Results 17,341-17,360 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Funding (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The preparation of this site for development is, in the first instance, a matter for Dublin City Council and is outside of the Ballymun Regeneration Project. I understand that to facilitate the development of the site, the Council has identified a need to construct the Shangan surface water attenuation pond, which it is proposed to situate in the area to the front of the Shangan...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Rural Resettlement Scheme (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 226 and 229 together. As the Deputy will be aware, my colleague the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, has overall responsibility for regional and rural matters and will be advancing a broadly based rural development strategy, in the context of the Programme for a Partnership Government. For my part, the recently published...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Felling Licences (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The felling of trees is a matter for the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine who issue tree felling licences and deal with unauthorised tree felling. Any question of a breach of the Wildlife Acts is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Strategies (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Irish Hum an Rights and Equality Act 2014 places a positive duty on public sector bodies to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality and protect human rights, in their daily work. My Department has appointed an official at a senior level to liaise with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission on the implementation of this Public Sector Duty. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 231 together. The 2010 Lee CFRAMs (Catchment Flood Risk Management Plan) is the most recent CFRAM study incorporating the Midleton area and is available for download at www.lee.cfram.com. The Office of Public Works (OPW) recently initiated a new CFRAM (South Western) Study which incorporates the Midleton area and this is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates Calculations (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: Local authorities are required by legislation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The annual rate on valuation (ARV), which is applied to the valuation for each property determined by the Valuation Office to obtain...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Upgrade (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department, earlier this year, announced a five-year Fire Services Capital Programme with an allocation of €40 million, based on the current annual €8 million allocation, to be used for the purchase of fire appliances and specialist equipment, building or upgrading of prioritised Fire Stations, an upgrade of the Communications and Mobilisation system and improvements to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The new Tenant Incremental Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum. The minimum reckonable income for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Burial Grounds (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: Under the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Acts, 1878 to 2001, local authorities are deemed to be burial boards for their respective functional areas. Acting in their capacity as burial boards, local authorities are responsible for the management, regulation and control of burial grounds in their functional area. My Department does not provide direct funding or grant assistance for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: Sligo County Council’s financial position is a matter of serious concern. While it is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own day-to-day finances in a prudent and sustainable manner, my Department has been in regular consultation with the Council in relation to its financial position, resulting in the agreement of a long-term Financial Plan in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The funding for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability was increased in 2016 by some 10%, to an overall funding availability of €56.25m nationally. Some 7,600 households benefitted under this Scheme in 2015, and with the additional funding, this should increase to 8,000 in 2016. While the Irish Wheelchair Association has proposed an increase in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Seaweed Harvesting Licences (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department has been in touch with the company named in order to establish the full facts related to this seaweed harvesting activity. On foot of that, my Department will consider the appropriate next steps involved.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Seaweed Harvesting Potential (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department sought the advice of the Office of the Attorney General on the interaction between the Foreshore Act and any relevant appurtenant rights, that is, rights that attach to a piece of land close to the foreshore to collect or harvest seaweed. In addition, my Department engaged with the Property Registration Authority of Ireland, PRAI, to attempt to establish the extent of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Seaweed Harvesting Potential (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The May 2015 report of the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht on Developing the Seaweed Industry in Ireland puts forward 8 recommendations for developing the industry.However, I have no statutory role in the promotion or development of the seaweed industry. Under the Foreshore Act 1933, I am responsible for regulating only the harvesting of wild seaweed and the report...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Library Services Funding (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department has not provided financial support to Sligo County Council to alleviate staffing difficulties in the Sligo Library Service. Accordingly, while my Department has recently sanctioned the filling of up to six library posts in Sligo library service, the funding of these posts is a matter solely for Sligo County Council. My Department continues to work with and support Sligo...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: Some €1.7 billion has been provided for housing services under Budgets 2015 and 2016. This has facilitated the delivery of over 13,000 social housing units in 2015, an 86% increase in unit delivery above 2014, and will deliver in excess of 17,000 social housing units this year. To support the implementation of Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, I have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies Establishment (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Government’s 2016 Draft National Risk Assessment - Overview of Strategic Risks, was published on 10 June 2016, and is available at the following link:. Since then, the Government has published Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, available at the website www.rebuildingireland.ie. The Plan sets out a practical and implementable set of actions to achieve...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: The solution to the challenge of homelessness, including for those families with children, is to increase the supply of homes as envisioned under Rebuilding Ireland: An Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness. The Action Plan, published on 19 July 2016, aims to deliver 47,000 units of social housing over the period to 2021 through construction, refurbishment, acquisitions and leasing,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Rehiring (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: Retired public and civil servants are engaged from time to time by my Department in areas where specific expertise is required for a short fixed period and these staff provide a level of knowledge, experience and background compatible with such requirements. There are currently 2 former civil or public servants who have been employed in my Department on temporary contracts. The abatement...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Data (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Coveney: There are 627.34 Whole Time Equivalent staff employed in my Department. This includes two members of staff on secondment from local authorities. This reflects the position following a recent restructuring of my Department, which is now focussed mainly on Housing, Planning, Water, Community and Local Government responsibilities.