mo Roinn atá inniúil ar a chuid nó a cuid oibre a dhéanamh trí mheán na Gaeilge agus is féidir na baill seo a dhíriú chuig réimsí oibre faoi leith ina bhfuil gá le Gaeilge nuair is gá. Leanfaidh...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Library Services Data (13 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department received 27 applications under the My Open Libraryinitiative following a call for proposals from interested local authorities in June 2016. Approval-in-principle to proceed to procurement and commence works was given to local authorities for 23 projects; four applications (Rathdowney (Laois), Borris (Carlow), Carrick-on-Suir (Tipperary) and Donabate (Fingal) ) were withdrawn....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Library Projects (13 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: An allocation of €2.3m has been provided for the continued roll-out of the My Open Libraryservice as part of my Department’s Libraries Capital Investment Programme 2016-2021. The programme was officially launched in January 2016 by the then Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The programme builds on funding provided by the Department in previous years...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (13 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department offers financial support to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in the form of a long term loan under the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) to assist with the financing of the construction or acquisition of units that will be provided for social housing use. This loan facility can support up to 30% of the eligible capital cost of the project, where the units will be provided...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (13 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department approved funding of €7.58 million in January 2016 for a Remedial Works Scheme at St. Patrick’s Park, Rathangan, County Kildare, with 10% of the cost to be provided from the local authority’s own resources. My Department is working closely with Kildare County Council on various aspects of the scheme which is being delivered in 3 phases. Phase 1, which is...