Results 1,781-1,800 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Other Questions: Housing Data (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I wish the Deputy well at the weekend. I hope he and his party will reflect on the damage that has been done to this economy due to the policies that were implemented over the last ten or 20 years in housing and construction. I am open to listening to any positive proposals the Deputy might make. I think they will have a further opportunity to engage with these issues in the context of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I want to clarify one item for the Deputy. He said the €4 billion includes the housing assistance payment, HAP. There is €4 billion of capital committed to the year 2020. The Deputy said nothing has changed. A great deal has changed in the past year. The Construction 2020 strategy will address many of the deficits in terms of housing provision throughout the country. We...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Deputy for his question. As outlined by the Minister, the implementation of the HAP scheme is a key Government priority under the Social Housing Strategy 2020, which sets out a range of ambitious targets. The scheme is vital if we are to meet housing demand, which, as the Deputy rightly points out, is increasing. The funding that has been committed under the social housing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: We all agree that housing is one of the most pressing issues in this country. The Government is committed to prioritising and resolving this issue. The Deputy, however, seems to be conveniently pointing to the worst-case scenarios. The Private Residential Tenancies Board, PRTB, is doing a great of good work in terms of raising awareness of tenants' rights. In fact, a campaign is under...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Amendments (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Following public concern with regard to the widespread failure to comply with regulatory requirements in the construction industry, S.I. No. 9 of 2014 was introduced with effect from 1 March 2014 to strengthen the arrangements in place by empowering competence and professionalism in the design and construction process and by requiring greater accountability in relation to compliance with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the relevant contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder, the supplier and/or their respective insurers. I believe that the parties responsible for poor workmanship and/or the supply of defective materials should face up to their responsibilities and take appropriate actions to provide remedies for the affected...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: In general, building defects are matters for resolution between contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder, the materials supplier and/or their respective insurers. In the event that the parties cannot reach a settlement by negotiation the option of seeking redress in the Courts can be considered. Typically, there are no financial supports available from the State on the grounds...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Amendments (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department has given preliminary consideration to the arrangements in place for oversight of new single dwellings and extensions to existing dwellings in advance of the full review of the broader operation of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 9 of 2014), which formally commenced on 2 April 2014 and is currently open for public consultation. While costs are...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Estates (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides, in relation to estates which have been completed to the satisfaction of the planning authority in accordance with the relevant planning permission, that the planning authority must if requested to do so by the developer, or by the majority of the owners of the houses involved, initiate the procedures for taking the estate in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Section 10A of the () provides for a temporary exemption of at least three consecutive years from the charge to Local Property Tax (LPT) for residential properties that have been certified as having “significant pyritic damage”. The requirements needed to demonstrate “significant pyritic damage” are set out in the and are consistent with the recommendation set out...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Resolution Board Remit (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The pyrite remediation scheme, which was first published by the Pyrite Resolution Board in February of 2014, was developed having regard to, inter alia, the recommendations set out in the (July 2012). The full conditions for eligibility are set out in the scheme, which is available on the Board’s website (). It is a condition of eligibility under the scheme that an application to the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Strategies (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The downturn in economic activity associated with the recession has resulted in significant numbers of shop closures and vacant units in town centres throughout the country. Other factors, such as upward only rent reviews, parking charges, rising energy costs and on-line trading, have also been cited as factors affecting the viability of small and medium-sized businesses in the retail...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: An allocation of €10 million has been provided in my Department’s Estimate for 2015 to fund the operation of the pyrite remediation scheme this year and I am satisfied that the Pyrite Resolution Board will have the resources required to meet the level of activity anticipated for the year. The post-2015 funding requirement will be considered in the context of the 2016 Estimates...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Estates (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I refer to the reply to Question No. 30 on today’s Order Paper. My Department has issued detailed guidance to planning authorities in relation to the taking in charge of housing estates and the steps to be followed in this regard. This is primarily contained in circular letter PD 1/08 which was issued to planning authorities on 26 February 2008. This guidance was supplemented and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Amendments (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department has given preliminary consideration to the arrangements in place for oversight of new single dwellings and extensions to existing dwellings in advance of the full review of the broader operation of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 9 of 2014,) which formally commenced on 2 April 2014 and is currently open for public consultation. While costs are...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Strategies (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I refer to the reply to Question Number 37 on today’s Order Paper which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The terms and conditions governing the operation of standard annuity mortgages provided by local authorities to qualifying first time buyers are set out most recently in the Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2012. These are available on my Department’s website at the following weblink:. The Regulations prescribe that the amount of a loan shall not exceed €200,000 or...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The management and administration of issues relating to unfinished housing developments is a matter for individual local authorities.  Each local authority has appointed an Unfinished Housing Development co-ordinator; contact details can be found on the Housing Agency’s website at . With the assistance of local authorities, my Department has conducted an annual national housing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (23 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The finalisation of any outstanding planning related matters affecting the development concerned are a matter for Kildare County Council and I have no function in such matters. Following the insertion of subsection (2A) into section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, by the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010, planning authorities are not prevented from taking in charge...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (22 Apr 2015)

Paudie Coffey: In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the relevant contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder, the supplier and/or their respective insurers. I believe that the parties responsible for poor workmanship and/or the supply of defective materials should face up to their responsibilities and take appropriate actions to provide remedies for the affected...